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Need help with tiny flower bed

12 years ago
We have lived in this house for 17 years and everything i plant in this one spot dies..but it needs something there, any ideas? thanks so much

Comments (11)

  • 12 years ago
    If everything in that spot dies, perhaps you should place two attractive pots together on weed-suppressant cloth (if you even need it!), surround them with pretty bark or pebble mulch and plant up the pots. There may be something about the soil in that corner that just isn't welcoming.

    Alternatively you could have that soil tested ... but I wouldn't bother with that, myself.
    Nancy Ann thanked Rina
  • 12 years ago
    Figured out why it dies? Too hot, too cold? Too wet? Too much chemicals in the soil?
  • 12 years ago
    Square planter(s).
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    Nancy Ann thanked rinked
  • 12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    Go to your county extension service and ask for a soil test bag and directions. They'll give you the info you need to send some of the soil off to find out if there is something in it that is killing your plants. You'll get a report back that will tell you what is in the soil and the things to add to it (like compost or lime) to grow the type of plants you tell them you want to grow there (ie. flowers, vegetables, shrubs). Questions to ask yourself while you wait for the report to come back are how many hours of sun does this spot receive? You may be trying to plant things that need different amounts of sunlight than what the space gets. Ask if there is something else going on - when it rains does the runoff from the roof drip directly on the plants heavily and crush them as an example. Do I have a neighbor whose pet has decided that patch is its litterbox and scratches up the plants killing them. Am I giving the plants there too much water or too little water? What are the specific plants I've tried planting there that did not survive, do they have something in common like not liking acidic soil or being plants that prefer shade? If they have something in common then try a plant that doesn't have that common denominator. Am I planting things that don't do well in my growing zone? Find out what zone you live in and then make minor adjustments as needed, for instance because it's so close to the wall the soil may get hotter due to the solar heat the wall absorbs and releases back into the soil creating a micro-climate.
    Nancy Ann thanked Jessica Mack
  • 12 years ago
    Agree with Jessica, it's all about the right soil for the right plant.
  • 12 years ago
    Small budget: remove the top 2 inches of soil and replace with pebbles. Larger budget: extend the brick walkway to cover this spot. Medium budget: remove all soil down two feet. Replace with potting soil from garden center. Not compost or planting mix.

    Sometimes soil is contaminated. Old construction work, leftover asphalt from driveway, flooding from sideways or above.
    Nancy Ann thanked apple_pie_order
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Have you thought about trying artificial turf? Maybe not your thing but at least it won't die.
    Nancy Ann thanked WaterfallNow
  • 12 years ago
    Spanish and English Lavender. Great for bees and water wise
    Nancy Ann thanked Aleksey-Hanna Shcherbakov
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    All of the above are excellent suggestions - My go-to is ornamental grasses of some sort as they are usually pretty easygoing and require the least amount of maintenance.
    Nancy Ann thanked ASVInteriors
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Cactus. To keep the neighbors dogs from getting busy on your porch.
    Nancy Ann thanked WaterfallNow