This morning, I tilled the area to a depth of about 6", it was as deep as I could go. The soil here is compacted clay with a 1" layer of yesteryear's decomposed leaves.
I went over to the neighbor's leaf pile again and got a truck load of rotting leaves. I spread them out about 12" deep and watered well. More rain this week should pack them down and the worms will be moving in soon. Hydrangeas, hosta, and lobelia "Queen Victoria" will be planted here in the coming weeks. I may even move a couple of spirea. I spied a variegated sport on a plant across the street. I'd like to try to root it too.
Here's how the backyard looks now.
The rose bed at the top of the hill will need leaves and cardboard eventually.
I also cleared out an area of periwinkle around the dogwood stumps in the backyard. I hope next year they'll have rotted enough to remove them. I want to build a raised bed along the back of my tomato patch for beans, corn, cucumbers, and squash. The tomatoes will probably stay in the same spot again. I've had good luck with them here two years running.
For stump removal, I use Spectracide's product shown below. It introduces enzymes into the stump and invites all kinds of critters to devour the remaining wood. A few stumps in the perennial bed are completely gone after only a year.
Weed wacked and mowed close, I sprayed RoundUp again to kill the wintercreeper and other vines.
Not bad for 3 hours of work on a cool summer's morning. The humidity is climbing again. It's 77 and sunny.
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