abwatt

Dear C,

What do you suppose I should do about these garden beds? Rake them out? Fill them with soil? Cut the garden somewhere else?

And then there’s this berry thicket, which hasn’t been very productive in the whole time we’ve lived here. Prune it back to nothing, run over it with the lawnmower scythe it down?

Your thoughts?

Sincerely,
A

Dear A,

you may want to look into permaculture-style gardening. Cover over the beds you want to resurrect this season with layers of newspapers on the bottom, then cardboard on top of that, and then mulch or leaves on top of that.

Don't dig. Digging looks too much like work, as Lawton says, and it only takes 1/32nd of a second for a weed to get enough light to sprout from a seed... and weeds are prolific. Instead, use the cardboard to shut out the light, and create a fresh garden bed.

Some videos on YouTube may be helpful. I will send you a few links, but the idea of a no-dig garden is critical.  You may not be able to use this garden bed this year — you are starting very late. However, there's a chance you may succeed with this bed, this year.  Try it and see.