Re: Soil
Hello Nancy, Marge & others,
When I used the expression "$50.00 hole for a $1.00 plant" it was just
that.... an expression. Not meant to be taken literally. I don't believe I have
ever simply dug a hole, filled with amendments and planted here. (well, perhaps
when I first began gardening, but not since I saw the results)
Example. I am finally completing a section of my garden where two levels join
by way of a path having steps going up the hill from one level to the other. Upper
portion is pretty good for it was worked and maintained. Lower section is pure
hard clay. I am creating a bed that swings upward, stones will line the paths
creating walls to contain the raised bed. All the worst of the hard sticky clay
has either been removed or broken as fine as I can get it. I have dug compost in
mixing the clay and compost for the bottom level of the bed. Next I will add more
compost and mix once more. Then I will mix left over potting medium and mix once
more. Essentially I will be creating a well-drained raised bed about 25 feet long
and 12 feet wide in a curve. Depth will be from one foot to about 18 inches in
places.
That pretty much describes one of my current $50.00 "holes".
Gene Bush Southern Indiana Zone 6a Munchkin Nursery
around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com http://www.munchkinnursery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: nancy swell <swell@EROLS.COM>
Subject: [SG] Soil
> I was brought up with Gene's $50.00 hole for a $1.00 plant, but had never
> gardened in the Richmond area. Apparently, my natural soil is "Fragipan". I
> didn't know what that is either, but soon learned. My clay is "short", no
> plasticity. The clay that they make porcelain from. Apparently, there is
> also enough sand in it to make mortar. I never got dirty, and the soil
> didn't make ruts. Would anyone believe a sandy hardpan? At any rate, a hold
> filled with water just sat there. An area that I had double trenched did
> not respond to the humus I had added. So, I flagged down a passing truck
> that was hauling a big load of 3/4 rotted compost. He dumped more than 6"
> on top of the bed I was working on, and except for adding manure to it, I
> didn't even dig it in, just planted it. One happy day..... the plants loved
> it. If we dig a hole in this stuff, it forms a bath tub, so it has to be
> either a raised bed, or at least a garden area. One of my projects was
> building a sunroom on the end of the house. Depending on solar heat, the
> floor used 11 cubic yards of concrete. Needless to say, that was one big
> concrete mixer. My neighbors were afraid that it would crack their drive,
> so it went up my front lawn. Didn't leave tracks, in fact it did not even
> kill the grass! The worst of it was that it went down thru my rockgarden,
> and I couldn't tell where it had been. The one thing that I have learned
> with this stuff is to use pine bark instead of peat, keeps the soil open
> longer. Have used a lot of chips from the tree cutters, and finally have a
> decent soil. You have to learn to make the most of what you have available.
> ..... Nancy
>
> >What this means to me is that having a really loose, organic root run
> >makes plants very happy. So, moral of this longish tale is give your
> >plants as open a root environment as you can...they will thank you:-)
>
> Nancy Swell <swell@erols.com>
