Phase 1 project started... Trouble, Tribulations and Triumphs

15 years ago

When we moved into a new home last year, it was just that, built last year. We looked at over 30 homes, though some had much more cleared land.. the houses, need 40 or 50 k worth of work or even more sometimes, the prices were not very reasonable, so we decided to purchase this new home that didnt need any major rehab to move into.

However, he had very little cleared land, alot of woods, so the past couple of weeks, some great friends and my Dad have been helping me cut down trees, some of them were bigger than I wouldve dared before, but out they had to come.. Let me tell you, for all of you that have done this , you know this is back breaking work!

Phase one.. front northern exposure bed, will hold roses, daylilies and some wintersown plants this year.

Me working away...

Center point of the bed, cant take credit for this, not movable, but pretty granite.

About a cord of wood moved out of this bed

Much more chopping of the bed to be able to use it..

Some rocks moved out of the bed...

{{gwi:382505}}

Favorite excavating tool, I got for 2 bucks broke.. sigh

The soil isnt that bad, not great either, will have to work on it as I go in the next few years.. About 3 inches of humas rich soil, then some clay then some silt, some spots if I go down about 5 feet it quickly fills with water, which can be a boon for some things.

Ack my body aches though!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

anewgarden
15 years ago
Amazing amount of work!!

Can't wait to see what it looks like in July! Congratulations on your new home!
mnwsgal
15 years ago
How wonderful to have good friends and family helping you with this huge project. Just looking at that pile of rocks has my aching back throbbing. I have found that taking the extra time and effort to get the soil well prepared before planting is worth the wait.

That looks like a great tool for digging up roots and rocks. Shouldn't take much to get it repaired though probably more for a new handle than the bargain $2 you spent.

Please keep posting photos of your progress.
Related Discussions
Newbie with unmolding troubles
Q
Comments (10)
Yes, too much water in the mix will cause slumping. First, add just enough water to moisten the mix, and when that has been evenly distributed, add more water, a small amount at a time. It's funny how fast it can change from too dry to too wet! The closer you get to the ideal, reduce the amount of water you're adding -- I've had to add it literally by the spoonful at a time to get the mix I wanted. Yes, doing it in layers is possible, and for some things, the only way (like spheres). The best way is to do the bottom section, and let it sit just until it's set (approx. and hour or so), then add your next layer and repeat. If you let it go too long (to the point where the concrete looks a bit dryish), spritz it with some water and let it soak in, then add your next layer. If you have to let the previous layer set longer (yes, I guess you have to stop to take the kid to the ER!), soak it good with water and drain, then apply the next layer while it's still wet. If the concrete is fastening around the edge of the mold, when the mix has set fairly well, to the point you can pick it up and turn it over, scrape the edge with a putty knife. At that point, it should be fairly easy to remove. And it usually gives a good clean finish, too. Sue
...See More
Cuttings and Moon Phases
Q
Comments (53)
I am late to this thread but have found it extremely entertaining. Every propagator knows there is a good time to take cuttings and that is when the plant is in the right stage for it, not when the moon is in the right stage. And this times varies with each plant species. As for experiments and proof, I look no further than some of my neighbours, they faithfully plant by the moon, and when harvest arrives they have no better yields than the rest of us. Just because an idea has been around for years, and many people still hold to it does not give it validity. The great thing about science is, that when it is proven wrong it accepts it, it does not cling to an idea that no longer works just because it has been handed down thru the ages. Science is there to move us on, and to teach us new things so we can better understand which beliefs to drop, and which to hold on to. I for one will drop the idea that the earth is flat, that my destiny is dependant upon the zodiac, and that planting by the moon has any noticeable benefit.
...See More
First Year Trials and Tribulations and Veggies Taste Bitter
Q
Comments (25)
Aminopyralids...DESTROY ALL PLANT LIFE ESPECIALLY BROADLEAFS like Beans Peas broccoli family etc etc http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/news/story.asp?nid=1448 i had trouble in washington state with the CERTIFIED ORGANIC COMPOST i was using...seems most commercial composters use municipal as well as public sources for their compost ingredients. all it takes is a few contaminated yard clippings that have been sprayed with ROUNDUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yep ROUNDUP that poison pushed by Costco even...thousands of gardens wiped out!-it takes up to 4 years for it to COOK out of your soil even after that you might experience problems-MAKE YOUR OWN COMPOST and boycott MONSANTO! ALL THEIR PRODUCTS! for they are poisoning the world. there are tests you can do -home control plots etc etc-but you need to start with pure virgin soil...good luck p.s. i am Michigan Now and they are having the same problems as WA state had 10 years ago...they are finally waking up though as people pass around this information.Namaste T
...See More
My poor wip slipper. I need to start counting and paying attention
Q
Comments (29)
For some patterns you will go under just one loop and not two. But, the normal crochet stitch is to go under the two loops. Using only one loop will produce a different stitch and is valid but not what you are aiming for here. If you so choose to crochet potholders you have to make small tight stitches or they won't be effective to hold hot handles with. You will be surprised to find your fingers getting hot through the spaces in the crochet stitches if you dont' have a tight enough fabric. And do remember to use cotton yarn for pot holders. Synthetic fibers will melt. For example think of the dishcloths that are popular. You would not want to do much hot pot lifting with one of those unless you stacked a couple of them together for bulk. I tell you this because in a recent search for pot holder patterns I came across a lot that were more for decoration than for real purpose. Or, they were more like hot pads and not pot holders. A hot pad does not have to be as tightly constructed as a pot holder. A pot holder should be a double thickness. There is a popular pattern for a diagonal pot holder that works up nicely with kitchen cotton. Just google it. It is popular and not hard to find.
...See More
diggerdee zone 6 CT
15 years ago
Wow, that's a lot of work. It will be worth it though, I think - looks like it will be a great spot for a gorgeous bed!

