Home»Garden»Plan - Design - DIY
Last Updated on August 9 , 2023
Hey friends ! It ’s been a duo months since we last checked in with a raw homestead update … and we ’ve accomplish SO much in that time ! Planted yield Tree , landscaped a new hedgerow , work on irrigation , removed some existing plants … and perhaps the most exciting of all : go ground on the new main raised garden bed space!That particular project is nowhere near complete ( it will be a enceinte and ongoing one ) , but we ’ve made some really star progress that I ’m emotional to apportion with you today .
So , rent me show you what we ’ve been up to ! You know me : I ’ll partake in my thought process , lots of photos , details on the stuff we used , and drop plenty of helpful tip and resources along the way . Also , get quick for quite a fewkittypics ! We ’re absolutely smitten with the barn true cat we take over with the property , and I think they love us back .
I go for you enjoy follow along – and pick up a few thing too !
In casing you missed the late update :
Would you like to save this?
We ’ll email this berth to you , so you’re able to come back to it afterward !
I agree to receive email updates .
Fruit First
If you ’ve study our“how to start a homestead ” guide , then you have sex one of the thing I recommend doing in any new homestead or garden journey is toplant fruit trees ahead of time on . Unlike veggies or herbs , trees can take manyyears to matureand bear yield , so it ’s bully to get them in the ground ( and feeding you ) as soon as possible . Once established , they ’re often far less work than a vegetable garden too !
So far , we ’ve planted four avocados , twofig trees , a fuyu persimmon , two Meyer lemon tree , two pomegranate , twopineapple guava , a stinker guava , and a gnome weeping mulberry tree . Figs , lemons , and mulberry tree are ego - rich , but the pineapple Psidium guajava , avos , and pomegranate will bear far more fruit with a partner around forcross - pollenation . Avocadosdo good with a commixture of Type A and Type B avocados around , such as a Hass ( type A ) and Fuerte ( eccentric B ) .
Many of the raw additions were planted in a raw hedgerow we created along the southwesterly recess of the prop , while a couple of the trees went into the existing woodlet . We planted the avocados in a big open infinite on the far northeastern property line , which will grow in to leave a marvelous support seclusion screen from the modestly meddling country route on that side .
We also inherited a few established yield trees with the property : a ripe apricot along with some younger looker , apples , and citrus tree . I still want to add pears , plums , and many others with time!What edible trees are on your future dreaming list ?
Clean-Up on Aisle Brick
You be intimate that curvy brick pathway in the center of the existing garden ? The one that was once lined with blooming purplish catmint ? Well … we dug out all the catmint . I know , I sleep together . Itwasreally romantic and dreamy … for the three month or so out of the year it flowered . Yet as the flower fleet , it apace became anovergrown mess of brown . Catmint demand frequent pruning to prolong bloom , and also needs to be full edit out back to the footing every wintertime . That was simplytoo much workfor us to maintain looking nice – especially 50 + feet or so of it , times two for both sides of the path !
upkeep apart , another issues drove us to extinguish the catmint . The catmint becameseverely infestedwithsage leafhoppers , which come out to spread to other plant in the garden . Leafhoppers are sap - sucking plague worm that harm plants by piercing and sucking nutrients from leaves . They are incredibly hard to control in an constitutional manner , and take away the boniface plant ( aka , the Nepeta cataria ) is one of the cardinal ways to knock down their numbers . In addition to digging out the plants , we also released greenish lacewing in the country – a beneficial insect , and natural predator of leafhopper along withaphids , mealybugs , and wanderer soupcon .
And now , the part you are likely waiting for most …
The Start of the New Raised Bed Garden Space
When gazing out at our soon - to - be new garden expanse , it was easy to finger overwhelmed at first . First of all , the space is jolly huge – most 140 feet long by 60 to 40 ft full ( amaze more minute at one end ) . It was a blank slating , but not necessarily the most inspiring kind . Nothing but soil , knee - high weeds , gopher mounds , holes and uneven ground . I had a long - term vision grow , but … where to start ? One step at a meter .
As you preserve take , keep in mind that we followed very similar steps as we built outour old front yard garden space – without the helper of laboured machinery , just by hand and wheelbarrow , and even had toremove grassfirst – so all of thiseasily applies to smaller gardens too !
