Gardening tips for your home in Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill

Maintaining a garden in the Triangle can sometimes be a bit tricky. Whether you just want to grow a few tomatoes, or are planning a full vegetable garden, here are some tips for people whose thumbs aren't quite as green as they'd like them to be.

Add Topsoil

Gardening in the Triangle1The most important part of any garden is the soil, yet it's something many  take for granted. Unfortunately, the soil in many residential  neighborhoods around the Triangle isn't the best for gardening.

Beneath a thin layer of topsoil—just enough to support a lawn—is clay.  Lots of it. It traps water and contains virtually no nutrients that plants need. If you're planning a garden in your backyard, you'll need to build up a bed of topsoil so your plants and vegetables will thrive.

Consider Drainage

One thing we have lots of in the Triangle is rain. So much that except for the occasional dry spell, you'll rarely have to water your garden.

But as the saying goes, when it rains it pours. Like most of the Southeast, the Triangle is prone to torrential downpours. And that water is often trapped by the clay soil (see above). So you'll need to make sure your garden drains properly and doesn't flood or wash away.

Plan for Sunlight

Another one of the Triangle's key features is sunlight. In the Triangle area, we get more than 200 days of full or partial sunlight, and that's great for gardens.

However, we also have a lot of tall pines and other trees that characterize  many residential neighborhoods. While they add to the pleasantness of  living in this area, they make gardening a challenge. So make sure you know what parts of your yard get the most direct sunlight before you dig.

Guard Against Pests

Gardening in the TriangleShade isn't the only drawback of living in wooded areas. Because the Triangle is so green, with many communities planned around natural wooded areas, the area is also home to lots of critters.

Rabbits, squirrels and even deer are quite common in the area, and they'll help themselves to the fruits of your labor if you let them. So be sure you have a fence around your garden to protect it from four-legged thieves.

Be Aware of HOA Rules

Before you plan your garden, the first thing you should do is check with your homeowners association to be sure it's not against the rules. In most cases you won't have a problem, but it's better to be sure before you start.

Dig Safely

Speaking of being sure, you never know what lies beneath the ground where you're planning to put your garden. Power lines, water lines, telecom lines. Hitting any of these when you're digging can cause expensive damage and can also be dangerous. Be sure to call 811 (*811 on your mobile phone) before you dig, and have all your buried utilities marked.

Gardening can be a fun, rewarding and delicious hobby. If you're planning a garden, make sure to follow these tips, and talk to an expert at a garden center for more detailed information.

Posted by Larry Tollen on
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