Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
It’s spring and we’re back out in the garden, and honestly, it’s a bit of a situation. We’ve let things go more than we should have over the last few years, and now we’re dealing with it. We’re walking you through what’s actually happening out here, the good and the bad.
We’ve got creeping Charlie everywhere, which is manageable if you stay on it, but the bigger issue is the sow thistle. That stuff is no joke. It spreads underground, comes back from tiny pieces, and even breaks through cardboard and thick hay. So we’re trying to figure out if we can actually win this fight or if it’s time to rethink the whole space.
We spend some time getting the raised beds cleaned up, working on the strawberry patch, laying down cardboard and hay again, and talking through some new ideas like tarping and even going back to old school hoeing every day. We also ran into a few little critters along the way, which was kind of a surprise.
Then the rain came and kind of put everything on hold, which honestly might have been for the best. So we’ll keep working at it and see what happens this season.
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👕 Shop Our Merch: bonfire.com/store/1870smerch
🌱 MIGardener: migardener.com/1870
🌺 GREENSTALK Vertical Gardens: greenstalkgarden.com/?rstr=SHOP1870 (Promo Code SHOP1870 for $10 off!)
🥫 FORJARS Canning Lids: forjars.co/?sca_ref=1911228.45BY9FFxdg (Promo Code SHOP1870 to get 10% off)
🍃 HARVEST Right Freeze Dryers: affiliates.harvestright.com/1182.html
🔦 OLIGHT Flashlights: bit.ly/3z6daku (Promo Code SHOP1870 for 10% off!)
🛒 Our Favorite AMAZON Products: amzn.to/3ihSgZP
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Our Mailing Address:
That 1870's Homestead
P.O. Box 179
Newport, MI 48166
---------------
✅ Connect with Us 🐐
YouTube: youtube.com/@1870s
Facebook: facebook.com/1870sHomestead
Instagram: instagram.com/that_1870s_homestead
EMAIL: that1870shomestead@gmail.com
---------------
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links - at no additional cost to you. We will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, after clicking through the links. ♥ Todd & Rachel
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00:00 Spring Garden Prep Begins
00:21 Garden Tour and Current Condition
00:43 Why the Garden Declined
01:34 Identifying Major Weed Problems
02:16 Cardboard and Hay Mulch Method
03:08 Creeping Charlie Explained
04:09 Sow Thistle Taking Over
05:56 Considering Abandoning the Garden
07:04 New Ideas Raised Beds and Tarping
07:50 Why Sow Thistle Is So Hard to Remove
09:42 Root System Deep Dive
11:17 Finding Baby Moles or Voles
12:50 Strawberry Bed Cleanup and Transplants
15:13 Progress Update Across Garden
17:01 Old School Hoeing Experiment
18:57 Potting Trees and Seedlings
24:18 Loading Cardboard for Garden Use
27:14 Laying Hay Mulch
30:30 Using Cardboard in the Garden
34:12 Heavy Rain Changes Plans
35:04 Soil Saturation and Gardening Tips
36:08 Wrapping Up and Next Steps
It’s spring and we’re back out in the garden, and honestly, it’s a bit of a situation. We’ve let things go more than we should have over the last few years, and now we’re dealing with it. We’re walking you through what’s actually happening out here, the good and the bad.
We’ve got creeping Charlie everywhere, which is manageable if you stay on it, but the bigger issue is the sow thistle. That stuff is no joke. It spreads underground, comes back from tiny pieces, and even breaks through cardboard and thick hay. So we’re trying to figure out if we can actually win this fight or if it’s time to rethink the whole space.
We spend some time getting the raised beds cleaned up, working on the strawberry patch, laying down cardboard and hay again, and talking through some new ideas like tarping and even going back to old school hoeing every day. We also ran into a few little critters along the way, which was kind of a surprise.
Then the rain came and kind of put everything on hold, which honestly might have been for the best. So we’ll keep working at it and see what happens this season.
---------------
👕 Shop Our Merch: bonfire.com/store/1870smerch
🌱 MIGardener: migardener.com/1870
🌺 GREENSTALK Vertical Gardens: greenstalkgarden.com/?rstr=SHOP1870 (Promo Code SHOP1870 for $10 off!)
🥫 FORJARS Canning Lids: forjars.co/?sca_ref=1911228.45BY9FFxdg (Promo Code SHOP1870 to get 10% off)
🍃 HARVEST Right Freeze Dryers: affiliates.harvestright.com/1182.html
🔦 OLIGHT Flashlights: bit.ly/3z6daku (Promo Code SHOP1870 for 10% off!)
🛒 Our Favorite AMAZON Products: amzn.to/3ihSgZP
---------------
Our Mailing Address:
That 1870's Homestead
P.O. Box 179
Newport, MI 48166
---------------
✅ Connect with Us 🐐
YouTube: youtube.com/@1870s
Facebook: facebook.com/1870sHomestead
Instagram: instagram.com/that_1870s_homestead
EMAIL: that1870shomestead@gmail.com
---------------
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links - at no additional cost to you. We will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, after clicking through the links. ♥ Todd & Rachel
---------------
00:00 Spring Garden Prep Begins
00:21 Garden Tour and Current Condition
00:43 Why the Garden Declined
01:34 Identifying Major Weed Problems
02:16 Cardboard and Hay Mulch Method
03:08 Creeping Charlie Explained
04:09 Sow Thistle Taking Over
05:56 Considering Abandoning the Garden
07:04 New Ideas Raised Beds and Tarping
07:50 Why Sow Thistle Is So Hard to Remove
09:42 Root System Deep Dive
11:17 Finding Baby Moles or Voles
12:50 Strawberry Bed Cleanup and Transplants
15:13 Progress Update Across Garden
17:01 Old School Hoeing Experiment
18:57 Potting Trees and Seedlings
24:18 Loading Cardboard for Garden Use
27:14 Laying Hay Mulch
30:30 Using Cardboard in the Garden
34:12 Heavy Rain Changes Plans
35:04 Soil Saturation and Gardening Tips
36:08 Wrapping Up and Next Steps
