This year I wasn’t able to create a full-size garden due to the poor quality of the soil, but next year I’ll be ready. There is a sunny, level section of lawn between the cabin and the shop that is perfect for expanding to a larger garden. To get the plot ready for next spring, I started by mowing the grass short. Then we spread a couple of inches of composted manure on top.

Over the compost we placed a layer of cardboard and wet it down.

Once the cardboard was saturated, we added more compost, soil, and dried, shredded leaves, straw, pine needles, and mulch on top.

I’ll continue adding kitchen scraps and compost until just before the first snow. Ideally the layer on top of the cardboard should be a foot or more deep, so I’ll add more composted manure and straw just before winter hits.

By spring the soil should be ready to be worked. Planting starts mid-April.