Special-interest-area ...

Marc Iverson 12/10/2013, 2:41 am

What's your special-interest-area?

There's a tiny area next to the house, east side, maybe six inches wide, that gets warmed by our central heating. I see bare soil there when everything else seemingly into infinity is snow-covered. It's heavily shaded by hollyhocks and gets only a portion of morning sun at best, but that might even help things like lettuce grow by not making the sun overbearing during the spring/summer. In the meantime, or maybe as an early start, some mache/lamb's quarters/corn salad? Or after the greatest cold has passed, spinach?

Because of all the hollyhocks, it's one of the few places the dogs don't stomp and pee on in the front yard.

Have you discovered any special-interest-areas you can treat much differently from your main garden? and, if so, do you think you'll move forward garden-wise and do anything about it?

**sanderson** 12/10/2013, 2:53 am

I have to laugh because my 59 squares are ALL special areas. Different plants, different months, some plants have to grow vertically to bask in the sun. I have to move the pots 3x a year. Clearing the west side flower bed of star jasmines opened up a possible 6-8 squares for verticals. Yep, all special areas. I'm so jealous of folks with open space.

Marc Iverson 12/10/2013, 3:04 am

How do you grow stuff that needs to reach for the sun before it's tall enough to reach for the sun?

**sanderson** 12/10/2013, 12:30 pm

Actually, a good question. The seedlings need to get started while the sun hits the ground in those areas. Then as the sun moves and the house blocks the sun, they can catch the sun that hits the top of the fence, gazebo and arbor. The leaves at the bottom are small, getting larger as they hit several hours of sun a day. Successfully grew cantaloupe, spaghetti squash and Romas that way.

Small 6,000 sf lot with a 1,970 sg ft house. The house is single story but has a modern super peaked roof. The bushes and flowers are chosen for shade or blazing sun, heat or cool. Some trial and error as we developed the landscape over the last 18 years.

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