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Maintain Your Soil My gardening tips are: choose plants carefully and maintain soil. To thrive, plants must be suited to the temperature zone, light, soil, space and water conditions. We are in zone 7b, but our heat zone is 8, so choose plants that are hardy in both zones 7 and 8. Evaluate the site and research before buying. Plants placed in sub-optimal conditions will likely be stressed, and a stressed plant invites insects and disease. Adhere to requirements for sun or shade and water needs. Determine the mature size of plants and make sure the planting site can accommodate them. Soil preparation is key to long-term success. In your planting bed, break up clay about a foot deep. Blend in 30 to 50 percent compost (other than peat moss which rots away quickly). Also, till in 1 to 2 inches of soil-loosening agents, either ground bark “soil conditioner,” or the more permanent solution, PermaTill. Topdress with compost every year or two. Diane LaBont |