Tips for anyone with less light and more moisture in their wishful new garden planting area*:
To each 5" round/sq. planting hole about 6-8" deep, add two teaspoonsful of crushed, new, untreated charcoal briquettes over 1 cup of gravel and 1 cup of straight compost. On top of the compost, add 1 tsp. of crushed, new, untreated charcoal briquettes and 1 cup of washed playsand.
Place a 4" size young plant that requires less sun into the hole and add compost all around to fill in sides about 3" with medium pressure, water with 1 cup of 1/4 tsp. vinegar water and 1/4 tsp. baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) to each 16 oz. water, filling loosely with compost for any remaining space uncovered and lightly tamp down all around plant.
Break in half one old or damaged Computer Disk and place on top of smoothed soil around stem of plant base, silver side up, so that it reflects sunlight to the plant AND repels many plant pests/birds. The plant will seldom need watering, and the moisture that is in the soil already will be sweetened by the Vinegar/Soda water, charcoal and sand, allowing for plant growth, UNLESS there is underlying fungus, mildew, or disease already in the area.
Even so, the solution/mixture/drainage layers should retard it's spread to the new plants. Should the plant base be larger or multiple stalks, simply widen the spread of the two Computer disk space to accommodate the width needed OR, if necessary, add a third disc half overlapping the first two.
Then, if labeling is needed or desired, break off the plastic handle of USED white disposable flatware, and mark with a Sanford Ultra Fine point permanent marker, the plant name/date planted, and stick outside of the dripline of the plant, near outer edge of discs.
*Remember to keep all unnecessary branches, dead or alive, trimmed from what is over-shading the area as well, if possible. If the soil is rocky or filled with extensive roots, this formula will not work unless roots are small enough to cut out. Do not use this formula for cactus or Sedum that require much sun and dryer soil. However, plant growth for partial shade loving plants will be competing with the overgrown root system and new plants will likely not survive. Use wisdom and common sense in any case.
By Lynda from TX
