I’m going to make this short on words and mostly pics because I’m actually, short of words right now. Knees aching, back aching, zits on my forehead from wearing a hat two days in a row, dirt under my nails that won’t come out, but two great big things accomplished:
- We got the back quarter, formerly known as the weed forest, tilled and planted (remember this post about the weed forest, sorry I don’t have before shots but trust me, it was a forest).
- And DH replaced the kitchen sinks old, iron, rusted drain plumbing in the basement, that I broke during the bake sale prep (shavings from six carrots that I was in too much of a hurry to take to the compost bin overloaded the pipe and no amount of snaking would clear it).
So, there, two people and two great big accomplishments, hence the title above. But I’m only showing photos for the gardening segment because our kitchen pipes are not photogenic. And everyone knows what a rusty old pipe vs. a shiny new PVC pipe looks like, eh?


Note about the tiller: The tiller was on loan to me from Jessica at the Forest Park Community Garden, of which I’m also a member. They’re toying with the idea of including the tiller in the Tool Lending Library for garden members. Because this is a pretty big tool, I suggested they require borrowers to have a valid driver’s license and leave their car as collateral ;-] Jessica won the tiller from Troy-Bilt at the Chicago Spring Fling conference for garden bloggers a couple weeks ago (Troy-Bilt was a major sponsor of the conference). Lucky dame!
This tiller does an exceptional job. It’s the Super Bronco model and yes, even a girl can do it, one handed (unless she’s maneuvering a corner or blowing kisses at her DH).

The series below shows the frustration that will plague me throughout the summer: shade from the trees. I’m still not sure I have enough direct sun to grow veggies. As you can see, the shade from two trees pans across the area and then the garage starts to cast it’s shadow later in the day. So I think I may actually end up with a snakelike swath of light where I’ll have better luck. As DH says, we’ll learn what works, if anything, this year and be more prepared for next year.
There aren’t any shots prior to 11:22 because sun to this area is blocked by another tree and a house at that time.








Our next challenge is to make the yard look nicer and not so much like a farm (while adding another anti-rabbit fence around the new beds). Not sure we can do that but I’m hoping some nice, free mulch from the city will help. Hell, maybe we’ll just mulch the whole back yard. It’s not like there’s more grass than weeds there anyway. And neither of us golfs.
I’ve also asked DH to make a couple of trellises for between the windows on the garage. I can grow vining flowers up them if nothing else. And I can always try to move the rhubarb that’s growing in odd places to under the windows of the garage. It must have self-seeded last year or something, it’s cropping up in places it was not planted.
Well, that’s it for today. I’m really beat and have no snarky closing so good night and sweet dreams of fruits and veggies.
June 17, 2009 at 6:07 am
Julia – this looks fantastic! I thought about doing the dirt-mounding instead of building the raised beds, too. It’s so much easier and cheaper! I’m anxious to follow along with you to see how you like this method.
Good to see that the tiller worked so well, too.
June 17, 2009 at 6:47 am
Some plants, like lettuce, actually prefer a little shade.
June 19, 2009 at 7:50 pm
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June 20, 2009 at 7:45 am
just be careful with city mulch…they grind up everything…everything people will leave out in yard recycling…even the diseased plants people pull out of there yards…my friend lost an entire row of grapes from fungus that was in free city mulch…
good luck….
June 21, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I was wondering that about city mulch. I do need a lot of mulch this year but I don’t need a lot of problems.
June 23, 2009 at 10:09 am
Great post. this is what I looking for, thanks
June 24, 2009 at 12:44 am
Hi,
Lucky you. I was wondering how big it would be and how easy the tiller was to handle. If you could handle it then I’m sure I could. :0)
June 24, 2009 at 10:29 am
Snarkster! How amazing does EVERYTHING look?? It totally looks like a little farm, which I know is the point but compared to my container gardening I’m positively speechless and in awe of your kick-assness! Keep doin’ lady! I can’t wait to see the harvest!
June 27, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Hey Julia,
That yard project of yours is fantastic! I must say, the DH looks pretty buff brandishing his machete and pushing the roto tiller. I look forward to hear how everything turns out. With a bit (a LOT) of canning, you’ll have fresh food year round.
July 1, 2009 at 11:26 pm
First off I wanted to compliment your garden and your photography. I’ve had to till a full lot for a friend before they laid sod and those till machines are harder to work than they look. Nice blog post.
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