Step 1: Weeds Be Gone
My momcame down to call in from Washington just after Labor Day , and she unknowinglygot the ball rollingon the whole task . Like me , she like to keep meddlesome and moving . After she ’d finished weeding a few planters around our patio area , she asked where to weed next . I appear around and said , “ Well , I gauge allow ’s direct down there ” and pointed to the open field where the garden would go . So all three of us grabbed gloves , hats , and bucket to fill – and set off to depart pull skunk by hired man . Yes , pulling skunk by hand in a fully grown field may seem silly , but it was quite therapeutic ! We do n’t have a ride - on mower , and even if we did , that side of the dimension was n’t accessible for small vehicle ( yet ) .
Once the wedding was done and Mom had gone home , we rehabbed an old irrigation system andplanted a hedgerowalong the far fencing . Those few industrial plant and refreshed mulch made the whole corner pop ! Yet hauling over weighty potted plants , bagged ground and bark for this very small - size task ( in comparison of what was to come ) made us quickly realizewe needed more helper … but not mom aid . It was time to look into getting our firstheavy machineryfor the homestead .
Step 2: Dirt Bowl
The next logical step was tolevel out the groundsome , let in filing a large bowl or depression mighty in the eye of the succeeding garden . I did a speedy computation and determine that 6 yard of bulk filling soil should do the magic trick . Around that time we also started look into used UTVs ( Utility Task Vehicles ) topically . A tractor would have also been helpful for all the earth and crushed rock - moving this project will call for , but a go-cart or UTV will be the most various and useful for us long - term . We were able to test and then purchase aused Kubota RTV , and we have a go at it her already!Her name is Dusty .
In order for Dusty to drive over to the raw garden area , we first had to remove a section of the black vinyl group fencing that environ the survive garden and plantation in the center of the prop . I do like that blank space , but it unquestionably splits up the prop in a path that is n’t the most approachable or free - flowing at times . Once that was open up ( but still a very pissed squeeze ! ) we lade Dusty up with the bulk dirt that had been dumped in the front private road , shovelful by shovelful and load by incumbrance . Once all the soil was go to the back , wespread and leveled the area with hard rakes . I also flush other area , spread gopher mounds , and picked up with child sticks and junk .
Step 3: Defining the Space
It ’s awing what a petty definition can do in a space ! As presently as we installed the edging , my visionreallystarted descend to life story . All of you following along onInstagramsaid the same , and also that it made the arena search even larger than you first think .
The plan is to put crushed rock over the whole space soon ( more on that in a moment ) , along with a long “ flower seam ” of in - ground plantings and barque mulch along the back side , so we require a sturdy border that would bind thegravel and mulchin – while also keep the weeds out .
We choose to usehammer - in steel edgingbyEdge Right . It ’s made of Corten steel , the same stuff ocean shipment container are made of , so it ’s incredibly durable and weather - resistant . The metal starts out looking silvery and fresh , but will develop a rustic and protective reddish - brownish patina over clip . The edging occur in 4 - understructure pieces , and is available in either a 6 - column inch or 8 - inch deep sizes . Since our filth is very arenaceous , the folks at Edge Right advise the 8 ” deep edging was the best selection as it would stay most secure in place over time .
Installation was easier and quicker than I anticipated ! We did it all in one foresightful weekend , working on it for maybe 2 to 3 hours per Clarence Day – so about 7 or 8 hour of active install time total for over 350 infantry of distance . I am all-fired proud to say thatI did ALL the hammer myself . I am a Cancer and a minute of a perfectionist , so it worked out best for Aaron to make each piece stiff while I hammer them in .
Let ’s just say thank goodness for CBD ! I have beenheavilyrelying onmy preferred constitutive CBD oiland topical roller to console my aching muscle and jostle joint with all this heavy lifting .
Step 4: Ground Cover
Next , it was time to prep the ground for the crushed rock to get along . Rather than bark or wood chips , we are operate to usegravelin our new raised seam garden area for several reason . 1 ) I love the blank look of it , and it ’s permanence . 2 ) Gravel will act as afire barrierbetween our home and the neighbor wild , ironic attribute of chaparral encounter and oaks . Our new dimension is more rural and has a high risk for fire than the last , so this was an of the essence condition .
Before crushed rock , we laid down two level ofcontractor - grade sens barrier landscape painting fabricover the total space . This will put up a long - live foundation for the gravel to sit on , as well as block out weeds and gophers .
For the first layer , we usedour go - to Landsmasternon - weave commercial weed roadblock fabric . It ’s the same stuff we used under the raised bed and gravel in our old garden , and does a fantastic job . It keeps out even the most noxious weeds , but is still very lightweight , breathable , and permeable to water . We used to be able-bodied to grease one’s palms it in - store at Home Depot , but lately it has only been available online .
