I hate weed-mat. 😦
I detest weed-mat. 😦
I loathe, despise and abhor weed-mat. 😦
Just in case you are in any doubt, I cannot stand weed-mat! And when it’s covered in pebbles and a tonne of weeds are growing on top of the mat (yeah, highly effective isn’t it 😦 ) and it all needs to be moved in order to do what we want to in the garden, well it is wretched, frustrating and non-recyclable rubbish. And our front garden is riddled with the stuff!
This is just one pile of used (and now useless) weed-mat. There are still 3-4 more piles of the stuff lying around not to mention the bin is loaded full too. Oh, and there is still an area that would be 7 metres by 7 metres to clear of pavers, sand stones, sundry rubbish, weeds and gravel before we can pull up what appears to be thin plastic weed-mat underneath. And it must come up if we are to plant there too.
Happy Father’s Day to all those Aussie Dads out there. We spent our Father’s Day making Dad earn his keep I’m afraid. 😉 We have ripped, torn, pulled, tugged, lifted and dug up several different types of weed-mat today, installed 1 of the 2 cherry tree beds (the separation is to allow for a tap that runs through next to our old front steps) and started on the second one. We planted out our strawberries (I’ll pick up more of them on sale up at Diggers some time this week 🙂 ) and I also planted out 8 raspberry canes. I bought the Diggers raspberry collection so I have 2 each of Autumn Bliss, Chilliwack, Sandford and Williamette. I also dug up and moved a handful of Erlicheer bulbs that I missed digging up last autumn and replanted them in a more appropriate position.
The blueberry bed is looking good and holding up well considering there are a few bolts that need fixing. I have 5 bushes, 4 varieties in there. There are 2 Brigitta bushes, one at either end, and one each of Denise, Northland and Blue Rose.
Just one of 2 frogs we found whilst moving sleepers and weed-mat, both re-homed in the creek.
We also extracted the last of the stones (I hope) from the edge of what was the rose garden and is now the cherry bed and repositioned them along the top of the now drained pond. The old path has been mostly lifted up – terracotta pavers – and moved outside Martin’s shed which has been up until now a bit of a muddy mire. I also managed to get a top rail in place to cover where the old front steps were which is now much safer for anyone taller than 120cm at least. 😉 The wire and hooks are ready to go once I exchange the crimps for some the right size. 😦
The first cherry bed running alongside the front deck, lined with rotting lucerne and awaiting soil and cherry trees (I have a Stella to move and a few more to purchase).
Moved pavers with the sand and blue plastic underneath. The sleepers are being reused to form the edges of the cherry beds.
Basically, we have worked our (not so) little hippy butts off today and I for one am utterly exhausted. Narf7, the motivation bug clearly sank its fangs into me early this morning as we have achieved all this despite me starting the day with a migraine. 🙂 Thank goodness for paracetamol, ibruprofen and coffee (ok, not so natural but oh so necessary). The kids have enjoyed another day running around and have have helped with watering in the berries, moving lucerne biscuits (calling them biscuits was less effective this time round – “fool me once Mum” says Jasper) and of course playing and running and having a blast. 🙂 The most help they gave us actually was to help us fill in our giant driveway puddle with gravel collected from various areas of our front garden. The puddle is no more. 😀 and the kids are happy and muddy. 🙂
8 little raspberry canes all in a row. The woodpile still remains. I MUST learn not to make such grand plans.
And the strawberries and rock border along the pond edge.
This week I hope i get the chance to rip up the weed-mat underneath the stones to the east of the ex-path as I plan to build the asparagus bed there and I would dearly love to get that done although with Monday afternoon at gym and visitors on Tuesday and Wednesday I am not holding my breath. Next weekend though we simply MUST move those logs as the fruit trees really NEED to be in the soil now. Hmmm, maybe I should move logs this week instead. So much to do!
The bare rooted trees needing planting are 2 apples, a pear and a nashi pear although the nashi is in a small pot. I also hope to get 4 or 5 sultana grape vines to plant along the fence and I have a Purple Elder to plant out too. It’s a big ‘un though (6mx6m) so I need to do some thinking before making any commitments as to where to plant that one and I am hoping that some judicious pruning in its earlier years will see it reaching less lofty dimensions. The berries and flowers are fantastically medicinal though and the flowers will also do their bit for attracting pollinators to the garden. Oh, and I still have seeds to sow. Seriously, Spring is an insanely busy time for gardeners. Fun though. 😛
Well dinner has just pulled into the drive (Indian take away no less!) so I am off. 🙂 Stay well hippies. I hope you enjoyed the first day of Spring as much as we did. 😀
Yes, it’s still a mess and I cleaned up after the photo was taken but you can see where everything fits together here. Cherry beds against the deck. Blueberry bed beside the area we’re leaving bare for wood deliveries and guest parking, the area where the pavers are will have another raised bed there for our asparagus and then beyond the existing hugelkultur beds will be this years straw bale beds and later on, more hugelkultur beds.
