Everything is Not Black and White

I am in the process of converting a garden space into a rock/succulent garden. Spent the past few days removing everything–Solandra maxima, small Japanese maple, a medium sized Brugmansia, miscellaneous plants, and a bazillion bulbs.

While removing the current irrigation system, I found an amazingly large root growing through the entire space. The garden space is only 4.5′ x 7′. Curious how anything else was able to compete.

The irrigation system was in place when we moved in. The main line seems to be quite deep.

This morning, my first task will be to remove the root. I am hoping to remove it in one piece. That may not be possible.

Next will be the removal of some of the soil, prep the bed, organize the rocks, and set up the drip system.

Then after all of that, get the plants in the ground!

What have I learned? Two tools that have been helpful in the removal of bulbs and unwanted other stuff.

The tool with the blue handle was designed for harvesting grapes, but I used it in place of my fingers.

Always wear proper eye protection when digging in soil that has some hard bits and rocks. It is important to protect your eyes from possible flying debris.

No excuses–if your goggles steam up, use a couple crops of Sea Drops. It is typically sold in scuba diving shops.

The bottle lasts a really long time. I started using my bottle in the early 90s.

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