I have property on the southern Gulf Islands. It is south-facing on a cliff. The soil around the house is very rocky. I have tried digging holes, filling them with various potting soils, & putting in an assortment of plants over the years. (I fence them to keep the deer away.) The plants seem to do well for the first year or 2, but it seems as though once the roots grow out to come in contact with the native soil, they die. This has happened numerous times. Can anyone give me a clue as to what, if anything, I'm doing wrong? Should I have the soil tested again? I did that years ago (sent to the Dept. of Agriculture, I think) & the results showed fairly poor soil, needing lots of organic amendments, but nothing harmful. Where should I enquire or send a sample from that location? Is there someplace in the Victoria area, or does that even matter?
Try these Instead of working so hard to ammend your soil (or lack thereof), you could plant herbs which grow in the rocky Mediterranean. Deer don't like many herbs. Try lavender, rosemary, uva ursi (kinnickinick), sage, thyme, etc. Good luck!
Thank you. I have tried some herbs with varying success. Any suggestions for shrubs with the same requirements?
Mahonias Any of the Mahonia varieties would work. I would think the wild roses would too. Rosemary can actually get shrub-sized.
