Yesterday was my first chance this spring to spend an extended period of time in my yard, which is currently home to dozens of containers and two mostly empty garden beds - one in the front and one in the back. All the back garden bed has is a hosta, lamb’s ears and two mysterious perennials. The front garden is just as empty, with two equally mysterious shrubs. By the end of … [Read more...] about Making happy, healthy soil
soil amendments
Earliest perennial pea
Everywhere I look, perennial plants are breaking ground and showing themselves. Even though I’ve worked in my garden for two decades, there are still plants I don’t immediately recognize, and puzzle over them for a few moments before remembering what I planted there. I enjoy rediscovering these old friends, and anticipate how they’ll soon fill the space with flowers. One plant … [Read more...] about Earliest perennial pea
Eccentric soil renovation with pine cones, rocks
Cool days are here, and it’s time to address the more arduous tasks that we avoided in warmer months: soil renovation. Now that we know full-scale tilling and turning over of soil disturbs the delicate microbial systems at work beneath our feet (no more double digging!), we can be more selective about where to make improvements. My strategy is to improve the drainage and oxygen … [Read more...] about Eccentric soil renovation with pine cones, rocks
