Just Do It

While I was busy looking out the windows and weighing different options, I felt compelled to do something to keep me physically engaged. "Larry," I asked my husband, "how would you feel about growing some things in the back yard?" "Sure, Jen," he said with a hint of trepidation in his voice. Because he knew what was coming. "Do you think you can help me out this weekend? I've rented a sod cutter." "Oh boy."

So we rented the machine and just did it. We cut out a large patch of the yard and began rolling up the sod. Sod is heavy stuff to move so we invited some professionals to our sod busting party to help roll it up and cart it away.

As it turns out, I've got a pretty great site for a garden. I plan to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers so I needed a large, open area that was going to receive at least 6 hours of continuous sunlight. I had originally considered placing the garden closer to hedge so that the entrance was in line with the family room doors, but after observing the site for a few weeks, I realized that the area I had in mind was getting only afternoon sun. Moving the site just a few feet would ensure that the entire area received plenty of direct sunlight for most of the day.

The garden is visible to everyone in the neighborhood and has become a curiosity and a destination route for walkers, but it is nestled comfortably between my house and 2 tall hedges where it is enclosed on three sides and fairly well protected.

As far as size goes, well, I just couldn't help myself. For the past nine years I've been growing on a full acre so this 60 x 60 plot does not seem big enough to my eyes. But, I think it is a good place to start and if all goes well, I can always expand. Carefully planned, I should be able to grow most everything that I love and then some.

The site is almost perfect,but not quite. Since carting away the sod I have noticed some puddling in certain areas, mainly on the west side. This area seems slower to drain after a soaking rain. I know that the water table is high in my yard and there are underground springs running throughout people's properties. We do live in the village of BrightWATERS, after all. One thing that plants do not like is wet feet so I will plan to build up these wet areas with compost and wait to plant this section until later in the season when it tends to be drier.

Now when I look out the family room windows, even on cold wintry days, I am imagining a basket of early spring snap peas, tender lettuce greens, tangy arugula and fresh picked spinach and I am filled with the anticipation of spring.

Costs:
Sod cutter rental, pick up and delivery 140.00
Dump fee 125.00
Labor to remove sod 500.00