Can anyone help a newbie gardener?

We moved into a new house last year and I finally have the time to garden. And a perfect opportunity as there is nothing in the yard of the house we moved into.
I have already planted a wisteria and several azaleas (zone 9a). I have ordered several Lilys, Daylilies, Liatris, etc.

I would like to know what methods you experienced gardners use to amend your soil before planting.
I have topsoil, cow manure, and sphagnum peat. Some plants call for sandy soil; some for loamy; some for well drained, etc. Also, some plants like acidic soil and others, alkaline.
What would I add to the soil to make it either acid or alkaline? How close can I plant one's that like an acid soil to those that like an alkaline soil?
I've used coffee grounds around my azaleas for years with good results. But how much coffee grounds do I have to use around plants that like an acidic soil and is there something better to use?
Do you use bulb fertilizer when planting your Lilies /Daylilies? Should it be used on all bulbs?
I find this web site AMAZING! All of you have sooooooo much knowledge! I appreciate any help you may be willing to give me.

I'll take the easy one. To make your soil more alkaline, use lime. Best to test your PH and see what you need. A complete soil test would be even better. (use your state agricultural extension service). You probably are better off not fighting the natural condition of your soil any more than you need to.
It sounds like you made a great start with your soil! Hopefully some experts will be by to answer your other questions, Oh, bulb fertilizer would not be for daylilies (not bulbs) but I think bulb fertilizer is good for all bulbs (including lilies) even though it is most associated with spring bloomers.
Good luck!
Dave

Welcome CeeBCross to the composting section. You are a fortunate person to have the desire to create your own soil types. I live here in montana and have a garden bed for every type of plantings that you can imagine. Each bed is composed of the building blocks you currently have except your compost pile hasn't started yet. I want to direct you to the forum: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/583906/ And my garden site : http://davesgarden.com/journal/d/t/Soferdig/1717/ If you want to start building we will need to know what your overall plan is: How many beds? What is your soil type and test? What do you want to grow? We can start here but a lot is in the first site for you to read over. Welcome, Steve.

Thank you Steve! You make even composting sound interesting! And you answered one important question for me. I thought I could plant varities that liked different soil types next to each other. Never dawned on me to have different beds for plants that like acid, alkaline, dry, wet, loamy and sandy...to name a few! I ordered some plants that I really like: the Monte Negro Lily; Fairy Tale Pink Daylily; some Liatris; a tall growing plant called Queen of the Prairie; some hosta-like plants and some Giant Chinese Lanterns (I'm interested in an Oriental looking garden).
My one ambition is to successfully maintain a compost pile. When we lived in GA I attempted one because I had so much hay and manure from all of my horses. I made sure I layered it and added enough green but it always became infested with red ants (which are absolutely horrible in GA's sandy soil!). Here in FL, it looks like the same problem...we are eradicating a huge red ant hill that sprung up overnight right where our spigot is!
Is there any way to maintain a compost pile and keep the ants out?
For now, I plan on arranging beds according to light requirements (we have a lot of palm trees in our yard...some shade, but not heavy) and grouping plants as to what soil conditions they like.
I don't want to have an "overnight garden". Each bed can start out small and "grow" some each year. I love to garden and now that my husband is retired, we have more time to enjoy it together.
Thank you, again, Steve.
Marsha.

I have no Idea what red ants need and eat. But if you remove that then they probably will not be a problem. If it is compost I would get an off ground type and use it. Google red ants life and get the answers. Here in Montana we haven't any real problems with bugs except a couple of months of Aphids and the occasional white fly we bring home.

I'm also a novice gardner and do mostly vegetables. I've decided to expand my garden space to accomodate more plants/varieties which has me breaking new ground from sod this spring. Unfortunately, I haven't composted in the past and plan to start for next season. As for this season, I had planned to mix sphagnum peat and manure in with my base soil as I have in the past with mixed results.

I've skimmed through the "Dung, Doo Doo and Dirt" thread which understandably seems to rely upon compost as a key ingredient. My question is, what should I do for this season?

Composted cow, pig, chicken, horse, Llhama manure. Buy it at any nursery and put it on. Fertilizers that are slow release are good and I use the high Phosphorous ones to get more bloom. Bone Meal, Blood Meal, Alfalfa Meal. All of these get you started and then start collecting the plant at the end of its cycle and compost. Then watch the changes. Inch by inch everything is a cinch.

Thanks.
Now I have to find a place to put my new compost pile. I'm in town and my whole lot is 33'x144' INCLUDING my house AND 2-car garage. No trees. Neighbors are close. Maybe I'll try one of those churning bins although my garden budget is already blown away.

My advice on soil pH is to go with the flow. Find out what your pH is and plant things that take that. In my alkaline soil I have tried to grow acid lovers like rhodies and azaleas (gifts, I didn't buy them) and even with a lot of effort on my part they never thrive. They survive but are not pretty. Instead focus on plants that will tolerate your native soil and you will be a much happier gardner. You can more successfully grow the others in containers

Karen

With a small yard like yours I would buy my compost. Or forget to ammend soil and just do what kqcrna says. Have fun.

