| Last year we healed in a couple of hostas next to the house where they would have some winter protection and some shade. The ground was too graveled to dig them in deep so the choices were to move them or to make a bed around them. They were doing so well I decided to go half way. |
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| The gravel gives good drainage but the surrounding soil was poor. A reasonable way to go was to make a bed the length of the house but out from it a bit so as not to have soil up against wood. Using the assumption that three inches of compost is a good start, I chose to remove the sod and build up the area, first around the hostas and then farther as compost permitted. |
| Step one was to remove the sod. The easiest way is to skim the sod from the surface. This is not difficult with a sharp garden shovel. I like one sharpened to about forty-five degrees and with a short D handle. |
| Outline the area to be removed |
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| and slide the blade of the shovel under the sod. |
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| A bit of a lift and up it comes. A sod that fits the blade of the shovel is about right to lift although you can roll the sod up as you go. It does not take a big roll for a lot of weight. |
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| Once the area was cleared |
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| and the sod piled |
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| I simply added the compost about three inches deep. The ground was moist as was the compost so I did not need to water. If I had been adding plants at this time I would have watered each one in. |
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| The sods go into the gathering section of the compost bin. If laid face down they start to deteriorate faster. Some like to have a separate pile of upside down sods for composting but I choose to run them through the pile. It negates the need for a compost starter as the bacteria in the soil do the same job and removes another pile in the composting area. However, they will be heavy for the first couple of turnings until they break down sufficiently to be just more organic matter. |
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