It's getting close to planting time here

**mommy4ever** · 04-21-2009, 09:40 AM

Well, another 3 or 4 weeks. But I need some help.

I have raised beds, 2 are 4x8, my strawberry patch is 3x6.

But nothing is doing all that well.

It's in the back north east corner of the yard. Get shade in the morning from the fence, and shade early afternoon from a large pine. Then has mid to late afternoon sun and evening.

I suspect the neighbors pine tree is part of the issue. But it's the only spot we can do it that gets sun, between the kids and the garage, there's no where else.

What does the soil need to be more productive?

**Trentt** · 04-21-2009, 12:14 PM

Less pine tree and more sun.

Pine needles are a great mulch because nothing will grow where they fall. So a nearby pine tree is kind of a growth inhibitor. I understand your constraints with the garden's location, but northeast isn't going to be an ideal spot for anything that loves sun and warmth.

You could try to plant flowers/vegetables that do better out of the sun - e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, ferns, impatiens, coleus, bleeding heart, herbs, etc.

I really can't imagine heat- and sun-loving plants like tomatoes, peppers, and squash doing well in that spot.

**mommy4ever** · 04-21-2009, 12:32 PM

North east corner of our yard gets lots of sun, if it was the south part of the back yard, the house would shelter it completely. Where it is the fence is on the north side and east side of the garden.

Unfortunately our whole yard is surrounded by pine trees. Though none are on our property...well, 1 little guy across the yard. We don't get the pine needles in the yard from their trees.

**Trentt** · 04-21-2009, 01:06 PM

Then I guess you might want to invest in a soil testing kit to see what amendments your garden requires. It might be too acidic, too alkaline, but if the pH is on neither end of the spectrum, it probably needs deep tilling and the addition of lots of organic material - compost, manure, mushroom soil, what have you.

Does it get very dry? I'm wondering if the "forest" nearby is hogging the soil's moisture.

**mommy4ever** · 04-21-2009, 01:15 PM

They are raised beds, 18 inches deep, I can turn with a pitch fork at any time, it doesn't get packed, I'll look into a testing kit to see.

But to be truthful... I have yet to have a good garden in 15 years! 3 different homes, including an acreage. I feel so clueless. My baba could grow anythign anywhere, didn't matter about the trees, her garden surround various huge pine trees, and it was a fantastic garden. My plants commit suicide!(or so dh tells me)

**Trentt** · 04-21-2009, 01:40 PM

I've been gardening for most of my life and every year has its successes and failures and mediocrities. I can't say I've ever had a "bad" garden where nothing grew well.

Try testing the soil. Also consider "companion gardening". Maybe you're planting varieties together that prefer different conditions, so caring well for one sacrifices the other. It's just an idea ... for example, tomatoes go well with its cousins eggplants and peppers, and also basil loves the same conditions. So if you group those together and apply one set of TLC rules, all should prosper. The "three sisters" method is another example - growing corn, pole beans, and pumpkins in essentially the same plot ... all three benefits from the proximity of their neighbors.