Home > Norcross.Talk > Archives > 2007 > April > 15 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHow does your garden grow?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I remember growing up watching my Granddaddy Bass garden around my grandparents’ home in Orlando. He was a truly gifted gardener who could grow anything. His specialty was tomatoes which he could grow in plentiful amounts and some the size of a small child’s head! Their house was also surrounded by other plants such as hibiscus, elephant ears and various palms.
It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I opened my eyes and saw just what a gift he really had. I tried to learn as much as I could from him, but I am afraid he could have forgotten more in one hour what he could have taught me in a lifetime.
It is amazing how just a few plants and flowers can make the most unsightly of areas be perceived as interesting, inviting and invigorating!
Although Mother Nature is torturing us with 30-degree temperatures in April, it is officially spring and I can finally get out and work in my own garden.
Unfortunately, I have two problems to contend with.
The first is that in the front of my house I deal with full, direct sun most of the day and I’m limited to growing plants in containers. The second is that in the back of my house there is partial-to-full shade with an area to plant about three feet deep by 18 feet wide with clay as hard as a brick.
I have been to numerous websites, emailed the Gwinnett Extension Service for advice, visited all the big box and home improvement stores and nurseries in the area in an effort to grow a dream garden that is as beautiful as my grandfather’s was.
This year, my master plan for the front of the house so far includes a collection of cacti and succulents, several cayenne pepper plants, orange gerber daisies, a small herb garden and of course, some hibiscus.
Behind my home I have decided to go with an all white and green landscape, which so far includes some dwarf gardenias, caladiums, calla lilies, eucomis, and white daylilies with elephant ears and hostas still left to plant.
My hope is that at least a smidgen of my granddaddy’s botanical genius rubbed off on me so I have something to enjoy and a garden for all to admire.
How does your garden grow? Do you have any gardening advice?
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Woody Bass
Comments
By KA
April 16, 2007 7:58 AM | Link to this
Woody, If you want anything to grow in your rock hard clay yard, from which all topsoil was scraped during the grading of your lot, then FIRST you must AMEND the SOIL. And success for many years is further ensured if you plan 10-12” high RAISED BEDS bordered by landscaped timbers or stone. Remove all weeds and grass from the marked off area, rent a tiller and till the red clay about 10-12 inches down. Then get some good organic soil, preferably manure based or mushroom based, NOT pine bark or wood based. Till the organic soil into the tilled up clay. Place your timbers or stone borders and start tilling in more organic soil to what you’ve already tilled in to raise the bed to within about 4 inches of the top of the border. Your plants will have about 14-18” of raised bed room to spread out their roots and grow well. The ability of the plant to grow well is directly related to its ability to set roots that can spread out to gather water and nutrients for the plant. Hard Red Clay does not allow the root spread and water transfer. Only then should you plant. Along with sun loving tomatoes, there are plenty of annual and perennial herbs (basil, oregano, sages, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, etc.) that love the full hot sun and will thrive in your front yard. You must water these often during the heat of the summer. Intersperse some butterfly weed or bushes and sun happy annuals and you will have a pretty and useful kitchen cutting garden to use in your cooking. For the backyard, also prepare large amended raised soil holes for your bushes. Be mindful that some of your plants will not overwinter here, so you may want to plant the elephant ears in a huge pot in the ground that you bring into the garage during the winter, and can set out again next year. Whatever you do, after you have planted do not use a pine or wood bark based mulch to cover the soil, as the wood sucks the life giving nitrogen away from your plants. It’s a lot of work up front, but the bottom line is that if you amend the soil now, enriching each year, and use raised beds, then you will be happy with your garden for years to come. BUT if you plant in pure red clay, you will be setting yourself up for disappointment. Good luck!
By Woody Bass
April 16, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this
Unfortunately, because of all the wiring, plumbing and such running into the house I couldnt use a motorized tiller, sooo.. I had to till it by hand. I still have some of the battle scars to prove it. :o)
I added that mushroom compost (best stuff ever), some garden soil/topsoil, and vermiculite. Dont think I went down quite a foot, but its atleast 8” deep, plus its raised about 3” higher than it was though.
Now I am just hoping something actually grows.
What is your feeling about using coffee grounds? I read a Starbucks pamphlet that was singing its praises.
By KA
April 16, 2007 7:53 PM | Link to this
I have a compost heap that I put all kitchen scraps on, including coffee grounds. I let it cook, then mix with whatever organic soils I am amending with this season. Sounds like your bed is ok for your tomatoes and herbs and some annuals, but not deep enough for bushes! For the bushes, dig wide holes, work in your good soil with the clay, and creat a mound above ground level for the plant to rest in.
Feed all of your plants at intervals during the season, I love Miracle Grow for everything!
By woodys mom
April 19, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
so how does my garden grow.. most of my yard is growing very well. the blooms were wonderful this year until the freeze.. it got everything that was blooming at the time. right now i have weeds coming in every aspect of my yard. i have a feeling this year is going to be a great growing year for everything including the weeds. i have already weeded and weeded and weeded and still cant keep up with them. does anyone know how to get rid of honeysucle out of your yard??? i have used everything under the sun and it still comes back. i have pulled sprayed and still it finds a way to get a hold on my yard every year. my yard in the spring is something to see.. i never know which is going to bloom the best.. but this year everything is blooming at the max. great spring this year to what seemed like a long long winter..
By Heard it here first
April 20, 2007 8:02 AM | Link to this
Some of my lily’s are comin up!… Even though I dont think they are the lily I thought they were.. but Im just happy to see something growing!