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I thought I'd take advantage of not having chickens right now to make a new garden in the fenced chicken yard. I'd guess the dimensions are 25x25 feet, and I'll retain about 10x25 for a chicken run(I let my chickens out so they don't need so big of a run), so the new garden area will be about 15x25 feet. There is a bit less sun in this area, so I'll grow my greens, bok choy, beets type stuff etc, and I'll plant stuff in July for a fall garden/overwintering. And of course add in herbs and etc.
Here is how it was, the weeds include thistle, grasses, wild geranium, dock, fingecup, plaintain, feverfew. When I started the ground was pretty wet and it made pulling things easy. I went through and pulled the thistles first, and the blackberries coming up inside the fence and put those in a pile. Then I used scissors and cut the grass and put that in a pile. Then I pulled or hoed the rest of the stuff to clear the area.
I also prepped a bed in front of the fence, that rotten round I busted up and spread on the bed.
This is about 6 hours of work done. I got some oak logs to outline the beds(they are all sprouted with some kind of fungus, like turkey tail). I laid out the thistle/blackberry stuff in the beds and let them dry well in the sun. Next I piled on the other weeds(also were dried in the sun), then some rotted leaves on top.When we mow the grass I'll pile on the clippings so it gets juicy and rotty. These beds I will plant next year after they've rotted well through the winter. I'll add a layer of dirt, and then fall leaves in the fall. I want to plant comfrey around the perimeter bed to grow for chickens and mulch. There is room for it to spread.
I'm going to bring in some dirt and make a bed in the center, I'll add a photo when I get it done. The dividing fence will go in last. I've got a bunch of old wrought iron railings in my inherited junk pile I'll use, and weave them with fallen fir stuff so the chickens can't pass through.
So, back to hauling rocks and dirt. Haven't spent a dime(I'll just be buying some seeds), recycled stuff, and getting a great workout!
So that's to show how I use the nasty thistles and berry vines to make new beds. I've done this in my other garden too, with the layering and drying stuff in the sun first etc.
It was interesting too--you can see the back half where the ground is bare, that is where the wild geranium is growing. I noticed here and then went to look elsewhere, that the wild geranium supresses grass, grass hates it, and other herby things get along well with the geranium. I have two kinds, dovefoot and robert. I let them grow in my veg garden where ever they want to. They die back when it starts getting hot in the summer.
I'll add some more pix when it comes together.
Sunlight pattern on June 12
10:30-1:00 filtered sun (about 50/50)
1:00-5:00 full sun
5:30-7:00 filtered sun(about 50/50)
I'm thinking when the sun starts tracking lower in the sky it will receive more sun, there are some tall trees around(Oak and fir). That little tree is a maple, and does not block the sun on that area. That little tree in the left on the outside of the fence is a willow, the deer eat it/prune it into a funky little mushroom shape.
Here is how it was, the weeds include thistle, grasses, wild geranium, dock, fingecup, plaintain, feverfew. When I started the ground was pretty wet and it made pulling things easy. I went through and pulled the thistles first, and the blackberries coming up inside the fence and put those in a pile. Then I used scissors and cut the grass and put that in a pile. Then I pulled or hoed the rest of the stuff to clear the area.
I also prepped a bed in front of the fence, that rotten round I busted up and spread on the bed.
This is about 6 hours of work done. I got some oak logs to outline the beds(they are all sprouted with some kind of fungus, like turkey tail). I laid out the thistle/blackberry stuff in the beds and let them dry well in the sun. Next I piled on the other weeds(also were dried in the sun), then some rotted leaves on top.When we mow the grass I'll pile on the clippings so it gets juicy and rotty. These beds I will plant next year after they've rotted well through the winter. I'll add a layer of dirt, and then fall leaves in the fall. I want to plant comfrey around the perimeter bed to grow for chickens and mulch. There is room for it to spread.
I'm going to bring in some dirt and make a bed in the center, I'll add a photo when I get it done. The dividing fence will go in last. I've got a bunch of old wrought iron railings in my inherited junk pile I'll use, and weave them with fallen fir stuff so the chickens can't pass through.
So, back to hauling rocks and dirt. Haven't spent a dime(I'll just be buying some seeds), recycled stuff, and getting a great workout!
So that's to show how I use the nasty thistles and berry vines to make new beds. I've done this in my other garden too, with the layering and drying stuff in the sun first etc.
It was interesting too--you can see the back half where the ground is bare, that is where the wild geranium is growing. I noticed here and then went to look elsewhere, that the wild geranium supresses grass, grass hates it, and other herby things get along well with the geranium. I have two kinds, dovefoot and robert. I let them grow in my veg garden where ever they want to. They die back when it starts getting hot in the summer.
I'll add some more pix when it comes together.
Sunlight pattern on June 12
10:30-1:00 filtered sun (about 50/50)
1:00-5:00 full sun
5:30-7:00 filtered sun(about 50/50)
I'm thinking when the sun starts tracking lower in the sky it will receive more sun, there are some tall trees around(Oak and fir). That little tree is a maple, and does not block the sun on that area. That little tree in the left on the outside of the fence is a willow, the deer eat it/prune it into a funky little mushroom shape.
Yeah I'm a softy!
)
