Novice Outdoor Garder Questions

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by moonlitpath, Sep 2, 2008.

  1. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    Location:
    New Jersey
    Hello Everyone!!

    I have a few questions I would like to ask. I recently bought through a cataloge a preplanned butterfly garden. How would I go about preparing the bed for planting a butterfly garden in the simplest terms? What is a good fertilizer to use when preparing a bed?

    Also, it says "full sun". How many hours of sun exactly is "full sun"?

    Thanks in advance!!!
    *moonlitpath*
     
  2. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada.
    reasonably well drained soil with some organic matter is a good start. Fertilizer cant be recommended unless you know what is deficient in the soil.
     
  3. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    Location:
    philly, pa, usa 6b
    jimmy is correct about the soil. also, you need to see what kind of soil you have before planning on what to add to amend it. some parts of new jersey have sandy soil (by the shores) and other parts have clay. if you tell us what part of the state you're in, we can help with what to add to the soil to make it better for growing the plants you want to grow.

    can you post a list of the plants that are in the kit?

    full-sun means at least 5-6 hours of sun a day.
     
  4. moonlitpath

    moonlitpath Active Member

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    Location:
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    Its definetly sandy soil. I live in middletown NJ, right by Sandy Hook. I did a search for soil testing and they charge $15 for each sample they test, which I thought was absurd!

    In the kit it includes:
    * Alyssum Sax Compact
    * Aster September Ruby
    * Agastache Honey Bee Blue
    * Buddleia Black Knight
    * Caryopteris Longwood Blue
    * Chives
    * Coreopsis Early Sunrise
    * Echinacea purpurea
    * Erigeron Blue Beauty
    * Monarda Raseberry Wine
    * Origanum Rosenkuppel
    * Rudbeckia Goldstrum
    * Sedum Brilliant

    There were a few extra plants I also wanted to buy but I was goin to wait it out to see how well I do with this lot of plants 1st.

    Also, there's a spot in my yard where I want to plant but I already have Gladiolias and Daffidols there. Is there a way to dig them up and move them without killing them??

    *moonlitpath*
     

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