A couple of months ago I wrote about how I was not a gardener but despite that I still like a nice yard. I don’t like fussy or high maintenance – neat and well cared is the goal.  I was determined to get my backyard into shape this year. I had a lot of overgrown spots with a TON of bell flower weed. I had to remove trees that were at the end of their life span and get the weed problem under control. I wanted to figure out what kind of food I could grow without a lot of work. Here are three things I love for my back yard.

Since my house is almost 60 years old, it had a bin built into the back fence for the old garbage cans we all used to have. It was to small for my current waste removal bins and it was a wasted space. I found this tiered garden box on you tube and my son and his dad made it for me for mothers day this year. Its a perfect spot to grow a little spinach and lettuce and replaces the garbage bin holder nicely without having to replace my fencing.

Cardboard and mulch is the answer to the question – how do I get rid of weeds without using chemicals?  The areas I wanted to get rid of the weeds I covered with cardboard then covered the cardboard with cedar mulch.  The cardboard will inhibit weed growth and will also disintegrate over time. This way, one day, I can replant in these areas if I want to. So far its really working great and the cedar mulch smells divine. One thing I learned is that you need more mulch than you think!

I ‘control’ the dandelions in my front yard so my neighbor does not complain with this great little digger from Lee Valley. In the spring I keep it by my front door and each day I dig any dandelions that have flowered and try to get as much of the root as I can. It’s a surprisingly soothing and relaxing activity 🙂 Over time, my front yard has become fairly dandelion free. In the back I let some grow and one day I’ll make something with them.