Planting & Landscaping #4: More work on the fern bed

Well, I put more work into the fern bed this afternoon. Ended up mowing a half an acre of neglected yard to get some organic matter to build up the section. I only had the push mower with a bad to do this. It was several… several trips to dump the back under the tree.

I’m pretty sure this will be the last layer before I lay down cardboard and put some filler soil over all that.

Here’s a Robin happily browsing through the pile while I was working on it. Got to hand it to them, they’re not afraid of much.

All in all I think I built up 16” of organic matter today, with a total of around 40” so far. Granted, it will compact more over time but it’s built up well I think. Once I start laying down cardboard I’ll be able to move across it a little easier. It’s still so soft that I sink into it. The cardboard will aid in keeping compaction down as well.

I’ve still got to raid Wal*Mart for boxes, which I’ll most likely do tonight, but I did stop at Lowes and pick up some top soil and some manure/humus compost for on top. I’ve got.. 600lb of it. 10 40lb bags of top soil and 5 40lb bags of the compost. I’ll be using the compost as fill around any plants I plant into the bed.

Wife’s home for spring break this next week so I’m hoping to take a day or two off work and get some stuff done in the yard. We’ve still got all the plants to get in the ground.

I’m not so much worried about the plants in pots as I am the ones in those darn plastic bags. My Christmas fern is already pushing up inside the bag as well as several other items. I don’t like to keep the stuff setting once it breaks dormancy.

-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b