Thinking about making a Terraced slope -raised bed

My irises are currently on a sunny slope to the street. They make a marvelous display in spring, but the rest of the time they are darn near impossible to weed. In 2.5 years they grew together so much I can't get at them except by stepping practicall on them. The ones on the edges that I never step on are growing much better. One reason I planted them this way was a severe lack of full sun elsewhere.

Have some fabricated flat stone leftovers. I can either dig this bed and lay out stones for stepping between rows. Or I'm thinking of using the stone, broken smaller, to build walls with to make four terraces down to the street. Don't know if I want to morter the walls, as this would be a permanent solution, which worries me.

the edge plants have grown almost twice as much as many of the "stepped on" plants. Even so, the neighbors think this display is breathtaking. I just think it's a headache for weeding.

If terraced, maybe this drought year my neighbors wouldn't complain if I dare to turn the water on - if they see a trickle get down to the street, they call instantly!

This message was edited Jul 26, 2008 2:03 PM

I feel your pain. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and dig everything and
replant. You edge plants are probably doing better because they have the sunlight
and nutrition the crowded ones do not have.

It takes some nerve but you can take a sharp knife or a sharpened shovel and cut
away all but a couple of the largest and healthier rhizomes from each clump. You
will not hurt the ones you leave and will be doing them a great favor. Pull all the
weeds and sprinkle some phospate on any open dirt. I would get up at the 'crack-
o-dawn before the nosey neighbors rise and water them before adding the nutrients
so they do not wash away.

I have painted stepping stones in my small garden, both for visual appeal and division
of the bed into 4 sections for different plants if I choose. The terrace effect would be
really great for a bed located on a fairly steep slope.

I certainly see why your neighbors think your sloping bed is a knock out.

Much easier than terracing you might want to try making little stepping stone paths through the irises that you can walk on without stepping on the iris rhizomes. The stones would act as a mulch for the roots and you wouldn't have to break the tops while weeding.
Just a thought. If your slope is too steep, it might not work. But if you terrace you might still want stepping stones or a thick mulch that you can walk on -- not directly on the iris rhizomes.

paja - that's exactly the problem. As I get older (I'm 55 now) I'm having more trouble negotiating the slope. I've recently knocked off three seed pods I'd crossed - all that work for nought.

that's a pretty photo - was looking for one that showed the slope down. here's one that shows the slope up.

Very nice slope there. Nice plants too. I like paja's idea with the stones, maybe down the middle so you could reach plants easier on both sides of the stones. Raised beds are wonderful but a lot of work to do. Have fun.
Laura

Lovely slope -- lovely house, too. Those iris are so beautiful. Raised beds are wonderful, but -- when I got mine, I hired someone and paid real money to get them built. They were worth the investment. They are still in great condition 10 years later. But if you don't want to do that, you could try terracing, but I think you would need timbers or very good stonework to get the terraces to hold.
Balance is a problem as we get older. I have the same problem, but secure footing helps.

well, it's now or never on the terracing - it's time to dig because I'm too tight on $$ and have a few iris buyers. I'm going to look into how to make the walls.

Good luck with your project. Keep us posted with pics please. Have a great day!
Laura

Well best of luck, and yes, keep us posted on your progress!

Did you ever decide to do the raised bed in front? I have a very multi-level yard and I can tell you terracing is great! I would not have half the gardens I have now, if it were not for terracing. I do love those pictures of the iris in bloom.

Steppin stones also do help with weeding as well as separating some of the cultivars from each other.

not long after I dug and divided the irises on this slope, I started having medical problems, before we could start placing stone. much of the funds went to medical bills, and my son, who was to help with heavy lifting, was laid off. He's taken a job in New Jersey so he's gone.

haven't given up yet. Someone at a local Home and Garden show, at which I helped ENCIS display irises, called out a question to me about my irises. Discovered his company rents small Bobcats for weekends, the kind with multiple buckets for grading, for digging, for hauling, etc.! that sounds like just the thing to get the heaviest work done. But, since the irises have begun blooming, how do I find the time now? this is my 2nd busiest season!

where irises were dug, sand was put over the bare ground, a couple inches thick. not many weeds have germinated. (the sand was for the wall bed for the terraces. bought in bulk it was $18)

editted to add, this is the same slope as in both the former photos

This message was edited Apr 22, 2009 11:13 PM

Good work in the face of adversity, Bonjon. I think the bobcat would be fun and efficient!

you can walk behind it like a lawnmower, but it's got a bucket like a Bobcat. there is a little fold down shelf if you want to stand & ride, like the commercial lawn mowers do. why is it boys don't think girls are capable of playing with such toys, too? I want to try it out!

I got a chance for someone to till a large area cheap on Saturday, so I figured why not do all this in one tilling? I picked up a load of compost today. already have a pile of manure, aging and waiting to be added. once the dirt is loose and garden worthy, we're going to see about using the Bobcat to shape it into terraces and dig shallow footings.

You are so right about boys not thinking girls would want to play with heavy equipment. I have a tractor at the farm, but Ed, who takes care of the place and is 80 years old won't let me use it. He thought I was nuts to buy it. I wanted it in case something happened to him so I could mow my own place. I asked them to show me how to hook up the bush hog to it so I could mow one of the times I was there and they told me "that I wouldn't want to do that because branches could slap me in the face." I hate it when people tell me what I want. But I have driven tractors before and will again if Ed is unable to mow for me.
This wimpy woman stuff really bugs me. If men were constantly available at my beck and call I wouldn't want a tractor, but if you don't have your own, you may never get the work done!

let's see one of them pass a baby out - then see if he still thinks we're made a lesser stuff.

giggles

That's the truth!