just got the current issue of Garden Design (which is geared toward Cali, I dont know why I look at this!!!) very pretty, bamboo-ish plant. Just wondering if anyone has had luck ? I always like to test the zone waters :) Thanks for any input.
It's the plume-ey thing in the middle of the pic, the base is more like bamboo stalk- the picture in the magazine is to die for!
Thanks all!
Hi RTP!
Never heard of it, I'll see if I've got that issue.
Just wanted to say HI! Haven't seen you around for a while! :)
:) Thank-you ! I've missed everyone. I had a fun project - ripped all the sod out of our parking strip (well, that was not fun at all - it's roughly 80' long!) but the fun part has been planting. I'm excited to see it fill in, but also trying not to "overplant" which is definitely something I excell at - lol. I told myself to stop (except for some bulbs I'm waiting for) but yesterday I plunked another hebe in, plus a crinum 'sangria' which is a new plant for me, can't wait to see the bloom next year.
I'll post some pics after my dh gets back from NYC (he took the camera)!! I've been enjoying the king sized bed and sleeping with the window open - loved the rain last night :)
Oooh, I'd love to see your pictures!
Ugh, 80 ft of sod! Well, you can always move stuff later if it looks overgrown. I bet it's looking good now, though. You've gotten some wonderful plants! I just got my first Hebe. It's the tricolored one and I like it a lot.
Yes, isn't the rain wonderful? It's pouring here right now. I think we've just gotten as much rain as we did the entire month of August.
I love hebes, and did include several in the "strip" - we'll have to see how they do over the winter, as of right now, most of the plants are small so there is not alot of protection.
Hebes seem to be pretty tough, though. I got a new one this year 'Wiri Dawn' - saw it at the nursery and "just had to have it". LOL they said it survived our horrendous winter last year; just needed a little cut back.
Do you have that one, Tootsie?
I know what you mean about sod. About the only thing that was done to this house before I moved in was grass. I have to rip out 25-year old grass (and the accompanying weeds) before I plant anything. Good for you to have gotten the whole thing done. 80 feet . . . whew!!
25 year old grass - yowza, that is going to be tough... can you do the ol' put down a bunch of newspaper, wet it and pile mulch on top, wait a year and then you can plant?
I did this for a portion of the backyard (last fall, and then planted in the spring -it sure beats shoveling out the sod!) but was too anxious to plant the strip lol. plus I told myself "it's only 3 feet wide" - ha ha ha. I had to rent a u-haul to take all the sod to Grimm's.
I don't think I have 'Wiri Dawn' - I'll go check my envelope of plant tags ? Did you cut it back in spring, and how quickly did it revive? Thanks Katie!
I didn't actually have the Wiri Dawn last year - that was what they did at the nursery. When I saw it, it looked great. They just cut off several inches damage on the outside (not sure when, probably around April?) and when I saw it in June, it looked perfectly healthy, enough so that I wanted one.
I have tried the lasagna gardening thing, but wasn't patient enough. I still had to dig through the sod to plant - guess I have that double-turning thing ingrained in me. And then there are these d)(*$&@# ranunculus. They reproduce by both seed and rhizomes. They just made their way around and up through as the cardboard disintegrated. It did keep the grass from getting high, though, and killed it where I ended up planting, so there was benefit. And the worms and other bugs loved it.
I've had the same problem you've had with digging up sod - where to put it while it breaks down. I have several "hillocks" of discarded sod pieces here that I'm waiting on. They are breaking down, but it's kind of slow. I'm sure that in a couple more years I'll have more than I know what to do with!!
Oh . . . and I've found my tool of choice to be a hand-held mattock. It hooks on the blade side and slides right under the sod to pull it up nicely. Then I use it to beat the dirt out of the matt. Once most of the grass roots are gone, I use the shovel (and then deal with the clay and zillions of rocks LOL) and it goes in a little easier.
Tootsiepop, what did you use to lift the sod?
