Problem area: Have you tried planting mustard in that area? The roots will break through the hard pan and the shoots can be worked back into the soil as green manure.
In My Garden Blog:
Northern California Coastal & Inland Valleys
July 2, 2009
By
Kim Haworth,
San Bruno, CA
Sometimes, an area of the garden doesn't respond to even the most diligent care.
Doing What I Love
Gardening is harder work than I remember. Perhaps it's because I'm older, or perhaps it's because I haven't been doing it for hours at a time over the last 10 years, but it is still just as rewarding and captivating as it always was.
Starting My Day
The way I start a gardening day is to get a fan rake, my clippers, and a hula hoe out of the shed. Then I cruise the borders, deadheading and weeding as I make my way slowly along. In this way I can appreciate what is beginning to bloom, identify any insect or watering problems, and check the basic health of the plants as I go. I pull off spent foliage and if something is looking leggy, will give it a clip with my shears. I usually carry a bucket with me to collect the debris, but sometimes I just toss it onto the lawn to rake up later.
I don't always start in the same place. Sometimes I begin my rounds at the top of the garden in the cutting beds, but mostly I work my way around from the shady side to the sunny raised beds. There is an unusual weed growing in the shady portion of the garden, but I kind of like it so I'm keeping an eye on it. It's chartreuse in color and has a pine-looking leaf. I don't think it's dodder.
Once I have made the rounds and done a general clean up, I will select a project for the day. Sometimes it's planting, sometimes mulching or pruning. Weeding the containers is almost a full time occupation. Henry has a lot of bird feeders on the deck and the fallen seed sprouts quickly in the rich soil. It's a source of job security.
I find that time passes quickly when my mind is occupied with the task at hand. Last week I fertilized all the roses, this week I did a little planting of some poor dead-looking hibiscus that arrived in the mail. Henry receives all the new plants, tools, and books from garden distributors around the country. Every spring he receives dozens of new rose varieties. We mostly keep the roses in pots on the deck, but sometimes it's a bit of a challenge to find room for all the new arrivals. Tucking new varieties among the existing plants gives me something to look forward to in upcoming weeks.
Problem Spot
I'm having a devil of a time with the new planting bed at the bottom of the garden. Two years ago Henry and I worked a huge amount of amendment into the soil there and rototilled until the soil was friable. Now the entire area is as hard a rock again. I've mulched but the soil seems to have reverted back into clay. Hopefully, the mulch will break down and improve the texture over time. The plants seem to be struggling and haven't grown as large as I think they should. I'll keep you informed of my progress in that particular area, but if you have any suggestions, please let me know. I cultivate with one of those claw style cultivators to work the mulch into the surface, but I'm just not having much luck.
Working in the garden is rewarding and even though I feel like I've run a marathon by the time I'm done for the day, I know it's good for my body as well as my mind.
Join the discussion!
--
We welcome your questions and comments about this column. Care to share your gardening thoughts, insights, triumphs, or disappointments with your fellow gardening enthusiasts? Join the lively
discussions on our FaceBook page and receive free daily tips!
- Add a comment -
slateef | July 2, 2009 | 3:21PM
Pat in San Carlos | July 3, 2009 | 11:58PM
I put down several inches of organic compost from Lyngso and water. When I moved here I had about 2,000 sq. ft. of hardpan and now have really nice soil in most of it. I still have a couple of areas that I've just tackled in the past year, but they're no longer hardpan, just not as good as the rest. The Soil Food Web people say not to turn over the soil and certainly don't till, which was enough of an excuse for me to give up all that hard work. When you put that beautiful black compost around the plants it makes everything look wonderful. People ask if you've had your yard redone. Too bad KRON isn't recording the rehabilitation of Henry's garden. Maybe you should pitch the idea to another station, like HGTV. They've gone all home and no garden, so they could use a good garden show. Pat
Jan Wedge | July 4, 2009 | 3:31PM
I have a lot of clay soil in my hard. I sprinkle Gypsum on the soil I plan to work (and whenever I put something in the ground) and wet it well, or do it just before a rain. The gypsum breaks down the soil and makes it much easier to work. I also peat moss into the soil when I am tilling, planting, ect. Good luck with yours.
kimmie haworth | July 6, 2009 | 1:41PM
These are all great ideas. I will plant mustard in the fall and use the combination of gypsum and organic compost for the rest of this season. Actually, the garden is looking so good that Henry says we couldn't do the garden show there anymore. He says that there are no "don'ts" to use as lessons for our viewers. I wish I could see the garden through his eyes - all I can see is work. Any suggestions for things to plant in the cutting garden? Henry's wife is a minister and takes flowers to her parishioners. We have zillions of roses, dahlias and greens, but I'm looking for something that lasts when cut (statice, for example) and is colorful that will do well in fast draining soil on the hill. Any ideas for shade area cutting flowers? We have the hydrangeas, but I'd like to try something else besides. Thank you for your suggestions!
Patricia | July 7, 2009 | 1:04AM
You can add wonderful long lasting blue spikes by planting varieties of salvia. There are forms of dianthus that have richly colored delicately fringed scented flowers. Scabiosa flowers last well in a vase also.
kimmie haworth | July 7, 2009 | 10:52AM
The nice thing about salvia is that there are so many varieties. I'll plug a few into the cutting garden and keep you posted. Thanks for the suggestion.
