1. Do-It-Yourself Tips and Formulas:
A lecture by Liza Ehle
To find square footage for material or to measure for how to apply lawn fertilizer:
Multiply the length x the width of the area
To find cubic yards of material: Multiply the length x the width of an area and divide by
82 to find how many cubic yards of a material you need at a depth of 3-4”
Landscape fabric comes in 4’ or 6’ by up to 250’ rolls. Measure square footage and
determine which width uses less waste. Purchase staples with fabric to hold in place.
Plant first, then cut fabric with household scissors or utility knife around plants at least 6”
from the plant’s stem or trunk.
Compost, bark, pea gravel and drain rock can be delivered in 1-10 cubic yard amounts;
you will pay more when you have less than 10 cu.yds. and if you order 10 cu. yds. you
will need to check your site for overhead wires and access for a dump truck.
Plants come in 1,2,3,5, and 7 gallon containers as well as 4” pots in flats of 18- 20. Use
a variety of sizes at planting to make landscape look natural. Spend more on larger
sized trees, then medium and small sized shrubs and 4” groundcovers and perennials.
Amend planting holes with a 30/30/30% mixture of native soil, compost or potting soil
and small amount of chicken manure (1/10 volume of container size). Dig planting hole
fully twice the size and depth of container size you are planting.
2. Loosen roots of planting ball at time of planting, trim back tops lightly, firmly pack soil
around new planting. Water in all plantings immediately using 3 tablespoons per gallon
of water of Vitamin B-1 transplant solution, and water daily with this solution for one
week, then every other day and then 3 times a week for the first six months and twice a
week once established and growing well. Spray with Wilt-pruf in windy areas.
Keep your projects manageable and set priorities, soil should always be first, drainage
and design next, then waterwise and firewise thinking, choose plants by empowering
your nurseryperson, then plant them well and continue structured maintenance reliably.
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