Are you going to use the lasagna method to build the bed? After all that hard work, that's what I would do. Are you going to grind the stumps?

:)
Dee
retiredprof
15 years ago
I was going to ask the same thing. What are you going to do with the stumps, Silverkelt?

I've never undertaken a project that huge-- it looks absolutely back-breaking. But, boy, to have that much land!

Prof
karendee
15 years ago
Lots of work, but it looks nice. The stumps look like a lot of work to come, good luck!!!

Karen
silverkelt
Original Author
15 years ago
The stumps are staying in for now. some of the smaller ones, I can possible take out myself. Anything too big will be staying

I will probable amend around them as much as possible in the next few weeks.
I had a excavator guy give me qoute of 3000 or so for the stumps... Just dont have the cash right now. We used alot to actually buy the place, so will have to work around whatever I got for now. I might rent a stump grinder, or just cut them down as close to the ground as possible...
dirtbert
15 years ago
I have a few stumps in some of my beds too where storms have blown the trees down. Some are quite large.
Short term, I just set a big birdhouse or something decorative on them. Or leave a small path to the stump for a sitting perch for myself to admire the garden.
Most of the stumps rot away for me within 3-5 years anyways. I just never thought it was worth the expense to have them removed.
tiffy_z5_6_can
15 years ago
Oooh, now that excavating tool is my kind of thing!! Just send it to me. I'll fix it by putting it on top of my firepit and burning that inner piece of wood out. Won't hurt the metal any and it will clean and sanitize the shovel/pick. Then I'll get a new handle and voila! it's new again! Ooops, guess now you know how to fix it... I do this with my shovels. We've got granite boulders here in N.S. too and I break at least two per season. DH broke the pick axe last year. Fixed it the same way.

Love the new garden area. It's going to be sweet with your planned assortment. You can shorten the time a stump will stay by cutting it as close to the ground as possible and then drill holes - the bigger the better. Try to keep them as moist as possible. Fill the drill holes with water.

Looks good already. Keep us posted. :O)
terrene
15 years ago
The job looks great so far, Silverkelt! I love that granite "rock feature".

I truly understand the effort involved in what you've done. My lot was terribly overgrown when I moved here almost 7 years ago (with mostly non-native invasive plants) and I have removed hundreds of woody shrubs and small trees and dug out piles of large roots. Don't have as many rocks as you do, but they are great for making a few natural borders here and there.

I've also had major tree work done twice - by a professional tree service - removing a total of 30 large trees (you'd never know it though, there are still numerous large canopy trees). Have a couple nice piles of wood chips as a result.

I leave most of the stumps too. I would try to cut yours downs as low as possible (yes hitting dirt dulls the chainsaw quickly, but if it's dull anyway and needs sharpening I've had success convincing a friend to cut them.) Then I would start lasagne layers in between the stumps. Pile up the organic materials in layers and let them decompose over time, building the soil up instead of trying to dig too much in between the stumps and roots.
sheltieche
15 years ago
love the land! Possibilities are endless.... you are very lucky!
about stumps- those you do not plan to remove- drill large hole in the middle of each top and make sure there is water inside or cover them as much as you can with soil/ mulch- couple years down the road you will have them ready for compost.

Phase 1 project started... Trouble, Tribulations and Triumphs

Comments (10)

anewgarden

mnwsgal

Related Discussions

diggerdee zone 6 CT

retiredprof

karendee

silverkelt
Original Author

dirtbert

tiffy_z5_6_can

terrene

sheltieche

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Phase 1 project started... Trouble, Tribulations and Triumphs

Comments (10)

Related Discussions

silverkeltOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

silverkelt
Original Author