Thanks to all for the input. I have a much better idea of what I need to do today. dchall...the composted cow manure I bought was $35. a yd. I suppose that is expensive but bark mulch is around the same price on average. You can sometimes find it for $30. yd. tclynx...thanks for that advice about the weeds...I was thinking along the same line, just hoping someone would tell me I didn't have to weed, I guess. [g] Yes, I do have some areas that are better than others, so I will concentrate on those that aren't. cowgirl...yes, I was figuring the composted cow manure was not as great as garden compost. If the micro nutrients are an issue of not as much in the cow manure, would it help to use more seaweed/fish emulsion on the garden next year to make up for that? The closest supplier of organic compost was an hour and a half away. They would have delivered for a $200. delivery charge. :-) Actually the person making the composted cow manure just had his compost tested, but the results are not back in yet. I imagine if I call him back later he will be able to tell me the results. He was also very forthcoming with answers to questions when I talked to him. There seems to be a difference of opinion on the coverage here.... dchall's ....1yd for 1,000 sq ft would mean my 5yds would cover 5,000sq ft. Using that calculation I could do my back lawn and all of my beds and borders. I have a 1/4 acre property and not planning on using any compost in the front this time around. But cowgirl is saying no...it is only going to be effective as a fertilizer if I spread it over 1100-1800 sq ft. Am I trying to use it as a fertilizer or as a soil conditioner? Isn't this composted manure going to have more beneficial results than just adding fertility to the soil? Am I to understand that this compost will continue to release nitrogen for the next 4 years? If I were to attempt to cover let's say 1700 sq ft...my borders on average are about 10 ft deep and my back lot line is about 100ft. So I could do every sq inch of that back border and if I spread it thinner..I could probably make it around two more side borders that were each 35ft long. My problem often is that I am heavy handed and when I see a thin layer, it just 'looks' so inadequate to make a difference. Well..this has been eye opening...lol. I can see that I need to be spending more time in the Soil forum. [g] There is a whole lot more to know then I realized. Thank you all... :-) pm2

Hi Jennifer, so sorry your Helianthus 'Lemon queen; isn't doing so well. I planted one in Spring of 06, full sun, sandy loam, well-drained, and it was quite vigorous. This Spring I wanted to move it because it was too tall for the location and the rootball was HUGE for the 2nd year. I got six divisions, I gave away 2 and planted 4 in kind of a hedge in the back corner of the garden in partial sun with annuals in front. I've found they grow well in full or half sun, except they are somewhat smaller in less sun. They are rather drought-tolerant in my garden, but did wilt some this summer due to the drought. Lemon queen grows well, but the Veronicastrum won't grow for me just a few feet away. Go figure. It stopped blooming a couple weeks ago, but here's what it looked like this summer. That's probably about 2 1/2 plants worth in the picture and they are about 4-5 feet tall. I think this plant is a real beauty:

With 22 feet to play with, I would suggest using 3 to 4 varieties but repeat the plants, say plant A in the centre, flanked on either side by plant B, then plant C on the other side of B, and either D or A again on the other side of C. This will be more interesting than all the same. Plant in two staggered rows using three of each plant. Suggestions: Low growing potentilla shrubs (bloom June to frost with yellow blooms), waterleaf (leaf texture, small flowers), Virginia blue bell (great early colour, dies back after flowering so over plant with something else), cammsia -- (spikes of flowers early, interesting leaves after), Geum triflorum (early pink flowers followed by feathery seedheads and attractive leaves), Heuchera(coloured spikes followed by interesting foliage), dicentra exima (fern like foliage, pink heart shaped flowers), Missouri sundrops, dwarf coreopisis, columbine, Geranium maculatum, the shorter Penstemons (like hairy), grey goldenod, heartleaved aster, liatrus cylindrica.

I have grown several types of helianthus in perennial borders, and it worked fine. They do spread, so I have to remove a bunch of them each spring, but I never really see any alleopathic effects on other plants that I have noticed. They are large, and look best in a large group, so at a minimum I'd recommend about half of the 10 x 3 bed should be devoted to sunflowers. A smaller clump might not stand up very well and would constantly be shading nearby smaller plants. If you can devote the entire 10x3 bed to sunflowers you'll have the least effort, since they won't crowd nearby plants and the sidewalk will help rein them in. I think the heat and poor soil won't stop them from thriving, although they, like practically all plants, will do better in a good soil than in poor soil.