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tagsA few days ago, Rebecca and I potted up some daisies, coleus, and such. We could've put them in the ground if only our beds weren't a disaster.
Yesterday afternoon, I assembled my tools and started attacking the front beds.
This is the condition they were in before I started:
What you cannot see in the image is the layer of rotting landscaping plastic (doing a poor poor job of preventing weeds), the complete and total mat of roots, and a dozen or two shingles from the roof before the one we had installed. Plus, the big root systems of apparently several rounds of failed azaleas.
First, the roots... While there were some definite tap-roots, the whole bed is covered with stuff that seems more like turfgrass roots than anything. With the pickaxe, I basically cut out chunks and remove it en-masse.
The pickaxe is one of my favorite garden tools. It's awesome for so many things. I love mine with the yellow handle.
This project, though, taught be the value of my shuffle/scuttle/stirrup/whatever hoe.
It glides through dirt like butter. It slices weeds on 3 edges, coming and going (for a total of 6 cutting edges). It's a joy to use.
I finished up the bed on one side this morning. The other side will have to wait until after the weekend.
All in all, though, it was fun and I feel like it worked out well.
Responses
And do you know the proper name for your stirrup tool? That sounds handy. I think I may need to get one if it works as well as you say.
The hoe I've seen referred to as a "shuffle hoe", a "stirrup hoe" and a "scuttle hoe". Basically, I'd like a mental picture of my hoe to the store, and just buy one that looks similar. As Nietzsche said, to name something is to give it power over us.
I got it at Lowe's or Home Depot or somewhere common and off-the-shelf.
Now, with the shuffle hoe, you pull it, push it, back and forth between the rows. Sort of scrub the weeds out of the ground. It's not unlike using a mop, really.
In my case, I had no crops to avoid, but I still worked in rows to thoroughly cut roots and mix up my soil.
It would not have worked to break fresh, never-cultivated ground. But once you have an opening, it tears right through the weeds.
Don't worry, I bought this on a recommendation, not knowing how to use it either. But drop it into your soil, and it'll all become clear.
They ROCK !!!!!! I highly suggest that everyone get one !
They also come single ended as in an ax, or a mattock. I have never seen a single ended pick. The ax-mattock is particularly useful if you are dealing with roots.
Personally, I prefer the the highly technical term-"heavy, pointed-end, thingy with handle" to describe any of the above discussed tools.