A decade has passed since these planting beds were established. Pasture grass was retaking this area. I have been mowing around the stakes for entirely too long. The time for a path buffer is now. Squares of sod have been cut and stacked. Large stones have been levered out. Flat stones go to the wall pile. Round ones are used for fill at the gravel bank. Soil is moved to the shade garden. Smaller stones will fill the path.
A dry stone wall is laid against the edge board. When the board is removed the little stone wall will keep the soil separate from the path stones. This sounds like excessive work but the last glacier left us with more stone than soil. Gardening is possible only after the stone is removed. All of that stone has to go some place. Why not build a garden path?
Half a century ago the barn on this farm was struck by lightening and burned. Rubble from the fire was buried in this field. My current dig is in an area filled with fire debris. No metal has appeared on the sifting screen yet, but I keep looking for some. The mixture of soil and ash is dark. It looks like it could be prime soil. Fear of chemical contamination will keep me from planting carrots in this soil. It might grow great flowers.
1 comment:
YOur work is cut out for you but how rewarding. Looks like you have a beautiful place to garden.
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