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Reimagining The Urban Backyard(Part One)
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For the past two years my wife and I have been returning our backyard in the quaint little downtown area of Cary, NC. Our landlords have given us free reign to improve where we can, and with that we have rehabilitated a fourty year old neglected Scuppernong grape vine, reclaimed the natural status of the soil, and turned a marsh into a naturally maintained landscape. You can do this as well! There's just a few things to research before getting started, and then let your imagination soar!
First things first, if you rent, then check with your landowner to get permission. Secondly, check into your local dig laws, and make sure with your utilities that it is fine to dig where you want to dig. A very important thing to remember when scouting out your gardening aspirations is to make sure the spot(s) provide good light for most of the day, and that the spot can make use of the natural flow of the landscape for proper drainage. Adjusting slope can be remedied, but can be a very tricky process. If you can't dig, think about raised beds, and check into sources of free fill dirt if you want to save on money. Many construction companies will deliver free of change free fill dirt to your location, just make sure it is clean/ screened. There are several ways of naturally conditioning your soil. It isn't always necessary to purchase the finest soil from retail establishments. Before you get to planting, take soil samples, and deliver them to your local department of agriculture for testing. Most states offer them free of charge, and your local agriculture extension service agents' office can help you understand what you need to do to get your soil where you want it for ideal growing conditions.
As we move into fall and winter gardening season solar tunneling, green housing, and cold framing need to be researched and one needs to decide on what form will provide the best function for your goals. I suggest re use options instead of buying prefabricated forms. Get creative with the forms, as long as they fit the function. I'll explain in the next installment what options are available in the reuse department of fall and winter gardening....http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=2706466&id=647454350
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