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Soil Preparation For The Organic Gardener

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:38:10 -0600

For anyone thinking of starting their own organic gardening adventure, correct and proper soil preparation is the foundation on which the garden is built. You cannot afford to get it wrong. This article show how you can get it right so what you plant can grow successfully.

Step one to prepare your organic garden's soil is basically to test it to see what you have to work with. You can pick up a soil testing kit at your local garden centre. The test will look at the pH of the soil which is a measure of acidity and alkalinity contained in it. Depending on the results of the test you may need to consider adding lime or sulfur to get the balance just right. A good soli testing kit will help you with this and additional materials are available at garden centers.

In addition to the pH balance the soil test should look at other chemical elements present and in what amounts. The less the better if you are intending to use the garden organically. You are favoring natural elements over chemical fertilizers and the like. Even if the site you intend to use is not blessed with the most perfect soil conditions it can be carefully tended and developed in to the right stuff for a great organic garden.

When gardeners speak of a soil, they are referring to earth that looks, feels and smells pleasant. That means fertile soil, with good structure depending on the extent to which the inorganic soil particles; sand, silt, clay, and humus are bound together. No matter what kind of miserable soil you begin with, it can be transformed into the stuff great gardens are made of.

You can start to do this by using only natural compost on your garden. You can even make this yourself although until you are in a position to do so it is an expense you will have to bear and buy it from the garden centre. However as soon as possible it is suggested you do start to make your own natural compost by using things from your household such as food scraps, vegetable waste and the like.

As you apply the natural compost to your organic garden the soil will benefit from the natural nutrients in the compost and you will gradually develop better soil for better growing conditions.

Another part of proper soil preparation is mixing in some topsoil along with all the good, natural stuff you introduce to the existing earth. A staple here is, as unpleasant as it might sound, horse or cow manure. Well it is naturally occurring and will help with soil development. Again, it is available from garden centers though if you have access to a local farmer you may be able to do a deal with them. Alternatively, consider the use of grass cuttings and leaves.

The mixture of existing earth, good top soil and the natural nutrients you introduce will encourage good organically prepared soil which is rich in organic nutrients, moisture holding and with good drainage. A fine recipe for good growing.

Be sure to remove any weeds, old roots and other things which might be there in the soil. Then once your soil is prepared leave it to settle down for a few days before you begin to plant anything in your new organic garden.

Emeralds and Evergreens

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:58:27 -0600

Green is the colour on the agenda this week and, with the last frosts of spring soon to be behind us, we can expect a lot more of it in the coming months. The primary connotation of green is, of course, its prolific occurrence in nature and this is the primary reason green is such a popular colour for interior design, as it evokes the presence of health and life. Its components blue and yellow, which denote cool and warmth respectively, thus green, itself strikes a balance between the two. Because of these connotations, green's primary effects on your feelings tend to be of a calming nature, offering a sense of renewal and harmony whilst alleviating anxiety. Plant some of the species suggested below and see if they can offer you the same therapy.

Floral and Hardy's Favourite Five Georgeous Green Flowers:

Alchemilla mollis

Also known by its colloquial name ‘Lady's Mantle', the Alchemilla family are perennials that have soft green foliage with serrated edges, and sprays of tiny lime green flowers in late summer and early autumn - ideal timing for that extra sprig of warmth that its yellow tinge will provide. This perennial prefers full sun though it will tolerate partial shade and can survive in practically any soil type provided that moisture is adequate.

Euphorbia robbiae

Euphorbia robbiae is classified as a very versatile evergreen perennial that can survive nearly any environment and soil, even dry and shady spots, although that can make it slightly invasive! It will provide attractive dark green foliage in the winter months and long-lasting, lime green flowers in the summer. However, it is important to note that all parts of this cultivar are highly toxic when ingested.

Helleborous argutifolius

Argutifolius is an evergreen perennial that will grow to a mature height of around 1metre and will bear toothed, lance shaped leaves on stout stems. The flowers will bloom in large open clusters of a pale green hue. They will tolerate full shade and most soil types provided they are not acidic, but the key to successful cultivation is providing this plant with shelter as they will not survive strong winds or cold.

Moluccella laevis

The ‘Bells of Ireland' are bushy upright, annuals, maturing to around 90cm. Their foliage consists of bluntly toothed, small and oval shaped leaves. The tiny white true flowers are held within an exterior housing of petals that themselves are pale green and remain so throughout spring, summer and autumn. They will perform best in full sun with a moderately fertile soil, are indifferent to acidity and also to the material of the soil, whether clay, loam or sand.

