User Tools

Site Tools


garden:intro:2022-23

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision
Previous revision
garden:intro:2022-23 [2025/01/02 22:56] davidbacgarden:intro:2022-23 [2025/01/06 00:35] (current) – [Adding native plants] davidbac
Line 7: Line 7:
 ===== Adding native plants ===== ===== Adding native plants =====
  
-During our first year on our property I purchased bare-root, native plants from an annual sale from Pierce Conservation District.+{{ :garden:intro:2022:dji_0549.jpg?direct&400|}}During our first year on our property I purchased bare-root, native plants from an annual sale from Pierce Conservation District.
  
-I intended to populate the wetland buffer on the southeast corner with well-adapted plants that would grow well, eventuall provide shade over the grasses and attract pollinators, and, hopefully, seasonal color from flowers. The area was heavily overgrown with reed canary grass, an invasive plants common near wetlands.+I intended to populate the wetland buffer on the southeast corner with well-adapted plants that would grow well, eventually provide shade over the grasses and attract pollinators, and, hopefully, seasonal color from flowers. The area was heavily overgrown with reed canary grass, an invasive plants common near wetlands.
  
 These plants included, nootka rose, blue elderberry, Pacific ninebark, red flowering currant, red-osier dogwood, oceanspray, red-stem ceanothus, pacific willow and western serviceberry. These plants included, nootka rose, blue elderberry, Pacific ninebark, red flowering currant, red-osier dogwood, oceanspray, red-stem ceanothus, pacific willow and western serviceberry.
Line 28: Line 28:
 ===== Soil testing ===== ===== Soil testing =====
  
-Invasive and toxic grasses populated the entire 5 acres. The first clue was that the soil smelled septic - not like a barnyard, but putrid. The soil was as unsuitable for planting as it was unattractive.  The grass had extensive networks of rhizomes, (thick growth-generating organs). The entire eastern area had been used for parking (for a sky-diving club across the street) and the soil was filled with rocks of all kinds, from fractured to glacial rocks, making it very difficult to dig holes for the transplants.+Invasive and toxic grasses populated the entire 5 acres (reed canary grass and creeping sedge rush). The first clue was that the soil smelled septic - not like a barnyard, but putrid. The soil was as unsuitable for planting as it was unattractive.  The grass had extensive networks of rhizomes, (thick growth-generating organs). The entire eastern area had been used for parking (for a sky-diving club across the street) and the soil was filled with rocks of all kinds, from fractured to glacial rocks, making it very difficult to dig holes for the transplants.
  
 And when the soil got wet it became mucky - thick and sticky. And when the soil got wet it became mucky - thick and sticky.
Line 36: Line 36:
 We grew flowers in containers using commercial potting soil, but growing in the native soil would require major soil amendments even in flower beds next to the house. We grew flowers in containers using commercial potting soil, but growing in the native soil would require major soil amendments even in flower beds next to the house.
  
- 
-Reed canary grass 
-Creeping sedge rush (huge, ugly rhizomes!) 
- 
-==== Tomatoes ==== 
- 
-Too cold - no covered area 
-Containers the only option 
- 
-==== Pole bean ==== 
- 
-Gave up on growing vegetables on local soil - too many rocks, grass rhizomes, played out 
garden/intro/2022-23.1735858605.txt.gz · Last modified: by davidbac