Rabid Little Hippy 
I HATE weed clothes in beds, too…I can relate to that so much. When we moved to our home in 2000 I had those alwful thick garbage bag type that did not even have breathing holes! Clay soil was underneath, and they had rocks on top of the black thick barrier…YUCK….I have no idea why people use that, I always feel so badly for the earth, feeling it can’t breath, or worms and critters how do they escape:-)…..your place looks great and oh how I wish I had space for asparagus beds…look forward to reading about your spring while our autumn is starting here in USA…robbie:-)
Yes, utmost sympathy for the dying soil under and the trapped worms and such. I hired my work hunter Jasper to pick them up and move them to the blueberry bed though so maybe they will have reached work nirvana there. 🙂
Oh and I think many people use it through sheer laziness. The lack of weeding appeals to us all but weed mat just gives the weeds free reign on TOP of the weed mat. There is a time and a place for it though I will admit.
Wow you have certainly been busy it sounds great. Im with you on the weedmat, I hate it, what a complete waste it is and it doesnt work at all I have some out the front under some stones and its the spot with the most weeds.
Did you say Gym. Dont you get enough excercise??? LOL Lordy, you do exert yourself Jess. You are making tired just reading. Think ill go lay down.
Not for me! Jas does gymnastics on Mondays. 😀
LOL i would think you flog your willing helper enough, No? I get it, socialising! I did have trouble imagining you in your leotard.
[…] ) and me able to function in the garden too. We had a wonderful day although I think we are both cursing weed-mat still […]
Yes, not a lover of weedmat either but it’s not just that – it’s all the pebbles, bark etc people put on top of it. My son put it down in their last home, together with stones and occasional grasses, but they are definately not gardeners so it suited them to do this.
Sounds like your garden is going good, isn’t spring just so welcome to a gardener!?
Yeah there’s weed at under everything here. Under the garden beds with judicious holes for planting. Under gravel for the drive. Under a storage area of rocks for gods knows what. And it’s also all sorts used for weed mat too. Proper weed mat, think plastic and what appears to be linoleum so lots of fun to remove. I think there is a time and a place for it but not over the area used here n not as a total and utter weeding substitute. It’s good to assist keeping down weeds but you still have to be vigilant or they will grow.
Yuck. A big job to remove, it must’ve cost a fortune to lay it all!
My thoughts were the same as Lynda’s – why on earth would you need the gym after a weekend of weightlifting?
I think in times like these all visitors need to be warned that there will only be cake after a good hour’s workout in the garden!
I get very excited when other people get stuck in…the motivation bug keeps nibbling away at us and we are actually doing “something” but next week it will be full on planting and rock hauling. We are going to use all of the wine bottles we have been hoarding to make some garden beds with…why not? Saves having to buy timber and wait for the beds, may as well use what we have plenty of ;). LOVE the hard work and the possibilities Jess and you guys deserve a medal for spreading the motivation around :). I feel entirely rejuvenated and consider me bit!
Why do you think I started following your blog in the first place? Your first few comments about being old hippies (or words to the effect) and your descriptions of ripping your property back from the marauding blackberries was a huge kick in the butt that I needed at the time. If they can, why can’t I sort of thing. I am glad to repay some of the favour. 🙂
Your wine bottle gardens sound great. No good for us as I KNOW the kids would break the bottles but I have a few dozen bottles here I would willingly donate to your good cause. As I am not travelling your way any time soon and I’m not posting them over (can you imagine that one on the “customs dec” 😉 ) I shal lhave to think of another purpose for them. Until then I need to find another place to store them as they’re overtaking my pantry (along with the milk bottles).
Much appreciated as our winter seems to be dragging on unlike yours…heres the crayon site and a way to use your bottles…
http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2007/12/wanna-be-silkies-holder.html
http://www.picklee.com/2012/05/16/breaking-bottle/
all from Pinterest ;). We have a small shed full of bottles…old drunken hippies need a place to hide the detritus of their livers demise and so we have heaps to use for our garden beds. Might have to start asking people to save their wine and beer bottles for us! Might even go to the bottle bank and have to ask for them…LOL! 😉
Our winter is back on Saturday. Beautiful sunshine predicted, normal early September temperature (16 or so I think) and a 3C start to the day (read 0-1 where we are). Today it’s overcast and damp but sunshine again for a few more days, but not the toasty warmth of the last few days.
[…] garden on Saturday and Sunday. We’ve come across this frog before (here, here, here and here) but I’ve not had much luck finding a name and indeed I’ve not really even known how […]