bed so the shorter plants will have more than enough sunlight.
Do you want individual beds which are only four feet wide? This prevents compacting of the soil and soil erosion since you would keep a foot wide or lawn mower width (with side bag too) walking path between your beds and would work your beds from either side of the bed while staying on the grass. The beds can be as long as you want. This can be a really tidy and attractive layout. Just keep the lawn mower clipping from hitting your crops. Instead of a lawn mower you could use a 'weed whacker' or a push mower between the beds. You will only have to use a spade to keep the edges trimmed. Simply insert the spade 4 - 6 six inches into the edge and gently lift our weeds as needed.
Take a look at your yard and see how much space you have. For the recommendations in this article, the area needs to be flat and well drained, not in a dip or where water stands. The vegetables will need good sunlight most of the day.
If you have an area that is relatively flat, with enough sunlight and drainage, you are ready to go. You can simply mark it out with a few stakes and strings or rocks as a border. Dig up any large or woody plants. Shake off the top soil from their roots and place it back into the hole. You do not have to turn the sod this fall as newspapers will be used to kill it. I would choose to turn the sod if possible, but it is not necessary. You can just let the newspapers do the work.
Measure the square footage and then purchase or find free fresh manure with local farmers. Check the newspaper classifieds and the phone book. Also, call your local garden center or the county extension. Some farmers have excess manure they will gladly give you. Tell them the square footage you need covered and they will help you estimate the cubic yards needed to cover your area with three to four inches of manure. You now just need a way to haul it home.
Do the same for dead, clean tree leaves. You will want 4 to 6 inches of dead leaves for your garden plot. So, again check for free sources and a way to bring them home.
Also, purchase some compost to use to hold down the newspapers you will be using to kill the current sod and vegetation in your new area. A inch covering would be the most needed. Farmers and garden centers sell compost which is thoroughly decomposed organic material unlike fresh manure and leaves. Compost can consist of decomposed plant material and/or animal waste. Never use pet or human waste as they both transmit diseases to the vegetables and then to humans.
After you have your manure, lay out 3 to 4 inches on the sod within the new plot. Break up large pieces and smooth out the area with a rake. Next lay overlapping newspapers on top of the manure. You can use rocks, buckets, rakes, etc. to prevent flying papers while putting each newspaper sheet in place. Over lap the papers by about 3 - 4 inches to prevent weeds and sod growth from coming through them.
After all the newspaper sheets are down, spread a bit of compost over them all. The compost will hold the newspapers in place and will provide organic material to aerate the soil and retain moisture next season for your new plants. Moisten the newspapers to hold them in place. Next add the dead, clean leaves to the area. You will want 4 to 6 inches of dead leaves. Water the area gently and as much as needed to hold the leaves in place. You can use tree and scrub limbs to hold the leaves down until they become moist and naturally compressed in a few days. Water gently as needed. Make sure the sides of the plot are well covered and firmly held down.
The sod will die naturally under the newspaper alone. The manure is fixing needed nitrogen in the plot for next year's crop. It will also provide needed soil structure for water retention and aeration. It also brings needed bacterial agents to improve the health of your plants. By placing the manure under the newspapers, you will be minimizing ammonium loss. The ammonium gas which manure releases contains a significant portion of the future plants' needed nitrogen.
The newspapers, compost and dead leaves are all compost material to enhance the soil's texture and water retention of the new garden. Now just wait for spring while keeping the leave pile in place.
If you have time this fall, I strongly recommend going ahead and breaking the sod before applying the manure. Just lift the sod up by sliding a spade under a portion to break the roots from the soil and turn that portion upside down. The grass and weeds will decompose more readily over the winter. This will give you more needed plant matter in the soil and make your spring effort easier. After turning all the sod upside down, chopping it into small pieces, and smoothing the broken area as well as possible, then add the manure over the broken sod and continue next with the newspapers, compost and leaves.
Next spring. After the rains and when the soil is dry is when you can begin breaking the sod. Working when the soil is dry prevents compacting of the soil and hard clumping of the soil. Pull the top layer back one section at a time. Break into the uncovered area with a spade and loosen and remove the dead sod and vegetation. Work section by section. You can place the dead vegetation in your personal compost pile or let it finish decomposing along the edges of the new plot where it can be added later. Shake off all the top soil clinging to their roots as this soil is needed by your new plants. Just lay the bare plant remains to the side.
With a spade or garden fork dig 8 to 10 inches down to loosen the soil in each section and to mix in its share of the composting material well. Break up any large clots of dirt and remove rocks. Smooth and level the soil. Do not add manure again until the next fall if you are planning on using vegetables that touch the soil such lettuce, cabbages, carrots, radishes and more. It takes 120 days for salmonella and E. coli to be destroyed for example. So, only manure your vegetable gardens in the fall after harvesting all your crops.
Test your soil; you do not want to over feed your plants. The plants and their roots can be burned if too much ammonium is in the soil and/or your seeds will not germinate. Decide if you are going to use chemical or organic fertilizers for your spring and summer feedings after verifying/ testing your soil. You are now ready to plant depending upon the planting season of your intended crops. Do wait until recommended dates to avoid late frost loss and do not plant too late so that you enjoy a full harvest.
To your bounty,
Linda Headley
http://homehobbyfarming.blogspot.com
Just a Home Gardener
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