I try to think of ways to add garden space in my yard in a place where the veggies won’t be trampled on by my dear Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
Roxy and my Cannas in happier days
I have wanted to use the side yard but my dogs love running down it when they see other dogs out front. The other problem with the side yard is that, while it gets sun, the shade from the house keeps it cooler. I have decided to run an experiment this summer to see if I can grow cooler crops like lettuce there. The first step was installing a gate to keep the dogs out. (The collateral advantage is that my dogs will no longer run into the gas meter, knocking the earthquake shut-off valve and shutting my gas off! So irritating to run around re-lighting pilot lights and the old-fashioned floor heater is the most difficult!)
The next step, which I am completing little by little, is to try to kill off the tenacious bermuda grass by laying layers and layers of newspaper (LA Times because it uses soy ink) over the ground and covering it with mulch from the LA free mulch program. I then added some raised garden beds with a combo of compost and vermiculite to prepare for crops.
I’ve added snow peas and carrots (as well as some extra squash starts, though I’m not sure those will take in this micro-climate).
Fava beans and lettuce
cabbage and broccoli
Meanwhile, the heavy rain is good for Southern California but it makes my Cannas sad. I lose some every time it rains. Thankfully, they send out runners and replenish themselves!