Next , we tot a level of a different type of contractor - mark fabric sourced from alocal landscape supply shopthat they recommended . It is athick bootleg woven typewith a felt - comparable underside . Here is a very exchangeable and well - rated merchandise .
Why two stratum , you may be wondering?Well , we did two layer of the Landmaster fabric at the sure-enough homestead . We were up against fantastically incursive crabgrass in that M , and we regain that it provided an first-class barrier from both weed and gophers . Plus , the extra layer provided insurance in caseful one of them accidentally was torn .
Here , we wanted that same durable double - aegis , but choose to use two different case of framework because we take to be able-bodied to drive the UTV over the area to move boulders , gravel , Sir Henry Wood and grunge as we build out the space . The black weave fabric is much heavier , buddy-buddy , and stays more taught , so it seemed like the best option for driving over without getting all get laid up in the process .
A note on using landscape fabric:
Not all landscape material is created adequate , nor do I advocate it for every post ! Please avert the thin , stretchy black plastic - like material you’re able to find at most garden heart and soul . It ’s ineffective , crosscurrent well , and create a hot uneconomical mess . Stick with well - rated , sonorous - duty contractor grade material if you do choose to use it .
However , there are many other more natural stuff you’re able to use as ground compensate too ! For instance , sheet mulchingwith layers of newspaper or cardboard under a thick stratum ofwood chipsis a nifty fashion to suppress weeds in pathways or around heyday beds . Or , climates with steady rainfall are idealistic for usingcover cropsto create living unripened footpath and ground cover . Learn about the pro and inmate of 8 different types of mulch here .
Step 5: Baby Boulders
Once the edging and landscape fabric was in place , we bring in some lowly landscaping boulders to further define the space and lend awhimsical unsophisticated elan . We used the small bowlder to line quality sections of the nerve tract and circumference of the edging , as well as create an additional molding between the raise bed area and flower layer that will course behind it along the fence .
One of my IG Friend tell me their local landscape supplier call these “ BFRs ” . I ’ll let your resourcefulness fill in what that support for . 😂 Fitting indeed , since the four pallet we had fork over press a total of 10,200 pounds . I was thank my lucky superstar for Dusty the UTV to help us move these too !
Next Steps
Next up : crushed rock ! We ’re presently debate between a few differenttypes and colors of gravelto role here . Since we ’ll call for over 30 yards , we want to bedang sureof our decision before draw the trigger . Theguys at the landscape supply pace suggested taking home 5 - Imperial gallon buckets of sample distribution rock to lay out , rinse the crap off , and see how it looks in the space – both slopped and dry .
I want something a little more rustic and natural looking for than the bright blue - green 3/8″ crushed rock we used at the old homestead ( even though I do eff the flavor of that one ) . We taste one called “ Navajo ” but it was far too ruby and warm for my liking . So , I suppose we are going tomix our own ! Yesterday we peck up two more samples : a dreary greenish rock music , and a warmer Au and gray-haired granite . Together they make a fantastic “ salt and pepper ” vibration – the everlasting portmanteau of warm , cool , light and dark tones .
Color away , we always use a crushed type of crushed rock . Due to its angular edge , crush rock compact and locks in placereally nicely – unlike smoother pea graveltype Stone , which sinks and move as you walk on them . ( That drives me bananas ! )
After the area is fill up with gravel , we ’ll slow begin addingraised bed . I have plans for heaps of lift beds in this space one day , but we definitely wo n’t be build and satisfy them all at once ! See ourstep - by - step guideto build wood raised garden beds , orhow we fill raised seam here .
The garden will also have a center courtyard with pavers , various seats , a jet , and batch of pretty potted plants , arched trellises , and wine barrel planter speckled across the space too .
Cheers to good hard work, gardening, and kitty friends!
Wow , are you still with me ? Lol … my bad , this update wound upjust a wee fleck longerthan I anticipated. 🤪 But hot dang , I venture we ’ve been busy eh ? ! I call I wo n’t wait so long between updates next clock time , particularly when there is so much to share . We truly appreciate your interest in our homestead adventures , and go for that you found some value in this Emily Price Post ! Stay tuned to see the progress – and see what color gravel we choose !
EDIT : The next steps and full garden reveal are done!Come tally out the quad after we added gravel , raised beds , arciform trellises , plants , and more – spell video included !
