My husband and I have finally succeeded in getting the kikuyu off a large mound
of soil at the back of our yard. (Oh!! Me achin' back!) The soil was dumped
there some years ago during a time when we weren't in a position to use it, so
the overgrowth was *BAD*! About half the work was done by hand and then the
remainder of the lo-oo-ong grass was scalped off to the soil with the whipper
snipper blade.

Now we're faced with a pile about twelve foot by three foot by two foot deep of
excellent, though compacted soil! What's the name of the machine I need to use
to break it up? And what should I do about the kikuyu cables I *know* are still
lurking inside the pile? I have a notion of making a built-up veggie garden by
putting in some timber edging and mulch, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to where
I should start...

Any help will be gratefully appreciated! :-D
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

I think its called a pick and shovel. uses no petrol.


"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...
My husband and I have finally succeeded in getting the kikuyu off a large
mound
of soil at the back of our yard. (Oh!! Me achin' back!) The soil was
dumped
there some years ago during a time when we weren't in a position to use
it, so
the overgrowth was *BAD*! About half the work was done by hand and then
the
remainder of the lo-oo-ong grass was scalped off to the soil with the
whipper
snipper blade.

Now we're faced with a pile about twelve foot by three foot by two foot
deep of
excellent, though compacted soil! What's the name of the machine I need to
use
to break it up? And what should I do about the kikuyu cables I *know* are
still
lurking inside the pile? I have a notion of making a built-up veggie
garden by
putting in some timber edging and mulch, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to
where
I should start...

Any help will be gratefully appreciated! :-D
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

In article ,
Trish Brown wrote:

Now we're faced with a pile about twelve foot by three foot by two foot deep
of excellent, though compacted soil! What's the name of the machine I need to
use to break it up? And what should I do about the kikuyu cables I *know* are
still lurking inside the pile? I have a notion of making a built-up veggie
garden by putting in some timber edging and mulch, but I'm at a bit of a loss
as to where I should start...

I'd be inclined to plant spuds in it, as far down inside as you can. You may
get a crop of spuds (though it's a bit late to plant them, at least here), but
they will break the soil up without much effort from you. And I would just
roundup any kikuyu as it shows its ugly face.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

In article , Norman wrote:
I think its called a pick and shovel. uses no petrol.


"Trish Brown" wrote in message
...


My husband and I have finally succeeded in getting the kikuyu off a
large mound of soil at the back of our yard. (Oh!! Me achin'
back!) The soil was dumped there some years ago during a time
when we weren't in a position to use it, so the overgrowth was
*BAD*! About half the work was done by hand and then the
remainder of the lo-oo-ong grass was scalped off to the soil with
the whipper snipper blade.



Now we're faced with a pile about twelve foot by three foot by two
foot deep of excellent, though compacted soil! What's the name of
the machine I need to use to break it up? And what should I do
about the kikuyu cables I *know* are still lurking inside the
pile? I have a notion of making a built-up veggie garden by
putting in some timber edging and mulch, but I'm at a bit of a loss
as to where I should start...

The easy way which will also go some way to preventing Kikyu regrowth.

Get some organic matter. The more the better. Spread it over your
mound. Get some wool carpet off the street, or rip it out of your
living room if you're sufficiently sick of it and stick it on top of
your organic matter. Sew the top with some kind of green manure like
mustard, and water until germinated. Once the mustard has flowered
and you've cut it down. the area should be ready for planting.
Removing the carpet is optional.

In my experience no dig garden beds require a bit more patience to set
up, but once going are much easier to continue with than dug gardens.

Thanks to everyone who replied! I'm working on my mound of dirt and you'll hear
me singing when I pick my first tomato!
--
Trish {|:-}
Newcastle, NSW, Australia

Trish Brown writes:

Thanks to everyone who replied! I'm working on my mound of dirt and
you'll hear me singing when I pick my first tomato!

With the method I outlined, you can plant tomatoes at the preparation
stage by maiking pot sized holes with compost and planting the
tomatoes into the holes. Works quite well. Next year you'd pretty
much be able to direct sew.


--
Take my first and surname to email me and replace the abuse.

Trish Brown writes:
Thanks to everyone who replied! I'm working on my mound of dirt and you'll hear
me singing when I pick my first tomato!

But if a currawong beats you to it ...?
--
John Savage (news address invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)