I am Le Tired....

It sounded like such a good idea at the time.... I wanted an even better garden this year, and I really started early to try to make sure it worked. I bought flats, planted seeds, and started eying the slope....

About the time some of these seeds started sprouting, I got a sudden wave of industriousness and decided to make terraces on the slope, so that water retention would be improved, more stuff could be planted, and of course, so I could walk around up there without the extreme risk of breaking one/both hips slipping on the slope....

So I got plywood (the cheapest, which means it will likely disintegrate in two years, but, oh well!) and had it cut into foot wide, eight foot long boards. I got stakes to hold the boards up....

And I set about trying to restructure the slope. However, the soil is ALL clay/rocks/yuck.... so I needed something along the line of compost/soil amendment to give my vegetables a chance at living long enough to produce!

See these beauties?

They live at Serrano Creek Ranch Equestrian Center. They eat, and eat, and eat...... and of course, they poop and poop and poop. Well, their stable is located near a sawmill, and from what I understand from someone on a gardening forum, the sawmill cooperates with the stable.... large quantities of sawdust are composted with horse poop.....

and after it cooks (composting to 150 degrees which kills all weed seeds, etc, but maintains the organic goodness) and turns into black gold....

We buy it!

Thirty bags worth! Compost/soil amendment at Home Depot: $5.87 for two cubic feet. Compost at Serrano Creek Soil Amendments: $1.84 for two cubit feet. I like that math!

Their website says "Our amendment is organic- just wood shavings from lumber mills and horse manure from hay." I hope my seedlings are impressed. Anyway, this stuff should improve the soil, and also retain moisture a bit....hopefully reducing the watering necessary this year.

I terraced off the majority of the slope in about four days. I have about 14-16 feet left to do at the far end. I have planted bush beans, pole beans, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash (I think...), watermelon, cantalope, pumpkins, and various kinds of sunflowers and a bush type of morning glory....all with varying degrees of success. I put in 2 cherry tomato plants, 9 regular tomato plants, and a short row of strawberries (which I think I will extend as soon as I scrape together the money for more plants!)

I've managed to get some of my seedlings mixed up, so I'm looking forward to seeing what actually grows where!..... It will be a fun surprise!

I ache.

All over.

Mr. B. drove with me down to get the compost... and helped me sling the bags all over the backyard and the slope, to await final application to the soil. But the rest of it, I've done all by my lonesome.

I am Woman, hear me roar! (whine, whine, whine!)

Here's a peek at a baby zucchini....

And a baby bush green bean plant! The label says they can be harvested in 40 days - I could have green beans for dinner by May 3! Yum!

I am Le Tired.... I'm going to bed!

:)