Tip No.6 Getting the Soil Prepared
- Details
- Category: Gardening in Spain
- Created on Monday, 28 April 2008 08:51
- Published on Sunday, 27 April 2008 19:00
- Written by Clodagh and Dick
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GETTING THE SOIL PREPARED
The major annual planting season is coming up. What success you have will depend to a large extent on three
things.
1. That you purchase plants appropriate to the microclimate of your garden We say garden and not area as gardens two hundred metres apart on a south facing hillside can be frost free or white for several weeks a year – the lower garden normally getting the frost. Your garden in Spain includes charts describing some 400 plants and their draught and frost resistances to help you make wise choices.
2. That you are not tempted to buy plants too early before the night temperatures have warmed up, especially if the plants are imported and hot house raised.
3. That you prepare the soil and in the case of trees the planting holes before. Now is the time to start to dig out compost from the compost heap, buy bags of dried manure from the local agricultural cooperative, and buy a box of TerraCottem water retaining gel/soil improver. If you are starting a new garden invest in a five or ten kilo box. If you can’t find it locally try Caudete Country Gardens (661917092) or buy direct from TerraVida ( 952-582599) – ask for Christina who speaks reasonable English. Their website www.terravida.com gives you all the technical information you will need.
*The use of TerraCottem is recommended in Clodagh and Dick’s books Your garden in Spain, Growing healthy vegetables in Spain, and Growing healthy fruit in Spain.
© Clodagh and Dick Handscombe February 2008.