Permeable means it s ability to allow liquids to pass through. Chicken wire is fine if you have moles/voles but landscape fabric is only mildly permeable. Testing consistently shows it slows drainage substantially. It is not ever recommended for the bottom of a bed by experienced gardeners and it would have no effect on the moles and voles anyway. 75:25 compost:loam is high on the compost side and the quality depends on your definition of "loam". Means many different things. But as long as it isn't so-called "top soil" or sand a 50/50 mixture of it would probably work. More commonly you see the recommendation for 40:60. But you will have to add more compost at least once a year and better 2x a year as it continues to shrink as it decomposes. I get the impression you aren't interested in first trying to improve your native soil and incorporate it into the bed, correct? That is the best route to go. But if not then you need to understand that overtime it can affect whatever you fill your bed with unless you made some sort of solid bottom box which is not at all recommended. But you can still make it work with a framed raised bed on top of it with chicken wire or hardware cloth on the bottom IF you keep the bed well and frequently amended with quality compost. Over time the leachate and soil bacteria will improve the soil below the bed as well. Dave

If you spread arborist wood chips over the bare soil the kids can play in that space without getting splinters as they would from bark mulch. The irregular sized chips decompose slowly so you start with 4-6 inches and add up to 2 inches annually in spring for the play season. If these aren't available in your area cedar play chips might be though much more expensive. Collect the trims from shrubbery & trees in piles then rent a wood chipper for the day to create your own chips. Even if that doesn't give you enough for the whole area it is a start. In the USA many gardeners get the chips for free from tree trimmers who clear the area near power lines. Possibly that is available to you as well. As the years go by & the children become teenagers they will have other interests outside of playing in the garden, so you can plant something different in that space. Years of wood chips over soil make wonderful planting soil. You may want to create a raised bed and grow salad vegetables year round in your climate. Our backyard has changed several times over the past 19 years especially now that our children have grown it is more of a resting space, but continues to be functional with our patio, deck, BBQ, firepit, greenhouse, dove aviaries, chicken & duck coops as well as rabbit hutch. Since I'm still developing the gardens I have a nursery area with potting table, pot storage, young plants in pots as well as tools in another area.

Sue, I read your page and it sounds like were doing the same thing, although you are on a much bigger scale. Are house is an old mill house that runs along the river across from an old mill on a dead end street, so we have houses on both sides, but the woods kind of flow into the back yard. Most of the level part of our yard as well as some of the sloping part has been turn into garden space for vegetables and flowers.Our front yards are entirely flowers. My wife did a splendid job, planting poppie,wild geraniums,coreopsis,sunflowers,evening primrose,lavender, and much more. In the back we have our beehives at the top of the hill. We are constantly working to improve the soil and will definitely leave this little patch of earth better off than we found it. As far as your bee questions, some beekeepers will charge you for pollination. In these cases, it's a way of earning part of their income. When that's the case, the beekeeper will promise you a strong hive, bring it before the crop blossoms, and pick the bees back up after the bloom, then find another crop to pollinate. $75 to $100 per hive is not unusually high for that service. On the other hand, as you have done, you can often find an agreement that is mutually beneficial to both of you. A beekeeper is looking for a place to put a hive or two and your looking for some bees. This situation works when there is enough forage for the bees, besides the pumpkins you have, and they can get a good balance and variety of pollen and nectar sources. In that case, the hives can be left there year round and it's a win-win situation. I have a question for you which I've posted on the pset forum and haven't gotten a good reply to. Do you know of anything that prevents vine borers other than chemical sprays? And also,one of my hives is near a field where pumpkins are grown. Are any sprays typically used during the bloom when my bees would be working the flowers? Tony

> Probably the most important rule about fertilizing is to never feed a tree that is under stress. The causes of stress are many, ranging from over watering or under watering to newly pruned roots or disease. > Once again, it is so very important to know what type of tree your bonsai is. Different types have specific needs as to the type and frequency of fertilization. > Many enthusiasts who have some experience think the safest method, with no fuss, is 4 month type of 14-14-14 time release fertilizer, such as Osmocote. This is incorporated right into the potting mix or sprinkled on the surface and worked down into the mix. > Most broadleaf trees and tropicals can be fed with any general houseplant or garden fertilizer. > Conifers, azaleas and certain others can benefit from a monthly application of an acidic fertilizer, such as MirAcid. > Some growers include hormones such as Superthrive in their regimen to stimulate root production. > Trees should only be fertilized when in periods of active growth. This is generally from midspring through early summer and from late summer to early fall. > If your summers are extremely hot and your trees are outdoors, do not fertilize until temperatures have moderated and growth has resumed. > Likewise, do not feed trees in winter when they are either dormant or growth has slowed down. > Some growers prefer organic fertilizers over chemicals. This is an ongoing debate and much too lengthy to go into detail here.