Soil
Question: My back yard has an approx. 4ft retaining wall as there is a tall hill behind our house.The soil is very hard clay that is hard to keep moist. I would like to plant something on the hill for esthetic reasons as well as to make the hill more stable(gets wa
Answer: Very few plants can grow in very hard clay, especially where the water just runs off & cannot retain moisture. Therefore, you simply have to amend theb soil before planting anything, so as water & air is present in the soil. A suggestion is to amend the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches, (approx) 2/3 soil that is there & /1/3 mixture of peat moss composted manure & coarse sand (one part each) & mix it all together. Then in Sept, (earlier the better), seed a mixture of 1/2 Fall Rye, & 1/2 Crown Vetch & water in with fine spray. The Fall Rye will dig its roots deeply into the soil. The Crown Vetch will eventually take over. It has pretty pink white flowers & spreads quickly.
Question: When can the soil be dug in the spring?
Answer: A. Gardeners are always anxious to get outside and start working the soil after winter, but it's not a good idea to start too early. Garden soil should be dry enough to work. The timing depends on where you are located, how quickly it drains and how much moisture was in it when it thawed. A good method for testing it is to pick up a handful of soil and squeeze it in your hand. If it stays in a ball, it's still too wet to dig. If it crumbles apart the soil has dried sufficiently and you can begin your labours!
Question: I have a sandy bank, approx. 60 degrees, when I dig into it, it tends to collapse. I want to plant it with evergreens, but it's hard to keep it wet, it dries out so quickly. What can I use?
Answer: A.There is little that you can do to prevent sloughing off as you dig the hole, however you should attempt to dig horizontally into the bank a certain amount as well so that when you actually plant the plant in the hole, you can make a moat around the plant to hold some of the water. When planting the plant in the hole, use the existing soil mixed with the bulk peat soil that we sell mixed at a ratio of about 50/50. The peat soil will hold the moisture and promote good growth. The bulk peat soil works better than the bales of peat for moisture retention because the bales have been previously dried. The next consideration is the watering system. Consider using either a drip system or a micro-jet system. Both these systems use minimal amounts of water, and you will get significantly less run off using these. Both systems are very easy to install and inexpensive.
Question: I moved into my new home in Summerland last June and inherited a beautiful garden. However, the soil is rock-hard and I don't know how to treat it. I've tried digging in order to turn the soil, but no luck. Should I fertilize?
Answer: A. The best way to loosen up your soil is to mix in some peat soil, mushroom compost and if need be, even some sand. The peat soil is different to peat moss in that it not nearly so light and it will add more nutrients to your soil. As far as fertilizing is concerned, this should also be done in the Spring. For your lawn, we recommend that you start with our lawn treat, (13-5-7) in the early spring and then move to Fabulawn at the early part of the summer. (24-6-12). Both of these fertilizers are slow release so you will not "burn" your lawn with them and they will continue to fertilize over a longer period of time. For your vegetable garden, I would recommend an 8-20-20 fertilizer which is great for all of your vegetables. A.The best way to loosen up your soil is to mix in some peat soil, mushroom compost and if need be, even some sand. The peat soil is different to peat moss in that it not nearly so light and it will add more nutrients to your soil. As far as fertilizing is concerned, this should also be done in the Spring. For your lawn, we recommend that you start with our lawn treat, (13-5-7) in the early spring and then move to Fabulawn at the early part of the summer. (24-6-12). Both of these fertilizers are slow release so you will not "burn" your lawn with them and they will continue to fertilize over a longer period of time. For your vegetable garden, I would recommend an 8-20-20 fertilizer which is great for all of your vegetables.
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