finished my SGF garden

Hi all,

I was bound and determined to get this done today.  The garage is a wreck and I am cold and dirty.  But I am also so happy and feeling accomplished.

One 8' x 4' bed. 8" deep. 
Filled right up to the top

1/2 of 8' x 4' bed, 6" deep  - the other half is just black dirt.   I ran out of Mel's Mix.

I bought a food safe 55 gallon drum, plastic, and put in single buckets each of the 3 ingredients.   Rolled it on the floor of the garage 10X and it was perfectly mixed but I could not resist running my hands through it.  This was a great way to mix but I did have a helper with me to lift the barrel and empty into the wheel-barrow.  We filled the empty garden in 'lifts' and watered thoroughly after each lift.  each lift/layer was about six  5-gallon buckets of  MM.  

The beds fill a little 'spongey' with all of the water.  I did not pre-moisten my peat moss but did sift it.  I ran out of vermiculite and compost but still have peat left over.  I hope the sifting did not shortchange my 5-gallon bucket measures.  Please tell me it isn't so.  After all of the time spent, effort of searching for the right ingredients, cost and work, I hope I did not mess this up.  I will lie awake tonight worrying about this so please but my mind at ease.

It might still freeze here in Chicago before May planting.  It was suggested that I top with straw.  I don't have any and don't want to go out and buy some right now.   Can it wait?  

What happens if the ground freezes?
What happens if the MM settles?  I have no more mix, but I could probably make some.  Or I could take some out of the half/half bed.  I have attached pictures, I hope

All in all, a great day.  Next week, watching spring break grand kids and then seed starting.

Dani from Burr Ridge

danieggert wrote: Can it wait?  

What happens if the ground freezes?
What happens if the MM settles?  I have no more mix, but I could probably make some.  Or I could take some out of the half/half bed.

Can it wait?  Yes.

What happens if the ground freezes?  Nothing, other than the microbial life going dormant for a while.

What happens if the MM settles?  If it settles about an inch, don't worry about it, use that space for mulching plants this summer.   If it settles more than a couple inches, top it off with more MM.

The Lion's share of work is done!! As far as settling, the 8" will be fine. The 6" may need to be topped off because you do want a full 6" to start the season. Enjoy your grandchildren and Happy Easter.

Congratulations on hard work well done!

Looks great