Linoleum
10-26-2004, 04:50 AM
Garden Design
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL CONDITIONING:
Soil Conditioning for Easy Garden Design
When gardening, several characteristics are critical for garden design plans, landscape design and gardening success.
1. What is your temperature zone? (Click the U.S. geographic hardiness zone to find out).
2. What are the 'light' conditions in the lawn and garden area where you are planting? Is your landscape design area Mostly sunny (5 hours or more) or mostly shade...or a combination of sunny and shady conditions?
3. One of the most important elements, and most often overlooked, in gardening and growing success is the type of soil in your landscape or lawn and garden area. Soil is made up primarily of minerals. Depending upon where you live, your soil may be considered "sandy", "loam", "clay" or a combination. (Contact your county agent to get more information on the soil type specific to your area or region. They can even help you obtain a soil sample from your garden or landscape area).
SANDY SOILS are usually known for poor (too quick) drainage and poor nutrient-holding capability. Often plants are not able to absorb water due to rapid leaching through the soil layers. Also, nutrients will quickly leach through most sandy soils. It is helpful to regularly use organic amendments as soil additives to help retain water and nutrients in all sandy soils.
LOAM SOILS generally hold water and nutrients better than either sandy or clay soils. A 'good' loamy soil will drain well, allow enough air space for healthy root growth and will be able to retain the nutrients long enough for roots to 'take up' or absorb them before they are washed away.
CLAY SOILS may be considered the opposite of sandy soils, in a sense. Clay soils are usually so tightly-compacted that root growth is restricted. Clay soils are often too 'wet' from poor draining capacity that roots may be kept too wet. Clay soils sometimes don't allow roots the 'freedom' to thrive and take up much of the available nutrients from the ground soil.
Soils may be improved by adding organic content or natural soil amendments. It is important to remember that growing plants need sufficient air space for root growth, sufficient water and nutrient uptake. So it may be necesary for you to modify your soil to provide optimal growing conditions for your garden plantings.
Container Gardening simplifies this process as you can control the quality of your growing medium much easier. All you need to do is select a complete soil mix (like our WonderMix and supplement with a little fertilizer throughout the season, as needed. Be sure to check with your local nursery to provide proper sun and water for your flower plantings, too. Or try this easy landscape designers' trick: Use containers for flowers, new shrubs or any new plantings in your landscape. Simply cut out the bottom of large container, place new plants and complete soil mix inside the large container, place in the soil and watch as your new plants flourish. This will assure your new plantings get excellent quality soil; and the plant roots can freely grow as the conainer gradually decomposes into the surrounding soil area.
*Click here to return to Planters, Trellises, Fancy Growing Forms or WonderMix Designer Soil.
*Note: Fancy Garden Topiaries and Trellis Forms are made for easy outdoor or indoor use. Finishes are 'Natural Iron' unless stated. They weather to Victorian Rust or can be painted for shabby chic topiary garden decor style.
http://www.bloomingdoor.com/congarandsoi.html
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL CONDITIONING:
Soil Conditioning for Easy Garden Design
When gardening, several characteristics are critical for garden design plans, landscape design and gardening success.
1. What is your temperature zone? (Click the U.S. geographic hardiness zone to find out).
2. What are the 'light' conditions in the lawn and garden area where you are planting? Is your landscape design area Mostly sunny (5 hours or more) or mostly shade...or a combination of sunny and shady conditions?
3. One of the most important elements, and most often overlooked, in gardening and growing success is the type of soil in your landscape or lawn and garden area. Soil is made up primarily of minerals. Depending upon where you live, your soil may be considered "sandy", "loam", "clay" or a combination. (Contact your county agent to get more information on the soil type specific to your area or region. They can even help you obtain a soil sample from your garden or landscape area).
SANDY SOILS are usually known for poor (too quick) drainage and poor nutrient-holding capability. Often plants are not able to absorb water due to rapid leaching through the soil layers. Also, nutrients will quickly leach through most sandy soils. It is helpful to regularly use organic amendments as soil additives to help retain water and nutrients in all sandy soils.
LOAM SOILS generally hold water and nutrients better than either sandy or clay soils. A 'good' loamy soil will drain well, allow enough air space for healthy root growth and will be able to retain the nutrients long enough for roots to 'take up' or absorb them before they are washed away.
CLAY SOILS may be considered the opposite of sandy soils, in a sense. Clay soils are usually so tightly-compacted that root growth is restricted. Clay soils are often too 'wet' from poor draining capacity that roots may be kept too wet. Clay soils sometimes don't allow roots the 'freedom' to thrive and take up much of the available nutrients from the ground soil.
Soils may be improved by adding organic content or natural soil amendments. It is important to remember that growing plants need sufficient air space for root growth, sufficient water and nutrient uptake. So it may be necesary for you to modify your soil to provide optimal growing conditions for your garden plantings.
Container Gardening simplifies this process as you can control the quality of your growing medium much easier. All you need to do is select a complete soil mix (like our WonderMix and supplement with a little fertilizer throughout the season, as needed. Be sure to check with your local nursery to provide proper sun and water for your flower plantings, too. Or try this easy landscape designers' trick: Use containers for flowers, new shrubs or any new plantings in your landscape. Simply cut out the bottom of large container, place new plants and complete soil mix inside the large container, place in the soil and watch as your new plants flourish. This will assure your new plantings get excellent quality soil; and the plant roots can freely grow as the conainer gradually decomposes into the surrounding soil area.
*Click here to return to Planters, Trellises, Fancy Growing Forms or WonderMix Designer Soil.
*Note: Fancy Garden Topiaries and Trellis Forms are made for easy outdoor or indoor use. Finishes are 'Natural Iron' unless stated. They weather to Victorian Rust or can be painted for shabby chic topiary garden decor style.
http://www.bloomingdoor.com/congarandsoi.html