Gardening or Yard tips

[Phrozen Sands]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Are we talking about gardens or lawns here?? If we're talking lawns, before you do anything, get a soil test. In Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University will do a pretty inexpensive soil test and give you good recommendations for what you might want to amend your soil with or what kinds of lawn grass would thrive.

There are some pretty great local FB groups on lawns and gardens for Oklahoma. I'm sure central TN is the same.

I was doing both. I used my rototiller yesterday morning so I can start my garden. But I decided to plant the tomato plants in pots. I’m going to plant something else in my garden. I never heard of soil testing for the lawn though. What’s that all about? Sounds like it’d be useful. My neighbor seems to have a lot of backyard knowledge but he hasn’t mentioned that one. Thanks for mentioning it. I’d be interested in more information on it.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by Phrozen Sands

I was doing both. I used my rototiller yesterday morning so I can start my garden. But I decided to plant the tomato plants in pots. I’m going to plant something else in my garden. I never heard of soil testing for the lawn though. What’s that all about? Sounds like it’d be useful. My neighbor seems to have a lot of backyard knowledge but he hasn’t mentioned that one. Thanks for mentioning it. I’d be interested in more information on it.

The county agent can give you a box in which you put a sample of your soil and you get back an analysis of it and what you need to add. Just call your county extension office.

Sorry about the accidental edit, I posted my answer in your post.

[aephi alum]

If you're growing fruits and veggies, I highly recommend EarthBox. Back in the day, when I owned a house in an area with hungry hungry deer, I used EarthBoxes for my tomatoes and cucumbers, and I always had an awesome crop. I put them on my deck so the deer couldn't get at them.

Also, I forgot to mention azaleas! They are low-maintenance and do well in shade. They flower in May in the Northeast, possibly earlier in TN.