Re: Improving the Soil--a BUNCH of questions!
Marge wrote:
Actually, perennial beds and borders really need to be re-worked
every few years...the plants dug up, divided and the soil dug over
and amended. Shrub borders should have whatever you plan to do done
when you plant and then just mulched.
Hi Marge,
Your comment above has me wondering about the differences between shrubs and perennials. I don't have a background in hort, or biology, or plant science, or whatever....just my own experiences plus all the great reading on lists like the Shadegardens, but I'd like to understand it better.
Would you, and others too, address the subject of re-working perennial borders vs shrub borders? (since I like to mix my shrubs, trees, and perennials). Why do perennial beds need to be re-worked over the years, and shrub borders don't? Or is it more a matter of they "like" it, not "need" it??? (I have to ask that of myself all the time too!!!) Would both shrubs and perennials benefit from re-worked soil, but it's not feasible with shrubs because of their size? Since someone is not digging up and re-working soil in the wild, should we do it just so they'll grow better in our gardens, than they would in the wild? Or are some of our new perennials just so different than their wild relatives that they can't flourish without this intervention anymore? But wouldn't that also be true of the new varieties of shrubs? Or is there some basic difference in their makeup that comes into play here (like woody vs soft tissue??)
If we just add organic matter on top, won't that be worked down into the soil by the organisms that live in it? That sure seems alot easier. But having said that, I have a 5 year old clump of Hosta 'Sun Power' that should be alot bigger by now. I planted it near the garage and I've decided to dig it up and amend that soil and replant, to see if that helps. It is one of my 1st hostas I ever planted, and it's likely that I just dug a small hole, in poor soil used to backfill the foundation, and plopped it in.
A BIG thank you to everyone that has shared their knowlege, experiences and questions!
Cindy Johnson
White Bear Lake, MN
zone 4a
