I checked the fire department’s website this morning and the fire ban had been lifted. You know what this means right? I can finally get started on burning all those stumps that are sitting in the way of my new vegetable garden.
I didn’t want to light the whole backyard on fire all at once, but it would be really, really nice to get this project wrapped up by the end of this weekend so I don’t have to smoke up the neighborhood all spring.
I lit 2 stumps on fire today, and there are still about 12 left to go. Hopefully, if the weather stays nice, I should be able to get this project marked off my list in about 48 hours. Fingers crossed.
I know you are going to think I’m totally crazy, but another one of my major projects is to lay landscape fabric all over the newly weeded backyard. When it comes to weeds, I have major OCD. I’d much rather buy a 5 rolls of landscape fabric, and haul a truckload of dirt in than have to deal with weeds all year round.
I’ve been using landscape fabric for about 5 years now, and let me tell you Bob, forget Snapple, landscape fabric is the best stuff on earth.
But first, I have to get rid of the rest of the stumps. And then it’s party time!
How about you? What are your plans for the weekend?
~Mavis
michelle g-b says
Wait. You’re putting soil on top of landscape fabric… won’t the new dirt just get weeds in it? 🙂
Diana Nazaroff says
So funny you should post about this! I had the Tree Guy and his crew here today finishing up with taking down trees and…..grinding stumps! I chose grinding over burning because some of the stumps were HUGE and because once they were done grinding and smoothing over the areas, I had a wonderful pile of oak shavings to use as ground cover. Woohoo!
Good Luck this weekend! I’ll be burning some of my stumps in the fireplace this weekend, lol… 🙂
Elaine S says
I managed to till/amend a 10’x10′ plot to be planted in the “3 sisters” fashion in two weeks. Tilled and amended another plot, then planted 30 potatoes- russett and la soda red. Moved a truck load of extra soil I had to my mothers and filled in a rain run off grand canyon in her back yard. To morrow I am working on my garden shed/greenhouse, I transplanted some yellow onions, started carrots and sugar snap peas from seed. Then I discovered baby cauliflower finally heading up in my raised beds and got distracted. 🙂
Susan Reid says
Still too wet here to do anything but make newspaper pots. I accidently emptied my water tank yesterday….what an Idiot. But it has rained so much since then that is back to overflowing.
Jenny says
Hello! We have some friends that try not to use too much landscape fabric. They use it in all their pathways and bark beds but never underneath vegetable growing territories. Something about the fact that is blocks the sun and changes the nutrients/ soil in the ground. It can actually deplete your natural soil nutrients and require additional compost/ fertilizer quicker than normal?! That’s what I was told anyways. Has anyone else heard negatives things about using too much landscape fabric when planning to grow vegetables on top of it?!
Michele says
You are so lucky to be able to be out and about, working your land. Here in central Utah we are still under 9″ of snow…and that after several days of heavy-duty melting…..Can hardly wait for March……
Mavis says
Oh Michele I would be going crazy if we had 9 inches of snow. Hang in there.
Becca says
Hmm, burning stumps out of the ground. Why didn’t I think of that. It could have saved us a ton of work. And by us I mean my husband.
I’m not a fan of landscape fabric or plastic, but that’s because we’re trying to reshape our yard into an actual yard and we’ve been ripping it out by the ton and it’s a pain in the butt. I’m going to use newspaper under mulch in the garden this year because it works just as well (some say better) and it breaks down so I won’t have a headache from it next year.
Lisa N says
I know what you mean Becca! When we moved into our house the original owners had put plastic under everything! Everything! I am still pulling it out from under thin layers of soil and bark. I would much rather deal with the weeds than the plastic. I don’t know how any of the trees managed to get enough water.
To make it worse, the large barked area in front not only had plastic under it, but black netting over it! That was to keep cats out!
I just put my soil into my raised beds without any fabric or anything in the bottom. I never had had any weeds come up through it. Even the one that is a bit too shallow, the one from a kit, did fine. I’ll tell you a secret…I don’t even dig the existing grass away, just pour in the soil!
Sarah says
Going to be filling our newspaper pots with dirt and seeds (made while I was stir crazy, post-op and had to lay with my feet up). I used the soup can method and have 97 pots to get started.
Also plotting out a strawberry garden. Using some old warped wood to lay down between rows because I don’t have black plastic or landscaping cloth and I have the wood. And free is good.
Burning the ginormous burn pile. I’d be embarassed to show how big it is. 😀
Mavis says
Send in a picture! I want to see it. 🙂
Kelli says
A great use for the cooled ashes is in a dust bath for the chickens. Ashes help keep mites and lice off of them. And it is totally natural. Either just dump some in their run or fill up a shallow pan that is big enough for the chickens to wallow around in.
Mary Van Keuren says
Mavis, how do you go about burning the stumps? I’ve got a ton of them I’d like to get rid of and grinding them out costs BIG MONEY. Do you just heap up kindling around them and then set it all on fire? Do you douse it first with anything to make it burn better? I saw something in a catalog where you can get chemicals to to burn out the stumps but I don’t really want to use anything too caustic. Thanks! You are pretty much my favorite person on the internet! Keep up the great work!
Mavis says
Welllllll. I am rather naughty. And I DO NOT suggest doing this at all. I repeat, do not do what I do. Which is douse the suckers with gasoline. See what I mean. Don’t do it.
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
Have you considered using newspaper or cardboard instead of buying landscape fabric? It breaks down over time but would be a perfect way to recycle and not have an added expense. There are all sorts of videos on YouTube if that makes no sense.
KK