Re: [SG] shadegardens Digest - 9 Mar 1999 to 11 Mar 1999 (#1999-100)

>I have a sister that just moved into an old house that has  potentially good
>flower beds. The beds are full of perennials and daylilies. The problem is
>that the soil needs amended a good 3-4". How can she do this short of
>pulling everything out and replanting? By just putting it on top it would
>bury the plants too deep. Thanks for the help.

Perennials, in spite of their name, are not forever. I would wager that the
daylilies and perennials need dividing and evaluating, and of course, she
will need to see them bloom. Seeing if what she has is something she wants
puts her to reworking the beds in the fall, which is the best time for most
things anyway, especially in zone 8. If she wants to work it out to several
years, she can always renew a section at a time. Iris and daylilies can be
divided after they bloom. This is true of most plants except for the normal
expectation of drought and summer heat in zone 8. Not only better for the
plants, but better for the gardener if major planting is left until cooler
weather in the fall.... Nnancy

Nancy Swell                     | "I have the receipt for fern seed"
505 Baldwin Road                        |  "I walk invisible"
Richmond, VA 23229  USA         |          Henry IV, Act 1
Zone 7 - min. 5 (-15 C), max. 100+ (38 C), NARGS, AFS, BPS, HFF, HPS, RHS,
ASA swell@erols.com
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