Woodland and Shaded Soil Problems

What is the quickest, cheapest, and best way to convert a former wood lot into usable land? Remove stumps by hand, tractor, or dynamite, then work under compost or organic matter and fertilizer.

Does a garden of vegetables and flowers do well in soil which has just been cleared of hickory, oak, and wild cherry trees? There is a great deal of leaf mold in the soil. It will do better in subsequent years, when aeration changes the structure of the soil. When well-rotted, leaf mold is a good soil conditioner.

Is acid woodland soil in any way beneficial as fertilizer? Woodland soil is not a fertilizer but may serve as a soil conditioner. It can be used as a satisfactory mulch, containing a high percentage of organic matter, and later worked into the soil.

In red virgin soil under and near red cedar, would oak leaf mold and chicken fertilizer, mixed with sand, produce good vegetables? Only if the trees do not shad the garden spot. Check pH and lime if reading is less than 6.0.

What can I do with soil surrounded by fir trees to make it suitable for flowers? Deep spading and incorporation of a 2-in. layer of finely screened cinders should help.

What attention must be given soil from which oak trees have been cleared? Through the years many layers of oak leaves have rotted and naturally form a part of this soil. Such a soil may be somewhat acid. It should be tested and, if necessary, lime applied. For most plants a pH of 6.0 to 6.9 is best.

What is the best treatment of soil under pine trees for the growth of roses and old fashioned annuals? If the shade is dense, despite soil preparation, neither will grow.

A willow tree shades my yard; the roots mat the soil for yards around. Is there any way to make flowers grow beneath it? Not satisfactorily.

My soil receives sun from noon on. The few things which grow taste like wood (tomatoes, strawberries, etc.) Why? Soil tested poor, but 5-10-5 fertilizer was added, plus sheep manure. Not enough sun. No fertilizer can substitute for sunlight.

How should I treat the ground where no sun ever shines? The ground packs. Outside of ferns and shade-loving plants, nothing should be grown under such conditions. The packing of the ground may be reduced by working in leaf mold or peat moss.

How can damp, cold, shady soil be fertilized to substitute for sunshine? There is no substitute for sunshine. Additions of nitrogen are helpful if trees take all the nourishment. Flowering plants and vegetables should not be planted in such locations.

What is deficient in soil when plants run to slender stems instead of branching? May not have enough sun. Add a fertilizer low in nitrogen (e.g. 2-10-2 or 0-12-12), 5 lbs. per 100 sq. ft.