Good luck! I was in your position a year ago, I had moved into my first house and created my first vegetable garden. I'm in a very different zone (6A) and my season is winding down, but I think I had a very successful summer with my first garden, given that it was very cool and rainy for all of June and July. Here is what I did, for what it's worth. I had the area tilled where I wanted to create a garden (it was grass). I then raked out all the big clumps of grass left behind, and added them to my new compost bin. I then had 2 yards of topsoil and 2 yards of compost delivered (my garden is 16'x16'). I think adding the topsoil and compost really added the nutrients needed and eliminated any grass re-growing in the area. But, after finding this site, I realize a soil test would have been a good idea. After I planted, I mulched with salt hay to keep down any weeds (make sure if you use straw you ask if there are any seeds in the straw). I hope this information helps in some way! Good luck and above all, have fun! Use this site often for advice, I do and there are many people with years of experience and knowledge who have helped guide me through my first year as a gardener! p.s. consider creating a compost bin, if you haven't already, you can create your own garden fertilizer with it. I got mine through the town public works department for a very reasonable price

It does seem odd but I assumed the potted Hibiscus was left by the previous owners since it was on the list of what came with the new home. I was going by the leaf shape and texture (they are more ovate and glossy) plus the way the buds are carried and the appearance of the calyx. I do grow H syriacus in my garden and I am familiar with H rosa-sinensis as a pot plant. So I just said what I thought. But I may be wrong. It will become clear which it is once it blooms. Maybe someone else can comment.

About to start my first ever vegetable garden on a very small (75 sq ft) area. Soil in this area was full of bits of trash and who knows what else, so to play it safe I had 12" of soil dug up and hauled away, and 12" of new topsoil delivered. Sent sample of new soil to Penn State for testing; results are below. I am hoping to plant lettuce, peas, and other early crops in a couple of weeks. In the next few days, I plan to add the following to the soil: - approx. 1 lb elemental sulfur (guidelines on test results say to use 1.25 lb/100 sq ft to bring 7.5 pH soil to 6.5) - approx. 0.375 urea (test results suggest 0.5 lb per 100 sq ft, although I'm not really sure why, since the test doesn't include nitrogen) - couple inches of compost (I'll use what I can from my own bins, but I doubt there's much finished compost there, so most of it will come from the city compost site) - inch or so of peat moss - 0.75 lb. of kelp meal (from Gardens Alive -- I happen to have a bag of it) Does this plan seem reasonable? Also, what's with the hugely high calcium level? I assume this is related to the high pH? Is there anything I should do about this? Thanks in advance for the feedback. Image link:

Before spending money on something called "soil" take a good look at the soil you already have. It does little good to add to bad soil some even really good soil but even bad soil with the proper amendments can be made good and often at lower cost then buying some kind of "soil". Contact the people at your local office of the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you know your soils pH and present level of certain nutrients and then dig into your soil with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. which can guide you in making the soil you have into a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants better able to ward off insect pests and plant diseases. Here is a link that might be useful: WSU CES