Oh, I'm not against composting! I love composting! I hate to see neighbors wasting grass clippings, leaves, ect, so I take theirs, too, and compost them. Ammending soil with compost creates great soil and benefits the worms and beneficial organisms, and I just can't get enough of it.

I just meant to say that attempting to permanently alter your soil pH can be a losing battle. Sorry, guess I wasn't clear

Karen

I have alkaline soils. Ph varies between 7.5 and 6.9. Though I have established raised beds where the ph is under 6.5 for over 8 years. I did amend the soils and do use compost to annually to charge the soil. I added wood chips, pine needles, other non native soils with the native to create the acidic bed. When I see the ph rising I will use sulfur but not at all yet. Oh yes I mulch this bed heavily with bark and pine cones ground up by my chipper. this is my acidic bed to the left.

I'm a newbie, too. I have a small, shady flowerbed I want to plant this long weekend. I have to dig up what's there already (Mexican hedge and Kolanche? , asparagus fern and some MIL tongues. I have all sorts of coleus that need a place to go into the ground, so I'm looking at this small flowerbed.

HD has ORGANIC TOPSOIL on sale this weekend for $1 per 40lb. bag. I have done no testing on my soil to determine sweet or sour. Could probably pick up an over-the-counter kit and find out.

Anyway, feedback on the HD topsoil, please. Thanks.

Also, what's the difference between compost and mulch?

We gather bags of grass clippings and leaves. My DH dumps them into a pile outback and just forgets about them till he wants to plant somethng in a container (I'm doing mostly container gardening on an east facing patio). He'll fill the container half full with the decomposing leaves, and the rest of the space with potting soil. Says it saves having to fill the whole thing. I started throwing table scraps (eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps into the pile, too, and watering it down and turning it a couple times with a shovel whenever I'm back there)

WHAT AM I CREATING HERE?

P.S. I harvested about 4 garbage bags of dark, rich, damp, crumbly coffee ground consistency product from the patio surface. I think the leaves just blew under the patio tables and sat there til they went into decomp. It's cool, dark, and the covered patio let just enough rain into it to keep this bed moist. Was this stuff compost? It sure was mighty fine and had huge, fat earthworms for days!

Let me know if I'm on track here.

P.S.S. When do you use compost, and when do you use mulch?

Linda

Gymgirl, There are experts around but I'll try to help.
Compost is basically vegetation breaking/ broken down to a wonderful soil ammendment (like you do). Mulch is anything used between plants to keep down weeds, slow down evaporation,etc.
Compost can be used as a mulch, so can stones, bark, plastic, etc,etc.
You have a compost pile out back and you made compost on your patio and you are DEFINITELY on the right track.
Dave

Sorry I have been out in the garden and no DG time. When building a bed you can buy any topsoil and plan on it being mostly woodchips, small amount or manure and varing amounts of peat. This is a good starting place and will need compost (rotted leaves mixed with grass or whatever to make compost) That has been cooking for over 2 months in Texas. You will benefit by adding peat to hold moisture and keep your watering needs down. So HD topsoil / 4parts + manure (HD) steer manure/2 parts + peat moss /1part. These all from HD will give a fairly good mix to grow things in. Enjoy your making of the garden. PS you can change your soil if you use raised beds and continue to compost.

This message was edited Jun 5, 2006 11:19 AM

DAVE47 & SOFERDIG
Thank you sooooooooooo much for the feedback and the clarifications. Didn't get to dig up the bed yet, but I'll get all the items I need based on your suggestions.

DAVE47,
You make me want to send you a can of my "black gold!"

P.S. I did remember to put those fat earthworms in the new 'COMPOST" bed I'm working on now.

Question: I'm throwing out the old coffee grounds we have daily, and eggshells into this bed. Will I need to monitor which plants I put into this mixture, because won't it be pretty alkaline by the time I use it?

If I may add some thoughts for new gardeners....

For beginning gardening, is so much easier if one becomes familiar with the soil, light and moisture conditions that exist on their property and then select plants that will do well in those conditions. Rather than trying to artificially create a soil and moisture condition to grow a certain plant.

Any soil that you do have will benefit from the organic matter that is compost. No yard is too small or too large for home made compost.

As you compost the eggshells and coffee grounds they decompose and become closer to neutral so alkalinity should not be a problem.

Thank you, Joe.

Joe's words are good ones to garden by. Coffee grounds and eggshells (but not eggs) are great for your compost.
Gymgirl, Thank you for the offer, but sending me some of you black gold is not necessary. Very sweet of you! Do you have alkaline soil down in TX? Everything here is so acidic its hard to imagine.
Dave

I second what joepyeweed and kqcrna said...take a little time to get to know your soil and then plant what naturally thrives there. Althouh you can certainly improve your soil you can't change it into something else...believe me, I've tried. :) Keep on composting...black gold and big fat worms are fabulous. :)

pam