The area behind my garage has always given me problems. Years ago when my grandparents had my home they used the space behind the garage for a sunken garden which had blueberry plants and many other things in it through the years. By the time I bought the house the area was a mess from years of neglect and there was nothing growing in it other than giant weeds.
About a year into us owning the house we rented a small backhoe and dug out the “pit of despair” which I liked to call it and filled it in with a couple of loads of top soil. However, even after filling it in, it would still give me problems.
It is a fairly large space which was wonderful for growing tomatoes and squash and such but sometimes the chore of weeding would get away from me and again it would look unkempt.
This year I vowed to make the space usable and easy to maintain. Here is what I started with.
Again, the space started the year out as weedy and any nutrients left from the original load of top soil were gone.
I first lined the entire area with cardboard boxes that I opened and placed flat on the ground (working at a grocery store has its advantages). Then I recycled the rails from an old split rail fence that I had laying around and used them for the frames of the garden beds.
I made sure when I was constructing it that I left room for a wide sawdust lined pathway. My dad is a woodworker so I have unlimited use of his sawdust bin.
So far at this point the new garden bed area has cost me absolutely nothing except hard work.
I filled the two long beds with soil and in the back I planted various herbs which included, parsley, sage, lemon balm and lavender. In the front I planted the whole thing with close to 100 onion plants. Done.
I am excited to see how the plants grow in the beds! As the season progresses I will post updates. -MM
The Professional Domestic 