Re: moved to a new area recently

Debbie:
I thought Sheila's advice was sound:
> You should contact your county agent and have your soil tested.

That's probably first on the list for your new yard. I would also do
some book study too. Check on the libary and local nurseries. And when I
read:
 
> start collecting organic matter immediately. We have about 2 acres, with about
>2/3 of it growing 100 ft. pine trees.  We still haul in truckloads of pinestraw 
>and leaves.  You could spread the leaves or pinestraw on the beds you plan to 
>make now, or start a compost pile and till them into the soil in the spring, 
>when it's not so wet.

I was reminded of a perennial garden seminar I attended some years ago
in Milwaukee put on by "The Wild Things", a group of gardeners who are
dedicating part of their lawns to native species. They also start by
creating a berm or very deep bed by piling up all sorts of organic plant
material from leaves, exhausted mushroom compost, spoiled hay, and
whatever relatively weed seed-free stuff they can get their hands on, on
top of layers of wet newspapers right on top of the lawn, letting it
decompose for a year, then planting or seeding it to desired species.
They presented a slide show of some of their creative front yards: most
impressive! And I was intrigued with the procedure which involved no
back-breaking digging or tilling--a consideration for some of us older
gardeners.

Not necessarily instant gratification, but I think gardeners learn to
experiment and be patient and to consider the long term, anyway.

-- 
Barb Perna
Southern WI,  Zone 4


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