I had a spade, but what I liked best was my shovel (which I broke -lol). We have rocks and clay, so I beat out as much top soil from the grass pieces as I could. It took 3 days to get all the sod out, another day to load the truck with it and dump it. I wish I had somewhere to throw the sod - I just don't. So I paid Grimm's $10 to drop it off, and in a couple of years I'll probably buy it back in the form of compost (thats crazy, I know!)
I'll look for the hand-held mattock, that sounds like a good tool. I agree with the lasagna thing, you really do have to be patient, and waiting a year to plant in an area just seems sooooo long ! And thank-you, I'll never plant d)(*$&@# ranunculus!! lol - good to know.
You'll like the mattock. Actually, paying somebody $10 to do the composting for you sounds like a deal to me. There aren't enough hours in a day to do it all yourself. Sounds like we have similar soils (although I know that further south the clay is really red - mine isn't). The mattock is really good to chip away at a vein of thick clay. And you can alternative between sitting, standing, kneeling, whatever and still use it. That helps on the wear and tear on your body.
The ranunculous I'm talking about is a native. It's in the lawn . . . it's everywhere. I don't know that a domesticated version would be so tough. I do admire it. The flowers are pretty, it keeps things green and it's okay to walk on - not spiky like dandelions and their relatives. It just does too well in my yard. LOLOL.
vein of clay - I have never heard this expression before, but know exactly what you mean - PERFECT! I had some spots that were just rock and clay, and others were big shovelfuls of clay - ours is mostly gray , some tan. If I ran into big clods of clay, I threw it out with the sod. I know it can be nutrient rich, but it drains soo badly. I dug in lots of compost and garden topsoil and a few bags of manure too so it's acceptable now, but still lots of rock and clay.
$10 per load is what Grimm's charges... they sell mulch, compost, rock etc. I think they should've charged me double with the big truck, lol. Yes, the charge was totally fine.
The mattock is definitely on my list! *because of course, there is always more sod to rip out, I'd like to continue a dry river rock bed through the backyard.
I have an area through which the top of my property drains down to the property below me. In the summer it's dry, but in the winter it's pretty wet. My neighbor and I are "saving" our rocks for that section and are going to do a stream bed that's wet in winter and only moist in summer. Not sure where that fits in our list of priorities. Probably after we get cut up that 100 ft fir that pulled up root and fell across it. We've cleared the salmon berry that grew up around the fir, delimbed it and cut off the top 30 feet of the two arms of the fir. But we still have the bigger sections of trunk left. And then there's the cottonwood that got caught in between the two arms. That's just leaning, but will have to be cut up when it comes down. Lots of wood for a long time . . . and we'll have to do some more work before it gets soggy again.
Argh!!! And it's October already.
Here's the bottom. It pulled up the fence during the windstorm. I am thrilled that it didn't hit anything. Not everybody could say that.
I just moved into a house that has a garden that is mostly lawn - 3/4 acre of it, so I am very interested in learning how to remove sod easily, if there is such a thing! I don't even know what a mattock is -- I'll google it. I was considering renting a sod cutter - wonder if I could manage it alone. I am using newspaper in small spaces, but haven't considered using cardboard.... maybe this would be a good time to put it down between veggie rows....under hay, maybe? "lasagna" -- another method I need to research!
oh, dirty - with that much, I'd give the lasagna trick a good try. Lifting out that much sod is really hard work, unless you're doing it bed by bed, then you might be fine. I'm going to try Katie's mattock, too - it sounds like a good tool for the job. That's very cool you have that much land, tho - we moved from SE Portland to Tualatin, what neighborhood are you in ?
If you are removing lots of sod, a power sod cutter is the way to go. I had fun doing this. It is harder if you have to contend with hills, or uneven places in the lawn. But it's fast & worth the $ spent.
If you are the patient sort, you might want to smother the sod you wish to 'delete' with cardboard & do the lasagna method. It works well, but takes more time. As far as the sod goes, (regardless of how you cut it), you can turn it over in place (or another place!) & the worms will get to work on it for you.
Kayte, I had researched renting the power sod cutter but all the reviews said it was super tough to handle so I was intimidated... (I'm 5'4" on the outside, 6'3" on the inside lol) ... but seriously you can just flip the sod over ?? That sounds fantastic, do you have to cover it?