Tulipa ‘Spring green'

Tulips are bulbous perennials with characteristic flowers that bloom in a wide range of colours, the ‘Spring green' however makes our list for its titular tones and will grow to a mature height of 40cm with lance-shaped leaves and white petals, complemented by their green central swipe of colour. Plant the ‘Spring green' about 15 centimetres deep in fertile, moist and well-drained soil. The acid content makes little difference to this cultivar, however, it is important to protect it from extreme conditions such as excessive wet and high winds.

Whilst I hope this list is helpful on your road to a greener garden, never forget that for every cultivar that makes into print, there are a thousand others that didn't. Thus, consider this a thread that only needs pulling in order to discover a world of variety in the colour green.

Garden makeover - the best buzz for your buck!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:34:08 -0600

The best home improvement you can make is to surround your house with a gorgeous garden.

It's also one of the cheapest and easiest ways of turning the most mediocre home into something very special.

After all, what is the first thing people see when they look at your house – or apartment for that matter? It's the external aspect. Even if the inside of the house is in desperate need of redecoration, a stylish and well-maintained garden presents an attractive front to the world. It will make a difference not just to the way others see your home but the way you see it too, every time you go out and come home.

Most people, when they think about home improvement, focus first on the house. I, however, as a horticulturist and garden designer, know that if you get it right on the
outside first you can take all the time you want to fix up the inside. What's more, you'll feel good about yourself and your place while you're doing it.

Real estate statistics show that a good garden DOES make a big difference to the sale of the house, not only by adding to its value but by giving YOUR home an advantage over others in the same price bracket.

But it has to be the right kind of garden – stylish, simple, designed for those living today's time-poor urban lifestyle. I've designed and created many gardens in my time and one thing stands out loud and clear – a fussy, over-elaborate garden with too many plants and features shouts HARD WORK! at a potential buyer. Why, I once had to grass over an exquisite
herb and cutflower garden because potential buyers – who were not keen gardeners - saw it as a likely burden. And even if you're not selling, an overly-elaborate garden means hard work for you too.

If you can afford a professional gardener designer, great. You'll find it's money well spent
and you can share your ideas and requirements with an expert who will translate them into a garden that perfectly reflects the needs of you and your family.

But most of us can't or are not prepared to spend that sort of money. If we're the kind of people who happily rip out walls and hang doors and do our own painting we're likely
to be the kind of people who prefer to design and create our own garden,too. So here are my five steps for renovating your garden, using the principles on which the GardenEzi simple gardening program (www.wix.com/jrlakemedia/ezibooks)is based:

Problem-solving

Planning

Preparation

Planting

Perfecting

Problem-solving

Ask yourself this, what exactly is wrong with your garden that you wish to change it? Is it too
big, too small, too untidy, too poorly-organised for easy use and maintenance? Does it lack attractive, eye-pleasing features such as ponds and garden furniture? Does it have insufficient storage for tools and outdoor furniture? Does it cry out for colorful plants? Is it full of awkward corners? Is it too open and sunny, or too shady? Is it just plain BORING? Here is a list of common problems:

Patchy, weed-infested lawn.

Dank, scrubby corners where plants don't thrive.

Too many fussy, bitty flowerbeds

Old and poorly-maintained walls or fences

Too many shady areas where plants and lawn grass won't grow

Too much dry, bare, hot and unshaded ground

Old, untidy trees and shrubs

Boring design and layout

Take a long, hard look at your garden. Try to see it with new eyes. Then make a list of all the things you don't like and start thinking about how to change them . Just as with the inside of your home, you have to first decide what you want to keep and what you want to replace before you can start to renovate.

Planning

Make a plan – yeah I know that sounds boring but it's important. Here's how to do it:

