Re: Easy Street
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Re: Easy Street
- From: r* <t*@catskill.net>
- Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 07:36:53 -0600 (MDT)
ECPep@aol.com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-10-14 23:27:19 EDT, Doreen writes:
>
> << > little rocks, hauling dirt and building bed walls. Oh, I know where to
> find
> > all those rocks to hold down heaving rhizomes now. So is it just me or is
> > there an easier way? >>
>
> I thought I'd make a comment here because I also live in the New England
> (just over the line in N.Y.) paradise of rocks and thin soil.
>
> What you are doing is probably the fastest and best way allowing for
> occasional diabilities. What I do is because I am getting older and really
> wish for less physical labor and a glorious result just the same.
>
> My best way to achieve more planting space is to extend existing beds (do
> away with more lawn). This can be done with the lawn lover in the family
> hardly noticing what has happened.
>
> My best method for new beds is to go over existing terrain with a thick layer
> of newspaper and cover the paper with all garden refuse for one entire
> season. Allow this to winter over adding all leaves you can rake up or
> collect in your neighborhood. The debris layer can be several feet high as a
> New England winter will reduce it to ground level by spring. In spring (or
> in previous fall if you have time) draw lines desired for the bed and cut an
> edge to define it.
>
> Plant right through the accumlated compost removing any rock you encounter.
> Subterranean rock should be ignored as not existing unless the trowel
> strikes it.
> This undergound rock actually holds water around the plants and if you can
> find space to plant w/o removal, so much the easier. When through planting
> if you do not like the untidy look of the surface, mulch all with wood chips
> and a few handfuls of 5-10-5.
>
> I have made nearly all of my garden this way with the exception of that which
> was prepared with a backhoe. We have some really large rocks!
>
> Claire Peplowski
> East Nassau, N.Y. - zone 4 - gloomy day
Hi claire--
wish I'd known about this before I did this last bed. It seems almost
too good to be true that one can create a new bed this way. Is this
good for TBs?
Rima terra@catskill.net
upstate ny zone 4
