Re: Bed preparation

Lynn,

I would say kill the grass first - tho' that's not one of my problems
in life as I have so little of it:-)   I always go under the
principle of 'first, clear the ground', then make the bed.  I seldom
(hardly ever) use RoundUp, but, also have read countless emails and
articles that swear it has a very short life and when it contacts
soil, it becomes inert (that is not exactly the word I want, but
close enough).  So, for a herbicide, it seems to be fairly benign.

Boy did you do some great enticing.  Douglas Ruhren used to be at
Montrose Nursery as well as J. C. Raulston Arboretum....a real
plantsman!  That must have been a marvelous couple of hours.

Sounds like you're gonna have some fun, Lynn!

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Lynn Lamb <lynnlamb@carolina.rr.com>
> 
> Hello all,
>      We have enjoyed many days of coolness and rain, so naturally
my mind has
> been working overtime thinking about and planning an enlarged
perennial bed.
> What I would like to know from you--do you always kill the grass
first before
> tilling the soil?  What is the general thinking about this?  Any
good websites
> you know of?  I am adverse to using chemicals, but husband thinks
we should
> kill grass first with Round-Up.  Marge, I am printing out your
articles on
> Planting Basics now...have not read them yet.  I was fortunate
enough to
> entice the Head Gardener of Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Douglas
Ruhren, to
> let me buy his dinner if he would give me advice for my garden. 
So, for 2 1/2
> hrs. he and I discussed and came up with a rough plan to improve
and enlarge
> what I already have.  Hubby and I went out and marked it off with
neon orange
> paint this afternoon.  I will be using alot more shade plants than
I have in
> the past and am excited about the posssiblity of growing plants
that are new
> to me.  So, please give me some advice about the Round-Up.   Thanks
in
> advance.
> Lynn Lamb
> NC Zone 7b
> 
>
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