Re: no-till gardening
riedy wrote:
>
> See Mel Bartholomew's 'Square Foot Gardening' on taking difficult soil
> out of the ground and replacing it with commercial potting mix (not
> 'potting soil' as there is a big difference). Of course it works, but in
> my experience plant growth is the same as in the adobe clay I have broken
> my back (almost literally) to bring to a fine tilth with or without
> amendments. Obviously the clay contains a good amount of nutrients.
> However, since digging out holes and filling with potting mix is akin to
> filling large pots with potting mix, I have eventually opted for the
> latter because they are movable. And I'm rather pleased with being able
> to move things around according to my whims of the moment. I understand
> that centuries ago, the Chinese in some parts of their vast lands, opted
> for the identical method of dealing with unruly soils.
Also the present-day Parks Dept in Singapore!
Incidentally, the
> woman (can't remember her name at the moment) who created the Barnhaven
> Primroses on the southern Oregon Coast advised that the best soil
> amendment was pea gravel. Does anyone have experience with going that
> route?
Only incidently. My daughter, living in Dunedin in our South Island,
acquired a back garden with very heavy soil which the previous owner
had covered right over with plastic and grey gravel (looked like some
sort of dreary quarry!). At my suggestion they removed the plastic and
forked in the gravel. This has served them well for growing lawns and
shrubs, but for a perennial border they needed to construct a raised bed
