Gods beauty can also be found in the hands of Man

Delando,

Location is very important, but the soil should be right for the various types of plants.

A good soil mixture will help determine a plants grouth.

For instant the tubulars will produce better if there is a 60 percent clay and a 40 percent (Course River Sand.)

The fine Bank sand does not work very well as it has a tendency to wash away, or will pack down and will will not accept water when irragated.

Most people will throw their grass clippings and leaves away, not realizing that when composted it not only makes fine furtilizer, it also helps to loosen the soil.

When possible, locate a source of chicken, cow or sheep manure that has been cured, or mix it in with the compost.

The manure can also be supended in water, using a cheese cloth or other suitable means to create liquid furtilizer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another little bit of important trivia is to consider the heat units required to produce a crop. Most gardeners just look at their calendars and plan for a May 24th longweek-end to plant their garden. This year, it may be too early, if you've seen the news that shows many parts of the country under a ton of snow.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

But Rudy, Punxsutawney Phil said that spring is coming early this year! WhooHoo!! Surely our snow will be gone by then. We could sure use some heat units around here now.

It makes it hard to think about gardening with it being so cold. Even down in Florida it's too cold to garden right now.

But getting back to compost. I really like to compost because it helps make our heavy clay soil easier to work with. I have one pile that is basically used for our kitchen scraps and a couple others that I put chipped material from our landscape, such as ornamental grasses and shrub prunings. We also have a couple chickens that give me something special to add. In years past, when I had more time, I would drive around the neighborhood and gather bags of leaves. If they were dry, I would chip them, but if they were wet, I would just spread them out in the garden. I don't have time for that fun anymore.

Martha