Plans for Autumn

So I think I will most likely be removing all the cheat grass now that it is good and dry. It is a lot easier to remove now than it was before. I realized this when I had to remove some of it to plant my beans around my big silver maple tree.
Yes, I did get to planting all but the split peas, as they did not sprout as I had hoped.

I will remove all the weeds from the slope in preparation for spring.
The yard itself I have yet to decide on… I had thought about renting a sod cutter, though I need more information on how the sprinklers were installed.. I would love to put in a soaker system but unless I can rig hoses to the ends of the sprinklers themselves, that is not happening.

I have also read a method that involves putting cardboard over the grass and wetting it to help kill it off, then adding compost, dirt, mulch, etc… The problem with this is I am not currently composting, which means I would have to buy the compost, and the the layer over the grass could be up to 18 inches. Not having a truck would make that not only expensive but almost impossible.

I have also debated just clearing the slope for next year and tilling that for easy use. I could then start composting and take away the grassed yard portion section by section using the “smothering” method basically.

There is a lot to think about.

I need to figure out how deep the gas line is that runs under part of my yard. I certainly do not want to accidentally till into that.

As far as the actual planting plans go, I will need to get a grow station set up this Winter. I can easily get seeds from the local seed bank that are heirloom varieties, and easy to save seeds from.
They will also have seeds for varieties that might be a little harder to save seeds from, but until I know what their policy is if a crop fails to grow for their returning seed, I won’t touch those types yet. Because of this I may still have to buy some seed.
I really want to add more wild varieties of fruits to my yard. Sadly while they are native to the PNW, they are not always easily found here in the valley. I need more wild seed saving friends in other areas around the PNW that I can collaborate with.