Sorry, my original description wasn't very clear as to configuration. I'm on agricultural property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. The dogs actually have two fenced areas. One area is about 7 acres of pasture, pond and woods. This larger area is where they really get their exercise. I also have a smaller fenced area for them that's a total of about 2,500 sf. I turn them out in this area early morning/late evening and when I don't want them in the pond. Roughly half of this smaller area is well-established pasture/crop fescue and it's holding up well under their traffic. There is a large gravel pad (20' x 20') where the dogs come and go from the house, and a 3-foot strip of pine bark inside the fence perimeter where they run the fence (plantings are outside of fence). The remainder is topsoil (where it was graded during construction) and I will be installing sod over this today. I've had other well-kept lawns with four or five dogs before so I'm not yet convinced that I can't have some lawn here. However, I'm used to kbg and not tttf. My major concern is the lawn's healing capability. That's why I'm wondering about clover or introducing more kbg next fall. Maybe I shouldn't even be thinking about this right now. And you're right, quirkyquercus, I try not to use chemical fertilizer in the dog yard but there are other options, yes? Using cornmeal is new to me -- would that work for tttf or am I better off with something like milorganite? My digital camera went kaput over the holidays but I can draw and post a plan view if that would be helpful. Thanks again, Kardis

Contrary to common opinion, home test kits for reading soil pH do provide pretty accurate results - far more so than other home soil testing kits....IF you follow the directions properly and use distilled water :-) Given your zone designation, I'm assuming you are in California, which does tend to towards alkaline soil conditions in many areas and also an alkaline water supply.....a double whammy! JaG's advice is valid, however should be tempered with the admonishment that altering the soil pH substantially or permanently may be difficult and heavily influenced as well by soil type. The effects are temporary and will need to be repeated periodically. It may be easier to garden in raised beds with imported soil that has more suitable characteristics. Agricultural sulfur is fully approved (certified by NOP) as an organic application for a variety uses including that of a fungicide, a miticide and as a soil amendment. It is also a very necessary plant nutrient that is sometimes deficient in many soils.

Well, what you have there is a link to a Powerpoint presentation by Doug O'Brien at Cabrillo College. Sadly, all it proves is that Doug O'Brien of Cabrillo College doesn't know what he is talking about if he thinks you get a downward pH adjustment of 0.1 every time you put a ton of lime on an acre of soil. Neither calcium nor sulfate has a direct effect on soil pH and that's all that gypsum is...calcium and sulfate. The only time you will have a downward shift in the pH due to gypsum application is when it is applied to a sodic soil (i.e. SAR greater than 15) which has an elevated pH due to that sodium imbalance. (On a side note, very often the text book rise in pH does not accompany sodic soil conditions) Only when sodicity causes an elevation of the pH does gypsum help decrease that pH. And even in those cases the effect is indirect and has to do with improved soil structure allowing for the leaching of sodium rather than any reactions that calcium goes into. If you need to lower your soil pH, elemental sulfur is your better bet. As far as why it is important...it is primarily a nutrient availability issue. If the pH is too high or too low, fewer nutrients will be available for a number of reasons. Also, if it gets really low you can start having toxicity issues. I guess if you want to get into it more we can start a new thread.

What is your style? Those vanity doors are pretty contemporary, so might be hard to go traditional.... Thoughts: 1) If you like the vanity cabinet just fine, or just want to maybe paint it and add a top, you might hunt around for a stone remnant for the top. I was quoted about $300 to cut and finish a soapstone slab with cutout for one undermount sink. It would probably be about $400 for two sinks. Low-end granite from a remnant selection was around the same cost. But I wouldn't spend that kind of money if you don't love the vanity itself. 2) If you want to buy something pre-made that doesn't have that triangle at the end, why not just build the triangle section out of something else. For instance, it could be like a wood shelving unit that fits in there (maybe floating so you could still fit the trash can!) with it's top somewhat higher than whatever prefab vanity top you get, so that there isn't a funny transition of materials... so it looks more intentional. it could even be a little piece of some fabulous stone like marble or whatever, because it won't cost very much for such a little piece with only edge finish and no cutouts.... 3) How handy are you? You could build a simple open shelving vanity (many pics on line of these now) with baskets, and splurge on a gorgeous stone top from a remnant yard. Or not eve, one of the pics below has a wood top, you could use semi-recessed sinks or vessels if you like those. Even cheaper :) Something like these: 4) Personally, I'd probably take the whole thing out and replace with an inexpensive vanity like Ikea's Godmoron units, either with their vanity top with a filler piece as I just described, or with a custom-made slab top. But that's probably going to run $500-$900 all told to do that. What's your budget?