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WS flowers that do well in poor/acidic soil

13 years ago

Oh my, I have an area that has wild blackberries, strawberries and such growing in it. I tilled it in last year, but still needs some help.

The soil is sandy. Any ideas on what wintersown sprouts I can plant in this area? Deer resistant a plus.

Paying bag for bag of black earth is getting costly....

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Comments (4)

caryltoo Z7/SE PA
13 years ago
Blueberries, azaleas, rhododenrons come to mind. They love acidic soil.
morz8 - Washington Coast
13 years ago
Black earth - do you mean topsoil? Don't. Buy compost if you haven't made your own, it will improve the tilth and improve the drainage of sand just as it does with clay. If you can't dig it in, top dress with it (like mulching) - will cover any weed seeds present so they don't germinate, conserve moisture, and the worms will eventually work it down in. Home Depot here has a bagged steer manure blend (well aged manure combined with equally well aged wood chips) for just about $1 a cubic foot bag...a lot of bang for the buck:) I've never found weed seeds in it, but occasionally- some small rock.

Most plants will either thrive or adapt to a PH below neutral - those I find that prefer a less acidic soil than my own are few.

Deer of course are difficult - what they won't try one year they will surprise you by nibbling on the next.
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gardenunusual
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi Morz8, the Black Earth was recommended to me from the feed store I frequent. I told them I am laying down cardboard, and mixing whatever they recommend with rabbit manure. Three bucks a bag is adding up quick. I thought the stuff available at HD or Lowe's wouldn't be as good a quality. I will definately try it. I just hope I am not adding too much rabbit manure. Found out this spring you really can add too much of that to the garden!

This past weekend I planted sweet peas, and transplanted some garlic and wintersown Easter Egg radishes into it. It's not very deep, I hope I didn't screw it up. My plan is for the cardboard to break down, and keep feeding the soil with organic materials as time carries on.

Caryltoo, those are great choices. At some point I will get some blues. Azaleas and rhodies are real popular here.
morz8 - Washington Coast
13 years ago
Azaleas, rhodys, blueberries all do best in moisture retentive soil, not so much in sand. And deer do eat them.

For years I had an area below an ancient massive limbed-up pine that stayed dry (imagine that, dry here :)) both from the tree roots and the canopy. The tree ended up laying on my house in 2007, but until then I put all my spreaders in that area that wouldn't be as manageable in better, moister soil. Obedient plant, japanese anemone, siberian iris was OK, assorted euphorbia, yarrow, rudbekias, inula hookerii, sedum. Annual nigella loved it, so did linaria Canon J Went. Some of the perennial geraniums, and the dreaded verbena bonariensis looked pretty cool there.

Don't be afraid of the Home Depot steer manure, I think I may have used 100 bags easily over the years and put down more next door. Just keep in mind if you can't lift the bag easily, chances are they have a shipment in that's wet. Most of the bags should be light enough a woman can handle, then product is dry enough to toss with hands and odor free (or very close).

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