BEFORE
DURING
AFTER
Couple of hours with a turf remover machine thing, a lot of forking over, fixing the wood round and banging in metal corner bits to screw the whole lot together and TA DA! thanks to my brilliant BiL Andrew I have 3 vegetable beds. What a star........... and yes I did treat him to fish and chips!
All I have to do now is sort out some top soil and a few bags of compost for one bed to start with. We put all the turf that came off grass-side-down in a builders bag and covered it over because.... in theory.... the grass should die and the whole rot will rot down into just soil which can then be added back onto a bed in a years time.
And because the turf cutter machine was delivered an hour later than the time I'd got written down Andrew even had time to put together a set of metal shelving that I'd bought for the garage!
What a successful day and this young visitor was ever so happy to find some fresh soil to sort through
Back Tomorrow
Sue
They look amazing - well done you and Brother in Law.
ReplyDeleteIt may be cheaper to get a ton bag of topsoil, such as this https://www.dandys.com/products/bordermix-topsoil-for-beds-borders?variant=33010214543&gclid=CjwKCAjwt8uGBhBAEiwAayu_9du_HVaMJkIUTVZOlg3KeFoK7kx0_lc7o9D0Vc5-Bb89FtP_vyghnhoClxYQAvD_BwE
ReplyDeletealthough you would probably have to have a wheelbarrow!
Brother in Law is finding out from a friend how much their top-soil is to collect a small trailer load but there are many options locally to have some delivered in a big bag and I do have a wheelbarrow!
DeleteThat really does look good - just think of all the goodies you can produce there.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t mind an Andrew here to give me a hand :)
Ta Dah indeed! Get the spade out and the runner beans in?
ReplyDeleteYou could just put the turf upside down in the new beds and put topsoil/compost on top now. It would be no different in effect than digging in a rye grass green manure. The turf will still die off and you won't have the builders bag lying around for a year. We used to build up our raised beds by putting bales of lucerne hay in the bottom, and soil on top. It hold plenty of water and as it rots down provides a lot of nitrogen, and by the end of a season has provided the bed with a layer of fantastic compost.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the same. I've layered old turf sods upside down at the back of borders and they rot down well. Andrew has made a good job, and you'll be able to grow lots of veggies. The birds always know when there's food about! xx
DeleteThat looks good. Looking forward to seeing photos of your crops later.
ReplyDeleteLooking great. You will be organized for veg next year and still plenty of time to plant for this. Your BIL earned his fish and chips, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteYou're on your way!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a ANDREW near me it looks lovely Sue and you will soon have some lovely veg.
ReplyDeleteThe hayfever is still very bad and I miss being in the garden still could be worse at least I can do a little crocheting and my D brought some nice treats when she brought my shopping..
Hazel 🌈🌈
They look great. Now, what are you going to grow? X
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful BIL you have. Making those beds would have been so hard otherwise. Now all you need to do is get them planted up :)
ReplyDeleteWell worth the fish and chips!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done. Planting the beds will be great fun. The soil looks quite good and even better, no rocks. Just think of all the vegetables you will have.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! Andrew is a gem! Next year you'll have plenty of home grown produce to share with him.
ReplyDeleteHis garden is much bigger than mine and he already grows all he needs!
DeleteBrilliant work. Well done, Andrew!
ReplyDeleteThe beds look lovely Sue - can't wait to see what you put in them.
ReplyDeleteThose look great! That turf remover did the trick along with your very kind brother-in-law.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! Good job! Can't wait to see what you grow.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful raised beds! Your garden here at your beautiful little cottage will be perfect.
ReplyDeleteThey look wonderful Sue and I love the young visitor. A baby blackbird maybe.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are Blackbirds everywhere around here. Adults feeding young and youngsters
DeleteThey look amazing, and what a lovely neat job he has made of them.
ReplyDeleteI would be tempted to just put the turf upside down in one of the beds and then cover it over with cardboard, by next year you will have a bed full of soil and no builders bag in your way for a year. You can tell you're an experienced gardener, three beds is the ideal amount for a smallish garden as you will be able to rotate what you plant in them each year to keep the soil in good condition.
very nicely done! And, by the way, back behind the furthest raised bed, am I seeing a rhubarb?
ReplyDelete