Re: Cultivating the soil?
- To: perennials@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: Cultivating the soil?
- From: n*@ucsd.edu (Nan Sterman)
- Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 21:33:38 -0700
>Okay - I need a pep talk about now. I like to do most gardening chores,
>but am not too eager to do cultivation, loosening the soil around
>existing plants. How often should I work the soil around my recently
>established perennials, and how deep should I try to go? I need some
>reinforcement here. My soil is not too bad; starting out with reddish
>clay, I put in lots of mulch and manure when I planted. There are many
>little rocks, but I guess most people have those. Are there any special
>tools which are best to use, other than the little forks?
>
>Anelle Kloski, N. California Sierra foothills at 3000'
No doubt you'll get a variety of responses as people have different
philosophies about cultivaiton. My philosophy is DONT CULTIVATE. There's
really no reason -- in fact, cultivating can tear surface roots and cause
problems. Instead, you should mulch them with additional organic matter
each year. The mulch will make its way into the soil, especially if you
have worms in your soil (as they "worm their way through the soil, they mix
the organic matter into the soil).
After a few years, you'll have wonderful soil adn still no need to cultivate!
Nan
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Nan Sterman, Master Composter in Residency
Olivenhain, California
Sunset Zone 24, USDA Zone 10b or 11
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So goes an old chinese proverb:
If you want to be happy for a few hours, get drunk;
If you want to be happy for a week-end get married;
If you want to be happy for a week, barbeque a pig;
If you want to be happy all your life long become a gardener
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