Outdoor Week: Household Hint

This isn't my Flower Bed, but it makes me smile. I found the picture here.

If you haven't started getting flower beds and gardens ready for planting, now is the time. I was in a gardening class/lecture several years ago that gave these suggestions for soil preparation and fertilization:

Soil

• Peat Moss-Helps retain moisture and adds organic matter.
• Vermiculite-Lightens soil for better root growth.
• Compost-Adds small amounts of fertilizer and organic matter.
• Sand-Roots like it because it's coarse. Sand is great for carrots.
• Gypsum-Good for clay soils.
• Manure-Usually contains weed seeds, but adds a little fertilizer.

Fertilizer

• Manure has little nutrient value.
• Lawns need a fertilizer high in Nitrogen like 20-5-5.
• Gardens need Phosphorus ltry a  16-16-8 mix.
• Phosphorus helps with flower development
• Nitrogen helps with vegetative growth
• Potassium is used for good root development.