Reviving garden beds requires math and a mix of soil products
Q: In the backyard of our new house, there are a couple of beds covered with a thick layer of stones. We want to remove the stones and make flower and vegetable beds out of those spaces. We did start to remove one bed and found that once we get all the stones out it鈥檒l be about three inches below grade, in other words, the stone layer is quite thick! The first bed we鈥檙e tackling is about 12x15 feet. Once we get all the stones out, how much soil, if that鈥檚 what we鈥檒l need, to fill the bed and make it usable? 鈥� N.P., sa国际传媒官网网页入口
A: You have quite a bit of heavy work in front of you, but having an end goal, good for you.
First, know that when you remove all the stones, I鈥檓 gonna bet that there will be a lot of accumulated blown-in sandy dirt. So you have a choice to make. Leave it or get it out. Know that there could very well be a lot of weed seed, weedy grass seed and all sorts of other seeds that are hiding in that soil, so you could be inviting a couple of growing seasons in front of you that will require plucking and keeping all that seed at bay as it sprouts.
You say the area of this bed, 12x15 feet, equals 180 square feet 鈥� give or take. From doing the math, I remember that it鈥檒l take 15 cubic feet to cover 180 square feet of space at one inch thick. So in order to cover that 180 square feet of space with three inches of soil, you鈥檒l need 45 cubic feet of product. That鈥檚 a lot of soil products.
You should do a bit of mix and match too. Don鈥檛 rely on just one product. Consider topsoil, garden soil, finely-milled compost and manure. The more you mix up the soil products, the healthier the bed will be in the long run. Remember that as you are emptying the bagged product into the new bed, you鈥檝e got to mix it up really well. Stay a bit on the shy side when adding the manure. It could be too strong or 鈥渉ot,鈥� and burn the roots of anything you鈥檇 plant this coming spring. Like I said, it鈥檒l be a lot of work to get this project completed, but I still believe it鈥檒l warm your hearts for years to come.
Q: How soon can I start to repot my houseplants? 鈥� R.N., sa国际传媒官网网页入口
A: I鈥檓 going to ask you to be patient and wait until late February at the earliest to begin this work. The daylight available until then won鈥檛 be sufficient to encourage your plants to start this coming season鈥檚 growth spurts. I鈥檇 really rather you wait until mid-March to begin repotting your houseplants. Allow them to continue resting before awakening them for this year.
Q: I was watching a PBS show on the 鈥淭he Queen鈥檚 Garden鈥� and since she forbade the use of 鈥渕ost all pesticides,鈥� the ground keepers applied garlic powder through their hose end sprayers. The film showed dead and dying aphids. Does it really work and do you have a recipe? 鈥� M.C., sa国际传媒官网网页入口
A: In my copy of 鈥淗andbook of Natural Insect & Disease Control鈥� it does list garlic oil as a pesticide. The definition does say that it isn鈥檛 selective 鈥� meaning it could harm beneficial as well as 鈥渂ad鈥� pests. I do want to ask your patience with me while I do a bit more detective work to be far better informed, OK? I鈥檒l keep you posted!
Meanwhile, Happy Diggin鈥� In and unless we do get some measurable precipitation soon, I鈥檒l ask that you give everything a good drink as soon as the weather and temperatures moderate.
Tracey Fitzgibbon is a certified nurseryman. Send garden-related questions to Digging In, sa国际传媒官网网页入口, 7777 Jefferson St. NE, sa国际传媒官网网页入口, N.M. 87109, or to features@abqjournal.com.
