A Dirty Job
October 2, 2012 * * * * * Posted by: Carola 
The house we bought in April came with a huge lawn in front and beside the house (it’s a corner lot). In my world, “lawn” and “California” just don’t go together very well. A beautiful, lush lawn needs a lot of water; however, water is very precious in California and not something you waste just for “curb appeal”.
So I decided to get rid of the lawn. I could have rented heavy equipment and get the job done in a weekend. It would have been messy, noisy and very disruptive. However, I was looking for the softer, more organic way. More laborious as well.
One afternoon in the summer, my daughter and I measured the lawn and realized there were almost 1900 square feet that I planned to turn into a bee and bird haven. That was quite an intimidating number. But thanks to my sometimes overwhelming naivety, I kept on working on my project.
The next step was getting enough cardboard to cover those 1900 square feet. We already had a huge amount of cardboard thanks to our recent move, but by far it wasn’t enough. So I developed a new, temporary hobby: dumpster diving. My daughter was deeply embarrassed and wouldn’t get out of the car when I discovered a promising full dumpster next to a big store. My husband, however, joined me in this new kind of how-to-spend-the-evening, and we had several “dumpster dates”, hanging out behind the big box stores. The local bike shop became our new best friend.
When I had enough cardboard, I called the compost company for the delivery of 20 cubic yards of “gardener’s gold”, beautiful smelly compost. Then the “real” work started – I watered the already dead lawn, spread out the cardboard over it (a job of several days) and watered the cardboard thoroughly before, in a final step, I layered the compost on top of it. The cardboard will eventually break down (that should take 2-12 months) and attract earthworms who then will work the soil. I put out a layer of 3-4 inches of compost, a back breaking job. Of course, right after the delivery of the compost we had a heat wave which allowed me to work only in the early morning hours. Usually, I was out there by 6:30, shoveling away and often helped by my daughter, and had to stop by 9:30 at the latest. Besides working on my project, it was a wonderful opportunity to meet the people in my new neighborhood, who jogged and walked their dogs at this time of day. Almost everyone stopped to ask me what I was doing.
Now the compost is evened out and I’m waiting for the rain, already planting in my head – mainly natives and drought tolerant plants. In my mind I see birds picking the seeds of the spent flowers and hear the busy humming of happy bees.
I can’t wait to start planting.
gardening
Reader Comments (22)
Water is a precious (and costly) resouce here too. You have such exciting times ahead. I also take on HUGE jobs in the garden which are really beyond my capacity. I also succumb (every year) to what I call garden porn - the catalogues which arrive in my letter box and my in-box. I have discovered that by the time things are blooming and the birds and the bees are visiting that the pain of soil preparation and planting are only a memory. Which is why I did too much lin the garden last year and will do so again this year. The worm farm I was given as a more than welcome present has been a very good friend to me and to my garden. I so hope that you show us your work in progress.
Carola, I am so impressed. such a wonderful project to be involved in. You are a very courageous woman, I admire your vision and your tenacity. It is quite a long haul project and it will become even more precious to your gardening heart as it took so much time and effort. Bravo :-)
What a fantastic project, well done to you for even considering such a huge task. I hope you still have some space for a quiet outdoor hidey-hole from which you can watch the birds and the bees. I am totally useless when it comes to gardening, even the pot plant variety, so I really admire gardeners.
Have you thought of the possible - no probable - educational benefits to what you are doing and the end result? To some teachers, girl scout and cub leaders, an invitation from you would be wonderful for teaching their charges about the chain of nature and the consequences good and bad. I know I would have loved to have brought my brownies, guides and cub scouts (in small groups) to learn from your garden, from earth worms up. Cub Scouts too, though the approach would be different for them. You too would benefit from getting to know even more of your local neighbourhood.
Congratulations again, on your super effort.
What a beautiful and inspiring project!! So many metaphors here - for what you've done and are doing - and real life. Setting an intention and finding the energy to follow. Showing up to do the work..persistence..perseverance.
Can't wait to see/hear about the results. You're creating ecological beauty in your yard!
So wonderful to find a kindred spirit who loves to dumpster dive!!! I do too! Wow, now this is a project. I've never heard of the process of using cardboard, but it makes so much sense as you describe it. Please, please, please give us more photos in the future on this project. I just love the idea of turning it into a bee and bird haven! Good for you!
