You asked about the brush clearing along the back fence line—yes I finally got to it last Saturday morning before the heat set in. The honeysuckle had really taken over that corner near the old oak and it took about three hours with loppers and a pruning saw to cut it all back. I left the larger branches piled near the compost bin so they can break down over winter. The smaller stuff went into the green waste bin which was already half full from the hydrangea trimmings. I found a rusty garden trowel buried in the ivy which I cleaned up and it actually still has a decent handle. I also noticed the fence post on the far end is starting to lean a little so I will need to dig down and reset it before the ground freezes. If you have a spare Saturday next month I could use a hand tamping the gravel back around the base. Let me know what your schedule looks like.

One more thing about the blackberry patch along the south side—I trimmed those back too and draped a net over the new canes so the birds do not strip them before we get a chance to pick. The yield this year was decent even with the dry spell in July. I think a good mulching in early spring will help retain more moisture next season.

You mentioned you wanted to know more about the raised bed layout I sketched out for the side yard. I started with three beds each four feet by eight feet running north to south so they get full sun from mid-morning until late afternoon. The first bed will hold tomatoes and basil on the north end with peppers and eggplant on the south side. The second bed I am planning for pole beans along a trellis on the west edge and then squash and cucumbers on the east side. The third bed I have reserved for root crops—carrots beets and radishes in rows with a small section for cutting lettuce. I laid out drip irrigation tubing in a zigzag pattern with emitters spaced every twelve inches and a main supply line running along the north edge with a hose bib adapter. I still need to source about two cubic yards of compost and some landscape fabric for the walkways between the beds.

I also checked the soil pH in a few spots and it came in around 6.4 which is decent for most vegetables. I will add a light dusting of lime around the brassicas just to be safe. Let me know if you want me to send you the sketch with measurements.