I'm a very new gardner and want to create a flower bed in my backyard. Last year a tree came down from a hurricane and we had the stump ground. I would like to create a "mound". I don't want a flower bed incased by wood or other material. Basically, it would look like a pitcher's mound with but more of a kidney shape.
I can't see to find any information where to get started. What composition of soil would I use so the bed doesn't sink when it rains? How high do I need to build the mound to plant perennials? I might use those 1 inch high black plastic borders that you use in gardens to divide garden areas to keep the soil/mulch from runoff.
Can someone steer me in the right direction or give me a link to where I could get information to get started? The mound will be approx. 7ft x 5ft.
Thank for helping a newbie!
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opabinia51
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The stump has already been ground down to the earth. You can still see the slightess remains of the stump but it is level with the ground. I would like to cover the stump as it is unsightly and the grass around the tree looks terrible. A nice looking "island" on top of the stump would make me happy.
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opabinia51
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I would collect up a bunch of leaves this fall, and mow them with the lawn mower to give some more surface area. You can lay these around the area that you want mounded up. Follow that up with a layer of manure (free from local farmers or at least dirt cheap). I would actually do several layers of this and plant right on top.
This will give you great soil and any plants that you put into this area will grow better than you can imagine.
And, as said, the leaves are free so, you can mound the area up as much as you want and they have lignin as part of their structure so, the mound will maintain it's shape for some time.
Come to think of it, you may wish to acquire some more wood chips and make layers of them as well. Woods main component is lignin which is really slow to break down due to the fact that it is a highly branched, highly complex macromolecule.
This will give you great soil and any plants that you put into this area will grow better than you can imagine.
And, as said, the leaves are free so, you can mound the area up as much as you want and they have lignin as part of their structure so, the mound will maintain it's shape for some time.
Come to think of it, you may wish to acquire some more wood chips and make layers of them as well. Woods main component is lignin which is really slow to break down due to the fact that it is a highly branched, highly complex macromolecule.
I've heard that combining manure with white sand creates a firmer bed. Would you recommend this? My landscaper told me to use good topsoil mixed with sand instead of manure. Is this sound advice?
Last edited by osmg on Tue Jun 20, 2006 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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opabinia51
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Well, sand is good for drainage, it would firm up the bed but, you would have to water more often. And what you really want to do to form a long term, firm bed is creat soil aggregates which will not only make the bed more resistant to degredation, it iwll also keep the nutrients from the leaves and manure in the soil and they will not be leached away.
Anyway, one idea might be Rock Phosphate.
Anyway, one idea might be Rock Phosphate.