Katie - are you out chopping wood? Dang, that windstorm was fierce to make that mess! Does your neighbor help you attack this? (how great, if so!)
You know, Katye. I hadn't yet thought of composting the sod in place. My brother and sister-in-law helped me with a sod cutter and we did a big area (it took two people to use and some strength). Strangely enough, the sections that I didn't get to to dig again are back to grass. Now I have rotting piles of sod AND grass. LOL
So I'm just chopping away section by section on my own because I know I have to dig a little further after getting the top layer of sod off.
I've been offline a couple days because the power supply for my computer broke (again!!). This is the third time this year. Dell tells my that I probably have "dirty electricity", so I've purchased a heavy duty power surge protector for the outlet. If this doesn't work, I'm called the President of Dell. Heck, or may be the President. I don't know.
So my big tree fell in between my property and my neighbors'. He is VERY handy and she and I are friends who both love gardening and aren't afraid of hard work. I'm very fortunate that they've been working with me to clear around the tree (we couldn't get to it at first because of standing water and by the time we did get to it, the salmon berries had surrounded it), strip it of limbs and then cut it.
The tree was split from about 20 feet to the top. We've cut about the top third and have rounds stacked. I'm hoping that in the next month or so, we'll be able to get a little more. Each tree is over a foot in diameter at this point, so it's hard on the chainsaw we have. And then there's the tree that got caught in between the two "arms" of the fir when it came down. There's another 100 feet that we'll have to clean up eventually. Oh well, I'm just grateful that it didn't hit either of our houses and that my neighbors are so great. We all still have "leaners" and "hangers" in our woods that will have to come down eventually, too. But those will require the professionals.
Somebody offered wood on freecycle.org and didn't get any takers. That's how much wood we all have this year. LOL
Maybe they rented me the "ladies" model! I so understand the 5'4" / 6'3" comment RTP. But I don't have help so I do it myself. I did have fun with it, and I was tired the next day, but i didn't think it was so bad. Not compared to the power Auger! That spun me like a merry-go-round, and soooo glad there was no video...
I turn my sod strips upside down for a couple reasons: when i get into that caffeinated gotta-get-it-done mode, I don't want to interrupt the flow. I find that i am able to do things faster if i stick to one task. Also, there are usually lots of worms in those sod/soil strips. Turning them lets the worms move out & underneath where they can hide/work/rest/party or whatever else they like to do.
If i chuck the strips into the compost/brush heap, I lose my little worker buddies. I do not compost my sod in the bins because i have done this & ended up with lots of rhizomes sprouting, which gets spread when i fork in my compost to other areas. Most years, we do not build up enough heat units to rid the compost of the undesirables, so I am careful about what I'll put in.
I have had great results doing this sod turning, so i stick to what works for me. You may or may not have the same results.
I have also turned it upside down & done the lasagna layering over it with mixed results. Mostly good, but a few snafus.
Another thing to do with the sod strips/pieces is to use them as "sides" to your lasagna bed.
Basically, they hold the layers in place, preventing the sloughing off of materials. And if you have dogs, well...the "sides" become necessary. I suppose it would depend on the materials you build with, though. And in the end, it's all good stuff!
Katie - I think I have some plants you might want.
a quick insert: Santa Rosa Gardens (mail order co. highly recommended on DG) has a sale going on now, particularly their grasses. A fantastic selection of many plants - the prices are great.
Katye - you're so bad. :-) I'll dmail you. Maybe we can catch up this weekend?
I can't believe you used the sod cutter by yourself. You are strong. I had trouble just keeping it going in a line somewhere in front of me.
I am going to do some "sod experiments" this fall (if the rain ever stops) for myself and see how it works. I've gotten very "new bed" crazy and I'm composting all sorts of stuff in place. Still waiting for those leaves, though.
lol @ the power auger merry go round picture, too funny!
I do that 'turn the sod over and leave it there' thing, too and I like the way it works. By the way, I got that issue of Garden Design ( I agree - why do I read it? I can't afford anything they have in there anyway!) and I, too was taken by that pot of Bell Reed. It's really lovely! I may have to locate some.
