Hard Working Weekend

[devreux]

After nearly two years here, we finally got our act together: materials, equipment, time and weather all combined and we did some significant yard work this weekend. We dug out two large shrubs we didn't want; we pruned and weeded and pulled up grapevine and vinca (periwinkle) like crazy. We then rented a (mid-tine) tiller from the Depot and we

Comments

[frrom]

Did you test the soil and/or have it analyzed? I'm generally a novice at lawn care and plant maintenance, so I am trying to figure out cause and effect for users.
But, since my job is running the QA dept for someplace that makes commercial soil-less mixes (mainly for the flower industry), I know enough to be dangerous.

[devreux]

No, I did not test the soil. I went on the assumptions that 1) the previous owners obviously had not amended the lawn in any way whatsoever for many years, and 2) in an area with lots of coal burning power generation, rainwater tends to be on the acidic side. Acid soils are also more common than alkali soils. (Yeah, yeah, unless you happen to live in a badlands or desert area that is specifically known to have alkali soils, which is not the case here.) And I had this lime which my brother offloaded on me that needed to be used up. It's not so much lime that I am likely to really harm anything, so I just went ahead and did it. :-)

Yes, I am planning to put in some vegetable beds, for which I technically should have the soil analyzed - but I am making raised beds which I will be filling with new soil (and peat and manure and sand and charcoal), so that's not as pressing an issue as it might be.

I should get stuff tested just to *know* what's there, but I've been appallingly lazy.