Sandy soil

[debrajean]

I recently moved to an area that is extremely sandy with very little topsoil. I want to plant some flowers, but need advice as to what does well in that kind of environment.

[Mmc]

I lived in Holland for many years and soil there was very sandy. I love gardening so did not moderate my plants for the soil, I just planted as usual and I had some beautiful gardens there over the years. I live in Ireland and soil here varies from place to place. I presently have clay soil but everything I grow just grows thankfully. I just plant and see what happens.......so far this has worked.

[garden-gal]

I also live on sandy soil. When they put our new well in they told us the sand went down 30 feet. UGGGG

Flowers that I have found to grow good in the sand are butterfly weed, tickseed, blanket flower, sweet williams, jonny jump-up, black eyed susan, shasta daisy and purple coneflower.

Good luck and happy gardening.

[hairycaterpillar]

My brothers back garden is very dry and sandy, yet he has a huge gunnera which thrives there. I can only think the gunnera's read no gardening books! If you can start your garden from cuttings and seed from friends and neighbours, in the same area, they'll be likely to have similar soil, also you won't loose any money if you've not paid for the plants! You'll be more inclined to experiment so you can just bung plants and let them get on with it.

[GardenGeek]

I am not sure of that but i read somewhere in an article that "begonias" do well in sandy and shady areas. Try them

[Rose White]

Choose plants which require little water and are drought tolerant. Plants which have hard, leathery, tough leaves tend to grow in hot climates. Pomegranate trees and date palms grow well and produce fruit in a desert. Ask your neighbors or local nursery what grows well in your area.

Succulents like aloe vera, agave, prickly pear, yucca and flowering cacti do well here because they have thick waxy leaves which have the ability to hold water for later. They shrink when thirsty and swell when fed water.

Your garden can include gravel beds planted with flowering cacti, bamboo, aloe, yucca, colorful sedum, salvia, ice plants, ornamental grasses such as Mexican feather grass, herbs such as rosemary and lavender, agaves and other plants which love the heat and do not require much water. Search 'desert garden plants' online for more plants.

Even the desert has hundreds of blooming plants after it rains. Drip irrigation is an excellent way to conservatively use water. Install a water feature which irrigates the plants via a trench and then recycles the water. Use plastic flowerpots and planters which hold the moisture better than terracotta. Mulch around your plants to keep moisture in the soil.

Create a rock garden covered with white stones and river rocks and build hard landscaping like patios and decks.

Rose White, author
"Easy Gardens A to Z"

:)