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Preparing garden area
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Posted by gary_in_hernando 34614 (My Page) on Wed, Jan 7, 09 at 17:20
Though I’ve owned a home in west central Florida (Hernando county) for a few years, (5 miles from the gulf), we only moved down permanently last August. We’ve been dying to do a garden, and consider ourselves semi-green thumbs, but I’m at a loss where (how) to start in this "sand box". I’ve cleared an 8X10 area to start out small and after turning the "dirt", I have a sand box – or what the cat thinks is something else….
Anyway, need some gardening 101 – do I bring in a yard of topsoil and add it in? or dig out the sand to some depth and replace it? Should the garden be above ground level (mounded)? I have readily accessible water and automatic watering / irrigation capabilities. Any advice, tips, resources welcome.
Thanks! Gary in Hernando
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Preparing garden area
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| Rather than remove the sand, I would simply add a large quantity of compost, bark soil conditioner, and other organic (meaning plant based) components to it. Some people like mushroom compost. You can repeat applications on an annual basis, or simply top-dress with compost. Mulch will be essential in your location, especially with the sandy soil. If you plan to use pine straw as your mulch, be sure to wait until all seeds have germinated and the plants begin to do well. Pine straw has been shown to inhibit the germination of some seeds, including lettuces. |
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