As the seasons have passed, the dirt and sticks at the bottom of the beds have settled. Once these beds were completely topped off like we see below. But over time the soil drops further down in the beds. So I need to come back and add more dirt it would seem. I do not think I have to do this many more times, as eventually it will all settle. But with plans of some growing some tender perennials like strawberry and asparagus I really will not be able to top them off again so easily once plants are in the beds.
With this bed freshly topped off above, it will still settle. But hopefully just enough to add some nice garden soil when it comes to growing season next year.
I used my skidsteer to drop a few loads of dirt by the beds and in the beds, and then I worked the dirt around using a shovel where the skid steer could not get.
I am only about a quarter of the way done with topping off the beds.
One bed has barely held together from topping off the dirt. I will need to use some tow straps, a vehicle or two and pull the beds back.. Prey they do not collapse during that time. And then drive in a t-post to stabilize once straightened up. If that does not work, I will tear down ones like this and just have a pile of dirt to grow stuff in.
A few other beds like above have a slight lean, but nowhere as bad as the previous bed.
Above is one of the beds that was tilting, I used my bucket of skidsteer to push it into place and hold it. Then used a t-post and driver to hold it up.
Even though the growing season is over, there is still lots of life in these beds. Deep down inside you will find logs, sticks and branches helping to make a really strong ecosystem as they break down. We can see mushrooms hard at work helping to take the wood chips and turn them into usable organic material for plants.
Gotta top off this bed too. We can see its an entire plank lower.
Some beds already had dirt added using the skid steer, I just need to get over and smooth them out.
The long beds need more dirt as well. I could not reach the back side with my machinery. So I have to bring it over by wheel barrow.
In the areas more crowded I will just have to do mostly by hand.
Hopefully this is the last year they settle, its hard work getting them all smoothed out. Luckily I can do it in the autumn when I am not sweating like crazy.
Seems the vine was a bit heavy for this bed. Will need to fix this one too.. Not sure how yet, maybe add tposts where the vertical 2x4s are.
The shifting is bad, but not bad enough I cannot fix them. The wood is still holding up, so if I can fix the tilting/shifting they should last another few years.
The dirt here is quite interesting, I am used to the color. Where I lived previously we called it "Red Clay" But I cannot call it that now.. lol but its still the same stuff mostly.
I keep finding these cool rocks as well, wonder what is going on in the geology below the surface. Found many of these while using the skid steer moving dirt.
So my plan is to top off the rest of the beds, and attempt to fix the ones shifting. If I cannot fix them I will probably just make a pile where the beds once stood and grow there as its excellent dirt inside now.
I need to also figure out a long term plan for these beds, they will not last forever. I am thinking about wrapping them with sheet metal and steel posts. Then when the beds fall apart they will just stay inside of the metal enclosure.
Lots to think about....
