This and that was Re: [gardeners] You *garden* in that???

Terry King (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 20 Apr 98 22:50:55 -0600 

On Mon, 20 Apr 1998 18:55:32 +0000, Liz Albrook wrote:

>Pat wrote:
>
>>  Soil: Where I live there is exactly one and one half inches of
>> topsoil over either limestone or flint with a deep subsoil of
>> either more stone or packed impervious clay.  Sounds fascinating,
>> don't it? 
>
>I don't mean to sound like a smart *ss or anything but have you ever 
>considered living in a more hospitable area for gardening  -- like 
>the Gobi desert or Beaumont or something?  Gardening, even in raised 
>beds, sounds like a challenge.  How do you do it?  I know you must 
>garden there because you have a relative who tells brags on you a 
>lot.  
>
>I'm not going to complain about the soil here ever again, or at least 
>not until the next time I plant something.
>
>Liz

Must be why my g. grandfather gave up farming in Hill County (I'm jumping 
to the conclusion that Hill and Houston counties are in the Hill Country.  
Please correct me if I'm wrong.) and moved to Oklahoma and why 
Bakersfield, CA. looked good after that. :-D (I've been researching my family 
so I sort of have genealogy on the brain at the moment.  I found I have 
many ancestors and cousins who have and still do live in TX.)

I agree with Liz, I'll never complain again about my rocky, easily compacted 
soil.  At least I have closer to 12" of soil/mud/dust in most places. 

Pat, you must be a garden wizard to grow in those kind of conditions.

 I've been busy picking rocks, mowing wormwood, tilling in organic matter 
and fertilizer.  My new strawberries should be here this week.  Last week I 
bought new seed potatoes and 2 bunches of walla walla onions.  I will get 
them in the ground by next week.  The spinach has germinated but still no 
sign of my onion seeds sprouting.  The Autumn Joy sedum, daylilies, lupine, 
and delphinums are all about 4" tall, the roses are just beginning to break 
bud (the Sir Thomas Lipton's already have), so are the flowering quince, 
forcythia and daffodils and it won't be long before my lilacs make their 
appearance. I have one bunch of that little white flowered allium with the 
blue strip on the petals (I can't think of its name at the moment) that's 
blooming and the crocus have just finished. There are big fat leaf buds on 
my Alpina clematis.  Its supposed to be Alpina Willy but when it bloomed last 
year the blossoms where all white instead of pink and white.  In any case 
I'm thrilled it has survived so well!  I think I'm hooked on alpinas!

I'm worried about my Burgandy Glow Ajuga,  it looks completely 
dead/nonexistant.  Anyone know if this is how it normally looks this early in 
the spring?  Also, has anyone ever moved their delphinums at the 4" stage?  
How did they do?  I want to move mine to a fenceline behind my roses.  The 
clumps are about 8"- 10" in diameter.

The weather is finally fairly warm most days.

Enough babbling for me this evening, I'm off to bed early for a change.

Terry King                  North Central Eastern Washington
taeking@televar.com        USDA zone 4, Sunset Zone 1