I am suddenly full of giggles picturing all of this, Carola, from beginning to end...especially the dumpster-diving hubby-dates and the embarrassed daughter. This really is a work in progress and you absolutely must update us later. I like Sheila's idea of renting yourself out to scouting groups. HA! How fun is that!
Ooooo....I remember the smell of our 'gardener's gold' that we placed in a wee small flower bed and can't imagine the odor of 1900 square feet of that richly fragrant compost! But, I also know it is 'good stuff' and works wonders.
Sounds like you have taken on an enormous project, but one that will reap beautiful rewards. I'll look forward to seeing photos and reading about your progress!
An excellent plan! Lawn obsession is nutty. Your front yard will be amazing!
What an awesome project and adventure, Carola, for your family and neighborhood!! I'm sure you are very inspiring for all ~ imagine how this will benefit your mind, senses and, of course, your body!! Great image, too.
This is much the same way I created my garden beds, though now when I look out there, it is hard to remember that it used to be lawn and driveway. You will have so much fun planning out you plants, next year at this time, you will have a lovely garden. Looking forward to the photos!
I LOVE this! Wish I were close and could trot over to help you:)
i wish more folks would do just exactly what you're up to.
bountiful blessings on your bouncing baby garden:)
-Jennifer
wow this sounds amazing, i hope you will post pictures!!!! :) it reminds me, although not the same circumstances, of when i had just broken up with a boyfriend some years ago. i was pretty depressed, needing to focus on something. so i planted a lawn, an entire lawn...with grass runners, mainly at night when it was cool. the rains then came and my lawn grew beautifully!! :)
Carola,
Congratulations on getting this far with such a huge project! I have no doubt your hard work will be rewarded.
Thank you , thank you! for your lovely comments. I promise to keep you updated on my project and show pictures when there is something to show. Sheila, thank you for the scout idea - that is definitely something to consider (I was a girl scout leader once!).
Carola - I'm impressed and my back hurts just reading of your "dirty job." I commend you for your xeroscaping. (sp?) My parents, who are from Arizona, moved to Utah for their summers, and took out the lawn, putting in rocks and succulents. Some neighbors were aghast. Some commended them. Can't please everyone. I commend them. I hope you'll post in the future when your project is finished and you have regular, wonderful bird visitors.
You are putting together my fantasy yard! Because I live in the sand pit of Minnesota, I have a sprinkler system that runs every other day. It helps but not much and I hate the wasted water. I'd like to tear up the lawn, put in compost (I can use my chicken poo), and plant a meadow. However, I believe that doing so is against city ordinance not to mention that I don't know how to make all that happen without spending lots of money hiring people to help. I applied for the local Master Gardener program so who knows, I may learn how and could use the educational and environmental argument to fight city hall.
Like Soosie, I have a worm bin to compost my garbage but it is now so over populated with worms I need to either start another bin or figure out what to do with all of them. My chickens would probably be willing to help me out with that problem.
Like all the others, I can't wait to hear more and see progressive project photos.
Interesting, and good luck. I have a riverbank at the bottom of my garden that I "maintain" by allowing what my neighbor calls "weeds" to grow. I have informed her that what she calls "weeds" I call "wild flowers". It is now a beautifully diverse and thriving a haven for birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, snails, insects, two resident hedgehogs and even the occasional visit from an otter that likes to hide out there, alongside a few cats that like to sleep in the nests they make, whereas the neighbor just has barren greenlawn. The more natural the better, in my opinion. A photo of how your project turns out (or photos of progress) would indeed be interesting.
What a wonderful project to undertake and well done for persevering. Now you have the most rewarding part of the project to look forward to, the planting and enjoying the result of your labours.
I do love my apartment, but if I could change just one thing, it would be to have some dirt to "mess with". You have it, in spades (pun intended) and you're doing a wonderful thing with it. Love the dumpster-diving story. I'm a diver from way back. My best find ever was a teak hatch surround from a Cheoy Lee sailboat. I took it home, cleaned it up, varnished it and sold it on ebay to a guy in Michigan for a goodly profit. You'll have just as much profit and more from your cardboard!
What a fantastic project on so many levels. I can't wait to see photos of the work in progress.
Such optimism! I'm so glad that you didn't let the enormity of the task stop you.
The photo drew me in, you're words kept me guessing. I so look forward to updates on your amazing project :)