CULT: A foot of dirt

From: Karen Jellum <7kjellum@3rivers.net>

I have been reading the messages about raised beds.  If I understand
correctly, you can raise tall beardeds and medians in twelve inches of dirt.  

I do not want to make a raised bed, but I have a different situation.  Two
years ago I had a 60 or 70 foot cottonwood tree cut down in our yard.  I had
the trunk ground twice.  Late this spring the carpenter built my privacy
fence.  Then I began to plant on the inside, or rather I began to try.  I
planted two grafted caragana trees which give a little height but don't take
the space of shrubs.  Then I wanted to plant perennials.  Every place I dig
I find 8 to 15 inch roots.  I am frustrated beyond words.
I have found a few pockets of dirt for some of my siberians.

For those not familiar with cottonwoods, their roots are near the surface.
Some of these big ones are six inches from the surface.  They have raised
and cracked the sidewalks.  (We did not plant them!)  If I mound up 12
inches of dirt on top of them, will I be able to grow iris?  I would like
TBs that clump so I have been saving those posts  I have medians to plant.
What about drainage?  Unfortunately, sometimes there is only six inches
between the big roots.  Our soil is also clay which doesn't help although
I'm adding leaves and compost.  Help! Help!  We're leaving on vacation in a
day and must get everything planted or give it away. 


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