Step One: Tearing Out the Agapanthus

The installation of my vegetable garden is just 2 1/2 weeks away and I want to make it go as smoothly as possible. A team of three professional gardeners will be doing most of the initial building and set up, but to economize, I'm tearing out huge clumps of Agapanthus and constructing a raised terrace section myself, with some help from husband -- I hope. Oakland has a tool lending library; this afternoon I picked up a couple of big drill bits, a post hole digger, a little sledge hammer and a pick ax. Tomorrow after I dig out the rest of the agapanthus and wayward tree roots, I'll pick up some gravel, concrete mix, lumber, rebar, and maybe some big rocks. I really think we can do this. The alternative is paying someone $3500 to do it for me. Of course, the contractor would do a prettier job that would last longer, but that's a lot of money. This garden, if sufficiently abundant, will be supplying us with most of our vegetables for the summer and fall, and supply me with a good dose of self respect.