Shrubs

@ellen546 (110)
United States
January 2, 2008 3:35pm CST
We've lived on this part of our farm for 3 1/2 years now, it was started on the edge of a pasture, and have planted trees and made some flower beds. My husband and I both love gardening both flower and veggies. I have a frew shrubs and small trees but with a new yard I hve lots of sun and very little shade and I need ideas on shrubs and small trees that will stand a lot of heat and sun, I live in mid Mo. in zone 5 so it can get hot and dry for days and weeks. I have a small rose garden I keep adding to, I also have lilac and I have some others that have thorns and put out red flowers in spring (I've known it as a fire bush.). But I also have problem with my yard because is had to be dug down and leved when we put our home in, so we have a lot of packed clay around our trailer and I haven't found a lot that will grow. I have a small area that gets shade pertty much all day and I have my Hostas in a bed there. I could also use some help on dealing with the clay since its hard and packed.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
14 Jan 08
I don't know about shrubs for that kind of soil, but compost will help clay soil a lot, homemade or the bought kind. If you can mix it with the clay, working it fairly deeply before you plant shrubs or other things, it will make it possible to grow a lot more things.
1 person likes this
@ellen546 (110)
• United States
15 Jan 08
I do hve compost but have been putting it in my veggie garden, but will try some on my shrubs, thank you.
@Inky261 (2520)
• Germany
13 Jan 08
Why don`t you try some grapes? They love sun and clay and grow tall to give a bit of shade and you can eat the fruit.
1 person likes this
@ellen546 (110)
• United States
15 Jan 08
I've been wanting to put in grapes, but didn't know they liked clay soil, I'll have to try them.