Here in the northern hemisphere, in the bottom of a valley today I've noticed that the spot right outside my east facing kitchen door is in full midday sun from the south. I think with a little tinkering on an oak tree to the south of this spot (raising the
canopy), I can ensure reasonable sunlight through the year when that is in leaf too, at least until the sun passes behind the house in the mid afternoon. The spot is a
raised bed, with a stone edge and around 23x6.5ft - 150sqft and as far as I know that soil is pretty well undisturbed.
This is prime zone 1 veg garden territory and is as close to my door as I can get. Installed by the previous owners, its right there for the taking, but it is currently heavily planted with annuals and decorative plants. We've watched over the year and seen many plants come up and die away again. It looks to me to have been designed for colour out the door, throughout the year. But it is very, very heavily planted.
I'm hoping someone might have some ideas on how I might be able to kill off whats here, without having to dig out every bulb and disturb the soil? Sheet mulch and hope for the best? Or is just getting a spade in and building soil up from there the best way forward?
I'm also well aware that given the nooks and crannys available in a stone pile border, this could well become a slug hotel and planting vegetables will be a menu that they will be keen to try... I'm trying to start small, so adding ducks or similar would be moving me into more complex and time consuming systems that I can reasonably operate right now.
Should the slug concern (and no doubt
voles, other pests - we already have
rabbits and squirrels running rampant here) be
enough to tell me that this zone 1 annual food garden is not a good use of the space?
Much appreciated.
