Please teach me how to plant.........?

Question

I just moved into a home, theres like a trimming in my backyard that I can plant around the area. The thing is that nobody has planted in this dirt for more than 10yrs. So it is hard. I want to know "how do I fertilize it and how do I plant". I live in Los Angeles, so the weather is always good and fair. I hear breaking it up mixing some soil in it to make it softer and then adding fish and worms will fertilize the dirt. I hear so many stories. Please give me the step by step.

Answer 1

Ah ha!!!! I live in Riverside so I know what kinds of soil conditions you do have. I would suggest renting a roto-tiller to break up the dirt and ammending the soil with several bags of steer manure. BUT..... Lets start small.... Rototilling is a very laborious task, and I'm sure you just wanna get started, not overwhelmed.

First you're goanna wanna get at least a couple of tools. I would start with a hoe or two.

If you are limited by your budget, at the very least get a Hula Hoe (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=94329-302-18663&lpage=none)

And if $ permits get a triangle head hoe (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=96371-302-1881500&lpage=none).

Also, get a decent round head shovel (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&Ne=7000+170&category=Shovels%20and%20Spades&N=0+5000716)

And if you can a small spading fork (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=90630-302-18-940&lpage=none)

Finally get 2 good rakes, one steel garden rake (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=229780-302-1895300&lpage=none)

And one later on for picking up leaves (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=98695-302-1926053&lpage=none)

Also get some bags of steer manure which costs less but is a bit stinky if you bring it home in your car, or some topsoil, costs a bit more, but wont stink up your car as bad. But both come in bags so you dont make too much of a mess.

Now you have a couple of options here depending on how hard the dirt is.

Start by trying to dig into it with the shovel, if its to hard to dig into, and you only get an inch or two, you'll have to water the ground and wait several hours or maybe even the next day. When the dirt is ok to dig into, then....

Using the shovel, try breaking up the dirt, just dig in to it a few inches (6" to 8"), turn it over all the way up and down where you wanna fix the dirt. Once thats done, break open the bags. Add half a bag of manure or topsoil to the dirt, roughly use this much for a 2ft by 4 ft area. Mix it up with the spade fork, if you didnt get the fork, then use the hoe or the shovel. Just break up the larger clumps of the hard dirt, and mix well. Keep doing this over and over....

One thing I do is I have a couple of those large storage bins, like the ones you would store Christmas or Halloween stuff in. And I mix dirt in there. Let me explain...

I get a bag of topsoil, a bag of manure, a bag of Perlite and a bag of Peat Moss. I mix halfa bag of the topsoil and manure but only 1/4 a bag of Peat Moss and the Perlite. Then I add dirt from around my house to the mix, just be sure to leave out as many rocks as you can. Anyways, doing this makes up some really really good planting mix. You can use this for flower beds, potted plants etc...

As far as going for a fertilizer, especially on grass or most plants that are outside, I strongly suggest to NOT use synthetic fertilizers. Its just a personal preference, but artificial fertilizers over time are not too healthy. I prefer to use a mix of Fish Emulsion and Kelp fertilizer. Its easy to mix up, I just use 1tbsp of each mixed up in a good sized watering can filled up, and water away.

If you have any specific questions, dont hesitate in shooting me an email. I'll answer anything you got.

Answer 2

If the soil is hard and in bad shape, I would worry about that first! I would break it up with a garden fork or a rototiller first if the area is big enough, then mix in some sort of compost, or black dirt if you can't find compost. Old dairy manure or composted leaves work great. This will add organic matter to the soil, as well as help plants grow in it. Worms like organic matter... so once you get the soil in shape, the worms should come on their own. If you throw them in poor soil, they'll just crawl somewhere else where they have better soil to munch on. The way they "fertilize" is that they give off castings that have organic matter and improve the soil structure. They also aerate the soil by making their little tunnels as they go through it. I don't know how big your area is... if you think it's too small to bother finding stuff like this, just buy some big bags of planting mix at the local garden center and mix those in.
The fish you're hearing about: Many people put fish emulsion or fish fertilizer on their gardens as an organic method. I've never used fish emulsion but I have used fish fertilizer before. It smells funny but it works fine. If you're into organic methods, another thing to try is kelp or seaweed fertilizers. Once you get the soil better, or at least non-hard, you can get the plants in. You can buy slow release fertlizer pellets that you sprinkle in the planting holes (Osmocote is one brand) or you can use Miracle Grow granular fertilizer that you dissolve in water and water the plants with. Those are just a few options; again - check out the local garden center.

Answer 3

Well try areating the soil around the area you want to plant in. Use a hoe or tiller remove any rocks and you can add some potting soil mix to the plants this is good as it has good drainage in it. Perlite or vermiculite. Make hole at least a few inches deeper and wider then plant your going to plant in it , also make sure the soil drains well.
When plantingf you can add a time release plant food a read label rates osmocote or dynamite are 2 known types of this fertilizer.
After planting just keep moist and water in for the next few days to prevent shock and your good to go.

Answer 4

First you have to scrap away all that hard soil because it has moths and bacteria. Go dip about 6 inches and then trhrow it away. Buy top soil that comes already fertilized and add a scoop of Sevin Dust with 20-20-20 fertilizer in water. Spread it before you star potting your new plants. Your piece of land will be ready to plant.

The idea is to clean first, then add new soil, Cure it fronm any bacteria or fungi and then fertilize it before you plant. I do this in my landscapings and the idea is great because I do three steps at a time.

If you place plants around the house area, they should bed all year round plants like: Caliphas(Redish colors) and you keep them trimmed and look fabulous. Every three months you add some new soil near the rooting area in general and then trim.

Answer 5

welll... i'd forget about the fish, unless you want every cat within 3 miles checking it out. first, turn the soil 1 spade depth and do a soil test, then get some well composted manure ( they sell all kinds nowadays), and work the manure into the soil. i also like to add fresh compost and wood ashes from the fireplace or stove. instead you can add lime if your soil tested acid. if you don't see any worms while you're digging around you can buy and add these too. when you plant add a little organic fertiliser to each hole, then mulch with straw or other mulch.good luck!

Answer 6

Collect soil samples from all over your yard. Bring them to your nearest garden center and they will tell you where to send your soil for testing.

What you intend to grow determines the soil's content.

I too once moved into a house that hadn't been lived in for years but the landscape was just wildly overgrown. The dirt was so fertile from years of composting the fallen leaves and dead shrubs, season after season, you could punch your fist in the ground easily. The dirt was the shade of coffee grounds. Everything I planted grew like wildfire. So, take a tip from mother nature, I would say add as much compost to your yard as it takes to make it the color of coffee. You can never add too much compost.

Answer 7

The roses planted in the ground are doing very well thanks to the advice that I have received here in the last few years.

I would now like to try growing roses in pots. The big caveat is that I do not have space to move them inside in the winter and I am in zone 6b. I know there are others in colder zones who successfully do this. I have likely asked this before but cannot find the thread...

Answer 8

I want to grow some plants indoors. I don't know anything about gardening. Could any of you green thumbs out there give me a working knowledge of terminology and the basics to success?


http://www.waterlessturf.com/

Answer 9

I doubt that house animals like cats,dogs etc. can plant but like Gorillas or other animals like that might be able to!