Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Three things NOT to do in your Garden
Time and Teri-tested things NOT to do in your Garden!
Planting “easy spreaders” or “fills in rapidly” plants. Better known as invasive! These plants will take over your carefully planned garden. There may be areas you want to plant these, you decide! Obedient Plant (ha!) is a great example. It really is lovely but it really does spread. If that’s what you want then go for it. Breeders are creating less invasive varieties
- Tossing all your fireplace ashes on your compost is also a way to ruin your garden. The reason is that wood ash has a high Ph. That means alkaline. The soil in Upper Midwest generally leans to alkaline, so we don’t need to add any more. GET A SOIL TEST! Soil varies widely throughout the country. Talk to your local extension to find out more and check for testing labs or pick up a test kit at your local nursery. There are some reasons to use wood ash judiciously but I would urge you to read up on it. You can also google more information. Check your sources, however.
- Never work a wet soil! Moist is fine but working wet soil will turn that soil into dirt clods.
Always add organic matter to your soil. Tilling once a year is okay, every other year is better. Tilling tends to break up the soil too much. Never till wet soil!
Top dressing with compost or any organic matter is the best way to go.
I don’t use plastic or fabric in my garden beds. I try to make sure the garden area is weed-free (as much as is possible) place wetted newspaper and then use mulch. No matter what material you use, weeds will find a way. It’s easier to get at those little buggers without any type of fabric or plastic put down to prevent them! The video below was done 2013 and my front yard is now very different! I had just purchased this home. By the way, that shrub I was digging out was a Son of a Gun!!! ?
