Busting Sod

My previous vegetable gardens have all been planted in existing beds. This is the first time I have stated from scratch. Two things immediately became clear as I started this project. First, I do not have the strength or weight (in spite of my increasingly Rubinesque physique) to manage a rototiller. Second was the reaffirmation of my suspicion that I do not possess the gene for wheel barrowing. No matter how I try I cannot push a barrow in a straight line or keep one upright for more than a few feet. If there is a trick to this skill I wish someone would tell me. However, give me a pitch fork and a garden rake and I’m a veritable Paul Bunyan.

I decided to start small this year, just 20’ x 10’. This will give me a chance to find out what this soil will support and what kind of animal threats I may have to face. So far, with John’s help, the rototilling is done and the compost got moved to the bed so I could dig it in. The bed is covered now with black paper in the hope that the grass and weeds in the soil will die off. You might say I’m trying to kill off a grassroots movement. Meanwhile I have started some seeds and hope to begin planting the hardy stuff in a week or two. The plan is to put in peas, beans, zucchini, beets, tomatoes, onions, peppers and sunflowers (for feeding the birds next winter). Next year I’ll start earlier and branch out.