This Was a LOT More Work Than it Looks Like!

Back in July, I bought 15 vinca vines to plant on the hill. I knew it wouldn't be nearly enough, but I they were on sale and I wanted to see how far they'd stretch. I waited to plant them ... having a good rain beforehand would mean the sod would come up easier, and I didn't want to plant the while the temps were in the 90°'s (or above). This past weekend, the temperature was in the 60°'s and we had gotten a good rain a few days before.

Yesterday I grabbed my wheelbarrow, hoe, big spoon, and plants, and set out to pull up the sod. After I got the grass (weeds) pulled up, I planted the vinca vines. It took me about three hours, but I stood there looking at it a lot, contemplating how much more sod I needed to remove before continuing. I wasn't in a hurry or I could have gotten it done much faster.

Sadly, the 15 vines barely make a dent on the hill. I knew I'd need a lot more vines, but it's almost comical to look at it as it is. I estimate I need at least 75 more. I was hoping I'd have a few days to mulch and give the plants time to grab hold before we got a big rain, but it's started raining last night and isn't supposed to stop until Wednesday. All I can hope is that I got them deep enough that they don't wash out.