blueberry beds

We were able to finish the third raised bed, with the exception of a pipe extension for the sprinkler system to raise the pipe above the soil level. I just have to unscrew the cap and screw the extension in. Aimee helped me to sift more dirt and then mix in the second set of bags of garden soil and conditioner. It really didn't take that long and taking the soil from the East fence area to level it out for the blueberries worked great; we had just enough soil to completely fill the third bed.

The blueberries needed to get planted along the East fence, but we aren't sure what kind of material we want to use to make the raised beds they will go in. So, I decided I could build a temporary raised bed frame and plant the blueberry bushes in that, as long as it was smaller than the final one, and then we could build the other walls around it and just pull out the temp bed walls. Hoping all goes well when we get the final bed plans done and remove what we did.

After getting the first level down, I dug down a shovel head depth to loosen the compacted soil that will be under the bed. The only thing I wish I would have done is put a layer of landscape fabric down under the bed, but it is probably better since the bushes may end up rooting deeper than the box.

I then built the other two levels of the box to bring it up to a level of about 17 inches and started sifting dirt from the pile in the middle of the yard into it. Aimee again was a great help with digging the dirt into the wheelbarrow to give me a little rest from sifting the rocks out of the dirt. We ended up with a big bucket full of rocks and another one full of roots for the yard debris.

Sam had fun helping in his own way, which was mostly in the way; I actually hit him in the head with the end of the shovel one time. I almost ran him over with the wheelbarrow and almost hit him in the head with the sifter while pouring out the rock. I did get him occupied with taking rocks in his truck out to the other side of the gate where I was piling them, but it only kept him busy and out from underfoot part of the time. He shoveled dirt, helped mix dirt, carried rocks, brought me shovels and other tools I needed most of the time, and did have a great time out there climbing on the sifter between loads.

The blueberry bed filled and wet down to help it settle a little bit before we plant the blueberries hopefully tomorrow.

The pile we took the dirt from for the blueberry bed, the pile was in front of the railroad ties just to the right of the garden, out to where the shovel is sitting. 

The final look of the garden.