Taking Back The Ground That Was Lost

What happens to a Back To Eden garden when creeping grasses take over.

For years now I have watched as the creeping grasses have crawled their way through my beautiful soil and taken as much ground as they can get their greedy tendrils into. They grow when the temperatures are below freezing, they lie waiting under the snow for the first ray of sunshine and then they spread like wildfire knowing I can do nothing to stop them. I have toiled away year after year ripping, pulling and smothering the grasses and yet they persist. Many times I have sat in my large garden and contemplated giving up. Giving in and letting it all go back to its wild nature as it once was. There is one thing that the grass does not know about me… and that is that I am even more persistent and as unrelenting as it is. I will take back the ground that has been lost. There is one space in my garden (besides the raised beds) that the grasses have not conquered…

I have grown vegetables in many gardening styles. If there is a method out there I will likely give it a try, already have or am planning to in the near future. When you live in a challenging climate you must learn ways to overcome it. It is this diversity that has revealed to me valuable information in how I may be able to beat this creeping grass and sustain my large 1.5 acre garden - with much less work than previously expected. It does change my plans for my ongoing food forest project however I think it will be better in the long run.

The Cellar Garden as we call it is the sanctuary. Its long straight rows are heavily mulched with alternating old goat bedding that has been partially broken down and wood chips which have also begun to break down. The wood chip rows are our walk ways and the straw is our planting space. Each year I change the rows so that what was straw last year will become Woodchips and the paths for next year and the wood chipped paths will become golden brown with a fresh layer of straw aka used goat bedding. If you would like to watch a video on exactly how I do this in the fall I will leave a link here for you to check out. Come spring time I lay black agriculture fabric on top of the wood chip pathways. This keeps the soil warmer, suppresses weeds and makes it very obvious to my children and visitors where they can safely walk. Be sure and use the correct type of weed fabric so you don’t create other problems in your garden. A few years ago I used the wrong kind and it disintegrated in my garden in less than 1 month. Whoops. Here is a link to the good stuff (NOT an affiliate link - I just like this company). I also am careful to not allow to many “volunteer” plants in this space as it does prevent me working the soil. Yes my plant loving soul screams every time I weed a non weed out, but it will be so much less mess if I do the agonizing work that must be done. Hard things often produce hefty rewards.

Using chickens, a broad fork and woven agriculture fabric to keep the creeping grasses at bay.

I’ve had plenty of time to observe the habits of the creeping grass and more than enough time in the dirt pulling the stuff out. It’s past time to beat this stuff once and for all. It’s time to take back all that ground that has been lost. It’s time to bring it into abundant production that I can store away for my family to eat all winter long and to be able to share with my friends and family.

So looking at each of my gardens, I have many inside one large fenced area. I had to name them individually so my children can find me when the sunflowers are towering over our heads and the garden becomes like a jungle. I can call out to them and say I’m in the kitchen garden and now they know where to go. Ha Ha Ha. - I have weighted the pros and cons of each and looked at how they are doing in the department of grass management. The cellar garden surpasses them all. I think this is because of the many layers of covering, the light working of the soil and the small amount of labor it takes to weed this garden. I am able to keep it maintained very easily. So I have chosen this garden method to be used in as many areas of the garden as possible. I will of course still have pockets of food forest but they will be spread out instead of taking up one large space in the back. I am very excited to try this out… in face I was so excited I wanted to get started on it right away. The quicker I get going the less time the grass has to grow…

The naughty ducks escaped their pen and got into the Cellar Garden… at least it wasn’t chickens.

In a recent Youtube video I talked about how I use animals to build my compost and soil. I also use them to work in my garden and yard as much as possible. So long as I can keep them contained that is. (Do you see emojis when you write like I do? hahaha) I had my kids help me to move 5 hens into the old food forest area, which I am renaming Cellar Garden II until I can come up with a nicer name. Would love if you leave me garden name ideas in the comments! Time is limited and I need to work as efficiently as I can. This is more important now than ever before. The chickens work all day long clearing the garden area of weeds, scratching the soil up and even doing some pest control. Today those good little birds caught a vole and ate it!!! Proud chicken mama right here. The kids and I have been taking turns moving them daily inside their little chicken tractor.

It’s been about a month since we moved the 5 hens into their temporary garden home. The amount of ground they have taken back for me is incredible!!

The five hens working hard in their makeshift chicken tractor. Look at all the land they’ve cleared in just one month!

Today, even though the weather was cold, windy and a mix of snow, rain and hail I decided it was time to take the next step in prepping this garden for planting. So I enlisted my children to help with weeding, and hauling compost and wood chips (sometimes when they want certain purchased items - for example a queen bee… yes an actual queen honey bee. I let them pay me back with farm chores rather than dollars. Win. Win.) We all bundled up in our warm gear and got to work. I ran the broad fork, my daughter hauled small buckets off weeds to the chickens while my sons manned the wheel barrow. I love when we all work as a team! I cranked up the kids pandora radio station (is it sill called a radio station if it’s an app. Uh I don’t know hahaha). We had a great time.

Using the broad fork to loosen the soil, and remove the stubborn creeping grass that the five hens missed.

I worked to build up the rows exactly as I have in my original Cellar Garden. One row of compost (no goat bedding until fall or the plants get established) and one row of wood chip covered by a woven black agriculture fabric tarp. Load after load we worked. The kids took a short break to go to dinner with a friend so I ended up doing all the jobs for a little bit. While they were gone I found a giant rock with the broad fork. I had no idea it was hiding under the soil. I nearly bent the tines on that thing. OUCH! In the end a 16 foot section of ground was taken back and renewed! I cannot wait to get planting! I have big plans for this space that I cannot wait to share with you.

A little taste of what is to come… trial corn - have I finally found a variety that will mature here in this cold zone?-, tomatoes, winter squash, storage crops and more!!! Maybe I should rename this the Canning Garden?

Oh! I am so excited about this year’s garden season!! I am soaking up every moment of it! Hard work and all.

Are you taking ground back in your garden or perhaps in another area of your life? I’d love to hear about it!

Learn and Grow my friends

Esther Munroe

This is only part of the rock I found.