Choose a style. In fact you'll probably already have some idea of the style of garden
you want but if not, now is the time to decide. Visit other people's gardens, read gardening books and magazines. EVERY garden should have some sort of style – you might choose an ethniclook such as Japanese or Mediterranean, or go for Cottage or Formal, or incorporate elements of any of these styles in what I like to call the "contemporary suburban lifestyle" garden. This is the garden that most of us have and its main features are likely to include a lawn at back and front, shrubbery, couple of small trees, flower beds and borders, at least one water feature, a driveway and a path or two. If you do choose a particular style you may need professional advice in planning and creating it. You will at least need to study carefully the elements of that style before renovation begins, and make certain you are able to maintain it.
Forget everything that's in your garden already and THINK OF IT AS A COMPLETELY OPEN, EMPTY SPACE. Now, just as when renovating the inside of your home, mentally divide this surrounding outdoor space into two large rooms– the front room and the back room. Sketch these two spaces roughly on to a piece of paper, with your house in the middle of them – it doesn't have to be absolutely to scale, you don't have to be an artist or an architect, just able to draw a straight line! If, as with most homes, the front is for show and the back for outdoor living, plan to decorate and furnish them accordingly. And remember, just like an inside room, a garden has walls and a floor. Will those "walls" be hedges or fences or walls? Will the "floor" consist of lawn grass or paving, gravel or groundcover shrubs? Now is the time to opt for a totally new effect.
Take your piece of paper and sketch in (roughly) the features that you want in your renovated garden – front and back. Include driveways, paths, utilities, fences, hedges and any hard structures. KEEP IT SIMPLE! Don't add too many flowerbeds or single
specimen plants stuck willy-nilly into a lawn. One large, well-shaped and carefully-tended flower bed is usually a lot more attractive than lots of fussy little beds. And though a single large tree in the middle of a lawn or courtyard can look lovely (and provide a shaded outdoor living spot) trees are generally best grouped with other trees or shrubs in a corner or to one side or at the back of the property. You can always add more features – and more trees - later, as your garden begins to mature. If you have selected a particular style,include those features that are essential to it.
Now check whether all these features sit well with each other. Look for any awkward
corners or hard-to-access areas that will create maintenance problems. And there – you have a plan!
Now take another look. Is it going to be EXCITING?! Will this garden thrill you afresh each day once it's established. Add the wow! factor by thinking outside the square and adding a touch of drama: maybe a large, striking plant, or a dazzling water feature, or a brightly-painted bench or gate. I once turned a very boring small back yard
belonging to a rather ordinary house in a dull street into a tropical paradise by filling it almost entirely with a swimming pool surrounded by lush palms and flowering climbers and a waterfall. It was very easy to add to this basic theme with all sorts of colourful touches and for the couple who lived there it was like being on their own holiday
island!

Preparation

A good garden begins from the ground up. Renovation should start with the soil – is it
a heavy clay or too sandy, does it have too many rocks? Check your soil type and look at possible improvements such as lightening a clay soil and enriching a sandy soil. Even if your garden boasts a good, workable loam it will benefit from composting and mulching at this time. You may even consider buying in soil to make garden beds if the natural soil is poor.

Get rid of all those features you don't want. Be ruthless. Cut down or severely prune any unwanted trees (provided these are not protected by any local by-laws). Rip up poor-quality lawn and untidy,poorly-shaped flower beds. Throw away (or renovate) old garden furniture and kids' play structures. Tear down rotting old pergolas, fences and trellises. Get rid of unthrifty plants. You'll feel SOOO good doing all this!

Think back to any problems that made the "old" garden hard to live with and install those features that will make the new garden easier to manage – weed matting, irrigation systems, improved drainage are three examples.

Now is the time to put in any beds for flowers and shrubs. Leave spaces for any new trees. If you are renovating an old lawn or laying down a new one, or replacing your lawn with shrubs or paving or a rockery or whatever, do it now. Then add any built structures, pathways, water features and fencing. And when it's all in place, you can add your
plants.

Planting

Before you put anything into the ground you should have decided what kind of plants you want. You'll probably have already noted those plants that didn't do well in
the "old" garden, or were too troublesome to maintain. Here are five top tips:

If you are not a keen gardener, choose plants that don't require too much feeding, watering, pruning or spraying. Watch out for "unsociable" plants that are thorny or poisonous, especially if you have young children

2. Select those that fit with your new style

3. Avoid plants that don't suit your climate

4.Take into account whether plants are or long or short-lived, and also their height and spread when mature

5.Take your garden plan along to your local garden
center/nursery and ask for advice on selecting exactly the sort of plants that
will suit your new garden

Perfecting

This is the fun part! Go out and choose some new furniture for your exciting new garden; perhaps a kids' playground, or a snazzy gate or a few tub plants, ornaments and other grace notes. Even if your "garden" is just a coutryard or apartment balcony you can renovate it to something that will add enchantment to your life.

And now, while your garden grows, you can get on with renovating the INSIDE of your home!