Selecting planting sites
1. The Basics of Plants and Planting
Sunlight – some plants prefer total sunlight while others prefer total shade. Assess the amount of sunlight you planting site has before choosing seeds. Water – soil that contains a lot of organic matter (compost) will retain water Soil – provides nutrients, water, air Space – seeds are more likely to grow if the soil around them is loose so that the roots can spread out. Other plants Time to grow – for most small plants it only takes a week or two for the sprout to grow. Larger plants can take 2-3 months to reach their peak productivity. Without enough sun, water, and space, a plant will grow slowly and have a higher risk of getting a disease and dying
2. Things to consider
2.a Seasons: What to Plant When
Spring: Smaller, non fruit bearing plants that grow quickly; flowers - wildflowers; vegetables - peas, lettuce, kale
Summer: Most plants! – early summer from May to July is the best time to plant most seeds. Plant the seeds for larger plants, like fruits and vegetables, before late June because plants could take 2 months to reach maturity.
Autumn: In late Autumn plant similar crops to early spring because of the cooler weather. Bulbs that will wait underground and bloom in early spring. Flowers: hyacinth, tulips, daffodil, crocus…. Vegetables: garlic
Winter: If you want to save a plant that will die in the frost, dig up the soil and roots at the base of the plant and keep it in a pot inside
2.b Soil types
Clay: bulb-rot in winter; compacts easily; water logging; alkaline; insulator; layer with organic matter to balance; grows well: tap roots, beans
Sand: dry; loose; lacking nutrients; layer with lots of organic matter to re-balance soils; grows well: small trees, shrubs, rosemary, thyme, sage, tulips, flax
Silt: water logging; compacting; soft; erodes; grows well: tap roots,
Loam (grain mix): grows well: everything
--> Different soil types need different remediation techniques to encourage better plant growth
2.c Cultivating the Site
Lots that have been vacant for a while:
- prone to being very dry, dense and not very nutrient rich.
Once the soil has been disturbed (i.e. dig up the top soil), a cover crop of nitrogen accumulating plants like clover should be planted, sunflowers can be intercropped into the lot to create a combination of soil remediation plants.Phytoremediation plants.
5. Examples site - rain garden
Any spot where concrete meets soil is a possible rain garden. Rain gardens are nothing more than collection pools designed with plants to not only slow the flow of water to our sewers, but to creatively use as much of it as we can. Concrete and asphalt are impermeable surfaces, what rain water lands on them is quickly routed to the sewer system and ultimately to our rivers. Rain gardens stand in the way of this persistent flow, giving it time to collect and be absorbed by the earth and plant roots.
6. Maintenance through the seasons
After remediation till the earth and plant your crops. At the end of the season cut down your plants and let them lay, the smaller the pieces, the quicker they will break down. Any opportunity to acquire organic material should be taken, leaves, grass clippings, and wood chips are available for free if you keep your eyes open for them. Given the fact that most landscapers have to pay to get rid of this debris, you are usually doing them a big favor by taking it.
