The raised bed had fallen into disuse over the past half decade. Earlier this year it was filled with roots from nearby shrubs, and dirt clods from long periods of drought. The irrigation system had been disrupted after we had the house repiped, and never brought back online. Our son built the raised bed years ago (see Building a Raised Garden Bed), and it has yielded some delicious, tender vegetables (see Vegetable Garden - Three Weeks, Adventures in Lettuce, and The Harvest).
 |
| Water helps soften up the soil |
Time for an overhaul! I used water to soften up the soil, and a shovel and clippers to expose and clean out the roots. I also used a small auger, typically used to plant bulbs, and a hand drill to "till" the soil and work in some fresh soil. The irrigation system still needs work, but we have a water source (and winter rains will be welcome).
 |
| A planting auger helps break up the soil |
Finally the long and arduous process has paid off, and the raised bed is ready for fall greens! Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, late summer and fall are the perfect time to plant cool weather greens. I planted seeds for lettuce, chard, and spinach, and ordered more seeds from Renee's Garden for basil, dill, and parsley.
 |
| Ready for fall planting |
One hitch - Mr. Squirrel is busy harvesting acorns from the oak tree, and seems to think I prepared the garden bed just for him. He has no regard for tender vegetable shoots, only a mad drive to bury his winter supply of acorns!
No comments:
Post a Comment