Mix Your Own Soil

A standard formula for mixing planting medium is:

1 part soil
1 part peat moss
1 part perlite, vermiculite or sharp, clean sand
1 part compost (optional)

Find a container large enough to suit your needs and stir in the above ingredients until thoroughly mixed type of plant. The biggest mistake gardeners make with containers is shoveling garden soil into them. It compacts when used in containers. Compacted soil squeezes out oxygen, dries out easily, and is difficult to wet again thoroughly. All this results in unhealthy plants. Even though dirt from your yard is free, to use it alone in containers will cost you.

There are countless reliable growing mediums sold in garden centers, and they are a good investment. But, you can mix your own for less money than you can buy it.

You can incorporate garden soil in your mix to save some money. Use only a rich, loamy soil and sift out any clods, stones, sticks, or other foreign matter. Healthy transplants and established plants can tolerate raw soil in the mix. If you are starting seeds, however, pasteurize the soil you add to your mix: Garden soil teems with tiny life-forms, from visible bugs to invisible ones. This is a dirty, smelly job and a great argument for germination mixes without soil. To kill off all soilborne organisms properly, heat soil to over 140°F for about thirty minutes. You can do this with pans in an oven.

Customize mixes for the type of plants you are growing. For plants requiring free drainage, such as cacti or succulents, add an extra part of sand or perlite. For those with specific nutritional requirements, mix in fertilizer accordingly.

The container. As for the containers you should use, there are a few things to consider. Will you be raising food or ornamentals in them? Never grow food crops in containers that have previously contained something unknown or questionable. Plant roots transport many toxins; they could end up on your dinner table. Also, the container must have drainage holes at the bottom. A larger container requires more and larger holes. Poor drainage kills off more plants than anything else.
The material the container is made of can affect the plants. Metal containers get very hot in direct sun and transmit the heat to tender plant roots. Black plastic pots absorb more heat than light-colored ones. But many plants, such as poinsettias, must have their roots in a dark environment. Wood containers may harbor fungi. Stone or brick containers absorb heat, and release it slowly. Terra cotta or clay pots are decorative, but they absorb water away from plant roots. Peat pots also absorb water from roots.

Lovely, decorative containers abound in trendy garden centers, and they can set you back a few bucks if you must have them. But creativity and an eye for unusual items are free.

Salvage an old pair of cowboy boots, and fill them to overflowing with lobelia or ivy geraniums. An old wheelbarrow makes a purposeful planter, deep enough for carrots, large enough for broccoli, and decorative enough for a variety of flowers and trailing vines. Wooden crates, dented metal buckets, plastic-lined wicker baskets, hollowed-out logs, leaky watering cans, antique milk cans, discarded lunch boxes, junked, claw-footed bathtubs, unseaworthy rowboats or canoes, and countless other finds make fun, functional, frugal planters. See what you can find.

Exploit Microclimates

To understand microclimates a little better, let's look at a typical house and yard, as illustrated. The north side of the house is shady from mid-morning through the end of the day. The east side receives morning sun, but not direct sun in the afternoon. The south side's yard receives full sun all day long. And the west side of the house doesn't get full sun until mid-day, but then bakes until dusk. Each side of the house has a different set of growing conditions and is a distinct microclimate. Additional landscaping will create even more microclimates. A white painted fence along the yard, a pond, trees, and bushes will produce different growing conditions for plants near them. Why should the cash-conscious gardener care about microclimates? Because if you plant things where they don't like to grow, it's a waste of money, time, and effort. Plants all have their own unique growing requirements. Some plants thrive in shade, while others falter there for lack of sunlight. When assessing your site, note your microclimates. They will help you decide what plants to grow and where to put them.

Elements you really need to start a garden

What elements do you really need to start a garden? The simple requirements are soil, water and seed. But what about location of the soil, the type of soil, and its structure and content? How much water is necessary, and how will you deliver it? Thousands of seeds in garden varieties are available. How will you narrow your choices? Do you really want seeds, or should you get transplants instead? See what I mean, it's simple.

Let's begin with the first choice every budding gardener must make: the site of the garden. Whether you are landscaping a small, city plot or planting a large, country garden, you still must take stock of your site first.

Imagine what you'd do if you could choose the perfect garden site.

The Perfect Garden Site Avoids:

® Low-lying pockets. Frost settles in low areas, air does not circulate freely.

® Exposed hilltops. Exposure to wind and temperature extremes makes gardening a challenge.

® North-facing slopes. They receive less sun and are often cooler than surrounding areas.

® Shade, if planning a fruit or vegetable garden.

® Compacted ground, such as former parking lots or areas where
heavy machinery has been used. It's murder to convert such areas into decent growing soil.

® Subsoil. Unfortunately, this describes almost all new housing sitesas well as parking lots, because contractors often scrape away precious topsoil.

® Sand or clay. Both extremes have their challenges.

The Perfect Garden Site Features:

® A gentle south-facing slope. It will receive full sun and the slope facilitates both water drainage and air circulation.

® Well-draining soil. Test by digging a 1-foot-deep hole, and filling it with water. If it takes more than a few hours to drain, you may want to take steps to improve the drainage. (See "Soil Toil," page 9.)

® Fertile, friable loam, rich in humus. Nobody ever just finds soil like this; it takes years of building. But it is nice to dream about it in a perfect site.

® Full sun. Many plants prefer it, and you can surround those that require shade with trees, shrubs, or garden structures.

® Available water. Realistically, how far are you willing to lug the garden hose?


Make the Most of Your Site by Finding Out About:

® The average rainfall for your area.

® The average first and last frost dates, from which you can then calculate your anticipated growing season.

® Low temperatures in your area and your USDA Zone designation.

® Your soil's pH.


And Consider Such Facts As:

® Gardens in cities are warmed by the artificial environment surrounding them, which extends the natural growing season. Plants and gardeners also must be able to tolerate air pollution.

® Seaside gardens get whipped by salty winds, but are buffered from sudden temperature changes.

® Nearby bodies of water substantially change the immediate growing conditions. They retain heat through the day and release it over a prolonged period of time.

® Higher elevations usually mean lower temperatures.