Knowing what you can grow in your neck of the woods is one of the most
Healthy soil tells you what it can and cannot support and grow.
important bits of information you want to have when it comes to backyard gardening.
There are two basic topics that have significant influence on just what will live and grow happily in your yard.
In the end, it all comes down to getting a grip on your dirt and knowing your zones.
Dirt
We’ve all got dirt – a growing medium, a place to stick our plants. But it’s what kind of dirt you have that will influence what you can grow.
There are all kinds of definitions out there for dirt or soil but, bottom line for gardeners, soil is NOT the stuff you buy in bags at your local big box store. It is the stuff we walk on, the stuff plants, bushes and trees sit in. Soil is the stuff we start our seeds in, transplant our baby plants into and set our ready-to-grow plants into in our gardens.
And the dirt in your backyard will tell you, loud and clear, whether it is happy and healthy and whether it can support what you are putting into it or not. For me, the magic of my garden is in the dirt.
Zones
If you’ve been considering doing some backyard gardening, I’m sure you’ve heard of “zones.” When I first started, I found the concept of zones a bit overwhelming. And the fact that global warming has made my zone wander a bit on the USDA map just added to my confusion.
It took me a bit to figure out this “zone” thing and the fact that zones affect what you can and cannot grow. I have to say that I think Dr. Thomas Osborne really nailed what anyone needs to know about zones so I am sharing his post.
FYI – Dr. Osborne is a Harvard trained Radiologist and Neuro-radiologist, not a botanist or a so-called pointy-headed intellectual. And he just loves to share his insight about medicine and gardening.
So, without further ado, Dr. Osborne on getting your zone on!
climate zones: what can I grow in my yard?TastyLandscape.
via climate zones: what can I grow in my yard?TastyLandscape.
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