Rewilding My Lot

To prepare for the installation of an ecosystem pond, a few things needed to happen.

The first step was to clear the quadrant of the garden where the pond will be located; that task started a few weeks ago. This zone had annual plants (mostly Firewheels), so there was no damage done in removing them. Since that first effort, I have cleared a little more of the area to give more space for the pond work and machinery. There have been periodic sessions to shred the annual plants that have been cut down, and the resulting light mulch is spread on the ground to “repay” the soil. There is one more pile waiting to be shredded.

The large “perch” that was salvaged from Park West has been temporarily moved out of the way. After the pond is complete, it will be moved back so that it can be a resting place for birds near the pond.

I also needed to prepare for the electrical work required to support the pond pump/skimmer. From an outlet on the patio a subsidiary outlet will be created, mounted to one of the porch pillars. And to do that, a 12-inch-deep trench needed to be dug alongside the patio.

To prepare for the trench-digging, I needed to empty and move one of the rain barrels. I had been preferentially using this barrel for a few weeks, so by the time I needed to move it, I just gave all my trees a good drink via buckets of water to empty it completely.

Then, with the help of a newly purchased pick mattock and some strong volunteer help, the trench was dug.

So now I just need to shred that last pile of cut plants and wait for my spot on Vivid Outdoor Solution‘s schedule to open up.