Ok, as I was mowing the other evening, I came to the conclusion that my hours of raking leaves up from along my chain link fence is a real waste of time. Because I didn't ACTUALLY waste my time this past fall doing it, the leaves are all matted down right next to the fence providing an exquisite layer of mulch that is handily beating the orchard grass and Johnson grass from growing annoyingly up thru the fence. If this continues to work all summer, gone are the frustrating hours of weed eating (you know that damn string reel you have to fill) and Round-Up applications. Now, my anal-retentive neighbors might have an issue with this if I were to ask them but guess what? I don't plan on it.
And another mildly interesting accident I happened to be a part of...
In '03 when I tilled up an established parcel of lawn for my garden, I hand-picked grass wads out of the soil to avoid them taking root again and my having to hoe it contiuously. These grass wads were neatly piled in a spot out of the way for transport for disposal at a later date. And it was a mighty tall pile- 12 x12x3 feet tall. I left them there for several months waiting to borrow a truck (hate that borrowing thing) which never happened. Low and behold! The next spring , I looked at the pile and realized it wasn't a grassy hill anymore. It had transformed into a pile of very loamy loose soil fit to grow anything in. I guess the pressure and mulching action of the pile on itself had done the job. I just left it where is was and planted some Castor beans and a variety of herbs and flowers which have reseeded each year. I have also used it to transplant small shrubs in till I have a better location to plant them. All I need to do is add a stabilizing ring of stones around the base of it. It is in a handy location too, with the tall Castor bean plants screening out the nosey stares of the said anal neighbors from my deck and patio area.
My big undertaking this year is how am I gonna take care of trellising a hops plant that is reminding me of kudzu with its growth each day. I want to add an arbor onto my little shed for it to grow over. This would make a tidy little potting area underneath and a screening of my garden junk. I know how I will do it...if I just had that truck!