I'm doing the same thing right now, lasagne beds and removing turf and I find the best tool I have ever used, including the power turf cutter is a turf iron http://www.information-britain.co.uk/showPlace.cfm?Place_ID=901 shop around to see if you can find one - incredibly fast, and cuts deep enough so that you get very little grow back. Mine just goes through the soil like butter (and yes, I am blessed with all those stoney/clayey areas too!) , while the length of the handle means that you don't do that awkward shovel bend. This is a very old tool, designed generations ago, and it does work.
I've never seen a power awl - and what is it for? But I just laughed and laughed at the idea of it! Gawd, power tools are just my undoing - they continually make me look like a complete incompetent. Well, except the chain saw - and the shredder, with my safety helmet and steel toe boots. That really gets the guys. They are a sucker for a women in safety gear.
And there is always double digging AFTER lasagne - just can't resist.
So when do we start collecting leaves again - can hardly wait.
"goes through the soil like butter" .... this gets my attention - and also starts me dreaming of more places to plant. I dont know where in the world I'll find one. Perhaps one of the farm supply places in Sherwood. I'll start looking.
Pixy - that darn magazine!
Laurie - a power auger is an enormous post hole digger like a giant screw with an engine. There are 4 handles on top that protrude horizontally - this is what you hang onto with your partner in crime. You do not want to attempt this in rocky clay soil, or with someone who will laugh at you, should something go awry... It would be similar to power drilling on oak (hard, resistant wood) as opposed to cedar (soft, receptive wood). The tip caught in the soil, but not enough, so the energy went up the shaft & spun me instead. What a ride!
Ohhhhh, Katye, I'm going to give that one a miss - especially if I have to partner up with British man husband - no, that one I'm keeping a keen distance from.
I've heard that they are tremendously faster than post-hole diggers, but every time I've seen someone use them, I've thought to myself that they make it look easier than it really is. Katye, you've made a good argument for that.
Kayte, if you are out there?? When you flipped your sod (I just did this in the back) can you dump a bunch of compost and topsoil on top and plant?? - or did you wait. I have an area, should I leave it covered for the winter and plant in spring. Of course, I'm asking because I'd really like to plant now. However, I dont want a field of grass to grow through.
I definitely flipped the grass & roots completely, just wanted your input on planting right away. I'm lining the beds with bigs rocks so am adding about 1.5 - 2 feet of soil.
Anyone ?? Thanks!
Yes - I have flipped it & I layered leaves/manure/newspaper/whatever over it. However, if it is a stoloniferous grass, then I would be more hesitant to leave it as is. I don't know which stoloniferous grass I am plagued with up here, but leaving even an inch of root will allow it to come back. If it is a more fibous rooted grass, then I don't worry. Some will come back due to the seeds being in the soil, etc, but nothing that is too difficult or time-consuming to deal with.
If you are piling other items over the top to 1 1/2', I wuld not be real concerned. The other thing that works well is cardboard over the top. It makes for nice worm accomodations. You can plant immediately - I have not had any negative experiences with this. The worms are very obliging in their ability to get the job done quickly. The plants are the beneficiaries.
I am currently at work, so I will try to get the name of the common grasses in the PNW later tonight for you. Stoloniferous grasses are very obious when you flip the sod over, but it's nice to have the info, too.
Thank you so much! I kept dreaming of the darn grass last night. This is sod that was put in the yard by the builder (which I'm slowly ripping out!) the netting is still in there. Their idea of landscaping was sod, few plants.... I've pulled most of the few plants they put in, except for some cypress trees that I do like. So this may rule out stoloniferous grass? I'm not sure, I'll spend some time googling.
Thanks for answering from work - I really appreciate it. I put weed guard down just around the edges in case there were roots there I didn't get, otherwise I have newspaper, compost, composted manure and topsoil. Just collected some more rocks this morning to build up a bit taller.
I won't totally plant the area, but have a couple of tiny plants I ordered from Big Dipper - a Strawberry tree (it's like 3" tall lol) and a Coral Bark Japanese maple (just as tiny) that I really wanted to get the fall start, plus some random bulbs.
You are the greatest!!
