Bustin’ Sod
June 25th, 2013 · No Comments · Posted in garden
The gardener must dress appropriately
Here’s brother-in-law Tom breaking ground for a new garden bed on our farm. Tom had me scythe the grass in an area that had been gardened by the previous owner of the property. He used plastic “push posts,” normally intended for temporary livestock fencing, to mark the corners of a bed 12 feet long and four feet wide, then strung string to enclose the area.
Tom is using a long-handled spade and pick ax to remove the sod and reveal the soil underneath. The idea would be to heave the soil a bit with a forked spade, then work compost into the soil using my stirrup hoe. Tom plans to create six of these beds in all. Four feet is about the maximum width for a garden bed: you don’t want it so wide you can’t reach into the middle from either side, nor too long that it takes forever to walk around it.
We also visited the local hardware store to purchase a “weasel,” a half-moon shaped blade at the end of a long handle for cutting the edges of the bed. Tom says that’s his favorite tool. (Mine is the stirrup hoe.)
Tom also likes his traditional overalls and floppy hat for gardening. He looks pretty darn professional in that get up, don’t you think?
Posts and string to outline garden beds
What to plant? Tom brought a box of seed packets with him, including zucchini, radishes, Swiss chard, and mixed greens. Some kale and collards would be nice. We can purchase tomato plants at the local garden centers. I’m thinking it will soon be time to plant some hard squashes as well. I have to admit, all my experience food gardening was in the District of Columbia, where we loved our okra and pole beans. I’ve never gardened this far north before, nor started a garden this late into the season.
What would you be planting this time of year?
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