Hi, I’m new.. I just got into a new home where I have lots of garden space. I’ll need everyone’s help!
Welcome to GardenStew Suzie. A new home, garden and now new friends here willing and able to give you a helping hand - what could be better?
I think this is the best time for people to start gardening. Covid-19 global pandemic sure has taught us many lessions - The most crucial of them all is, growing some of our own food. Unfortunately many want to do this now. However not everyone has the availability of space to garden... But you are lucky on this account. So welcome to GardenStew, we would all love to make your gardening experience a most enjoyable one! Only thing we expect in exchange, is that you become one of the permanent and regular members here! Hopefully by this same time next year, you'll be advising and encouraging another new member here. Been 10+ years since I joined this place. And I haven't been able to leave for long. Here is the link to a very interesting thread over here: https://www.gardenstew.com/threads/new-gardeners-need-help.41876/ They too came here seeking advice. So we all pitched in until they too started growing their own food!
Well, I’m gardening in western Tennessee. I have a big yard but I noticed before fall came that the yard floods terribly in a heavy rain, and so the only spot I see that doesn’t flood and that would get enough sun is a spot where the soil seems to be pretty terrible - it is hard as a rock when it’s dry out! I’m wondering, since it’s winter right now, if I should go ahead and get to work on preparing such a soil for spring, or just wait until spring to do so. Or if I can grow anything in the soil just as it is, maybe just loosen it up as much as I can.
Do you have trees Suzie? If so, you could pile the dead leaves up on the area where you might plant next year. They will gradually decompose and soften the soil. If your yard gets flooded, it obviously sounds like you'll have to look into improving drainage. Do you have any kind of slope that you could direct the runoff to? (BTW, Is your basement dry? Whatever you do, you won't want to direct the water towards your house. Forgive me if this is obvious to you.) Is your soil full of clay? Clay tends to hold water but when it dries out, it becomes hard as a rock. The best way to improve clay soil is to add organic matter. And add organic matter. And add yet more! Hope this helps. Others on this site i am sure will have some good suggestions. Good luck with your gardening!! Let us know how it goes. And BTW, I don't think it is too late to work on your soul now if you have the time. You are in Tennessee, right? I bet the soil isn't frozen yet. P.S. I just saw my typo: work on your SOUL instead of SOIL! I left it because, truly the soil is the soul of our gardening endeavors.
That is helpful because I am spending a lot of time bagging up leaves from my many trees!! I will keep some for the plot I plan to grow in. I wonder if I should mix the leaves into the soil by tilling it up some?? And yes, the soil does seem to have clay in it.
Rose bushes do very well in soil rich in clay. However roses hate to have wet feet, so soil drainage is very important also. Yes, tilling the leaves into the soil is a method used by farmers since a thousand years ago. So that for sure will improve the soil texture. Later when spring season is about to start, go to a fishing supply store and buy live earthworms. To introduce into your soil. They will automatically loosen up the soil, as well as eat up the biological matter which you would have mixed into the soil, (like leaves). Their excrement left behind will be very rich in nitrogen. So that right there will be the best fertilizer for plants in nature!
By all means you can till A BUNCH in. Don't be stingy. Worse case it'll make the soil a bit more acid. But who knows, maybe your soil is alkaline and would benefit? And leave a thick layer of leaves on top to mulch the soil to protect it during the winter. Winter rains will beat on unprotected soil, packing down. If you have a lawn mower and have the energy you can run it over the leaves several times to cut them up a bit. They'll decompose faster that way.