July 13, 2012

I have a very soggy back yard. With all that water comes extra bugs and critters. Our yard in Guam is already infested with toads and geckos, but the soggy yard brings more flies, crickets, mosquitoes and other flying insects! Yuck!

So as I was contemplating the problem and the possible solution I decided I needed to extend my back patio so we can have a larger dry area! My dogs on the other hand love the wetness and roll around in the gullies the rain causes and splash in the mud puddles. I have to keep a towel on the rug for muddy feet when we come in the back door as well as have several dog towels within arms reach, just inside the door! Needless to say I do a lot of laundry as well! But that's another story!

I got the supplies - 12 x 12 pavers, and few decorative border bricks and went to work.

Step 1. Clean out the weeds of the gutter drain run off things. I decided to put a paver under each drain so the water roll off the pavers instead of under the pavers. This inadvertently caused a built in garden spot between the drains.

Step 2. Get sidetracked and plant a flower bed.

Step 2A. Correct the dogs for helping me with the weeding of the said flower bed.

Step 3. Lay the black weed fabric, haul in the sand, level off the sand, and lay a few pavers.

This is very hard work, and especially in Guam's heat and humidity. I didn't get very far and to this day have STILL not finished this project!

After the first flower bed died (or turned to weeds,) I decided to try again so I planted some seeds in those black plastic seed started kits. After a few weeks, I decided to replant them in my weed free flower bed and so far so good. I have greenery but still now flowers, so I'll save that for another day as well!

Well, the weeds all grew in between the pavers as well and after having them cut down with the weed wacker (weed eater) a few times, I found a hint on pinterest about laying news paper down below bedding and such to keep the weeds away. So I picked up all the pavers and started again.

I also bought some plants from Home Depot before the ground was ready for them. I bought so many tomato plants I decided to make a small garden next to the flower garden as a temporary home for the, but alas, the dogs found them to be yummy and extra tasty. So after being torn up a few times and replanted, I put a small wire edging around both beds and they are doing much better now!

The pavers I have are recycled. I confiscated them from a neighbor's yard. The family had moved out before I had moved in. Since we live in military housing, when someone leaves, the items they leave behind don't belong to anyone anymore. This goes for plants as well. So I not only hauled the pavers to my yard saving me hundreds of dollars, but also transplanted a few beautiful yellow flowered bushes from another neighbors yard!

But then after only a few day the weeds and grass came back! I figured the grass/weed seeds were embedded on the pavers and I need to figure out how to clean them and kill them off. If you have some ideas, please feel free to share them with me!!

After I found the newspaper hint on pinterest, I got busy (searching on Pinterest!) I started finding ideas for container gardens, raised bed gardens, pallet gardens, tire garden, etc. If you've ever been on pinterest you know it's quite addicting and next thing I know I'm in the process of a huge undertaking. Which all in all led me write this blog. So these are my summer days in Guam as I attempt to plant a garden and enjoy my back yard!