Experiments…

Thought I’d try adding stuff to the dirt. While I’m generally an organic guy… and maybe this still is, I’ll have to call in the officials… I thought I’d try fiddling with my soil chemistry a bit.

In one case, I’ve got “crusting” on my soil because of the high clay content. The rain falls, and something magical happens, and I’ve got a stiff layer of crust on top of the soil (note: do NOT buy “soil” from McFarlane’s, it is absolute crap, complete with softball size chunks of clay and extra coarse compost). I’d been reading that gypsum added to the soil, in some case, would cause the clay to basically break up and form little clods, thus allowing water and air to pass. Floculation?

So, I bought a bag (2.5 lbs.) at Portland Nursery and sprinkled it on most of the two larger beds. My understanding is that it’s pretty well neutral, so worst case is that nothing happens.

Secondly, I’d been a little concerned about the pH in some places. My blueberries (Darrow and Spartan) are a little sad looking. The ones in the pots on the deck are about busting at the seams. So what’s the difference? Checked the pH with one of those probe devices, and it appears the the soil is mostly neutral with some alkaline spots (the new bed in the north part of the yard). So, I dumped some sulfur around those, the strawberries, and the raspberries. How much? Oh… about… some. I’ll test it again in a few days.

Planted some Spanish lavender by the driveway. The bees were going nuts over it at Cornell Farm. Another note to self: Don’t go to Cornell Farm unless you want to be smiled at while being treated badly. I had a bad service experience there last time, tried again, and got the same thing– thanks to the snotty girl in the funny hat.

Do you have salvia microphylla?
We don’t grow that.
OK, but you have about 300 things from Monrovia here.
Do you have salvia microphylla?
We don’t grow that.
(Smiling the whole time.)

I guess it’s a stand off. She gets to avoid just answering the question. I get to keep the thousands of dollars that I spend on gardening stuff every year. Fair enough. Then, my card’s “declined.” Then, my wife’s card’s declined. Only thing is, the bank says that they didn’t even run the transacation. Funny that.

What is it about garden people that makes them act like that? They do it at Portland Nursery, too. I ask if something’s a weed, and I get… “well, what do you mean by weed…” Cute. Every time. I know, it’s a vague term, but don’t we all have a general idea what it means? And besides, it’s the snotty face they make more than the question.

The information counter there is like the gauntlet. Be prepared to be humiliated if you ask wrong. God forbid you ask an obvious (to them) question. The guy with the funny beard will just stare at you like you asked if you should pour gasoline on your cat. “Well, that depends… what do you want to accomplish?” (Fakey smile.)

You know what, usually, it’s safe to say “yes” or “no.” Is a dandelion a weed? “Usually. Yes. Unless you’re growing them for salads. Cuz they spread like crazy.” “Gas on cat?” “No. Mean.”

Anyway, they’re close, and generally speaking, they’re pleasant. There are just a couple of people there who, I think, missed the notice about how gardening is a “fun” thing to do. They seem to have started as computer support people.

Also stuck in a couple Lily of the Valley near the backdoor. Andrea wanted them.

Starting to take pictures to log where everything is as it pops up. Wish I had a better way to do that. Ideally, I’d like some kind of map that I could stick pictures to, but… that sounds like a lot of work. Gardening is supposed to be fun, dammit.