Garden of Earthly Delights

Going Native and Organic in the Backyard

by Crispin Kott, March 30, 2009

As winter finally gives way to spring across the Hudson Valley, thoughts once focused squarely on snow shovels and salting sidewalks may invariably turn to warmer outdoor activities, such as gardening and landscaping.

For the neophyte, enhancing one’s home by landscaping with shrubberies might seem like a simple endeavor. But before you begin digging up your yard, some local experts want to ensure your hard work isn’t done in vain.

Diane Greenberg, co-owner of Catskill Native Nursery in Kerhonkson, says the region has so many different variables that the first step should be to figure out what the best options for your own neck of the woods might be.

“You really want to find out what kind of conditions you have,” Greenberg says. “People just buy what they like, stick it in the ground, and think it’s going to be okay. But plants have evolved over thousands of years. If you give them what they want, they thrive. If you don’t, they die.”

Lay of the land
Giving the area you’re most interested in working on a thorough once-over is an integral step in ensuring the lasting success of your landscaping project.

What are the basic soil conditions? According to Greenberg, the area is covered by wet, dry, acidic, rocky, clay, and sandy soil. In addition, it’s important to know how much light the area gets before deciding which shrubs might have the greatest chance of working out.

According to Greenberg, taking a look at other trees and shrubs in the area is often a good indicator of what shrubs might thrive as part of a landscaping project. Are the existing trees deep or shallow rooted? Are they healthy? And what kind of conditions do they like? Do they create dry or damp shade?

In addition, Greenberg said it’s important to know whether what’s already growing nearby is an acid creator, like pine or hemlock, as very few plants want to grow near those types. Also, black walnuts put a substance called juglone into the soil that can kill many types of plants.

Norbert Lazar, better known as the Phantom Gardener, has long been a champion of organic gardening. He agrees with Greenberg that it’s vital to give plants what they need. And what Lazar suggests is the use of organic matter.

“There are ways of getting organic matter cheaply if you don’t want to buy it,” Lazar says. “Compost is probably the best, as it takes care of most of your soil needs. We garden organically, so we use complete organic fertilizer. And you can get some really well-rotted manure for free sometimes if you have a truck.”

According to Lazar, organic matter will help with a wide range of specific environmental needs, from assisting with aeration in clay to giving sandy soil a better chance at holding water.

Which actually leads back to the very first step one should consider taking before any other. Lazar suggests taking a pH test of the soil, either through an inexpensive home kit or by bringing a sample to the Ulster County Cornell University Cooperative Extension. Regardless of the results, the next step is likely going to be the same for anyone looking for success. “The first thing that is often overlooked in any kind of gardening is soil preparation,” says Lazar. “It’s like preparing for painting. If you skimp on soil preparation, your end product is not going to be satisfying.”

One of the key components of soil preparation is also one of gardening’s legendary bugaboos: weeding. But as much of a hassle as it might seem, the best option is to get a thorough weeding out of the way sooner rather than later.

“Remove whatever weeds you can ahead of time,” says Lazar. “It can come back to haunt you when it’s much harder to weed than at the beginning.”