Egg shells in rose bushes?

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I've been told this is a good thing, but no one seems to know, not even the local nurseries.  Never used them in my previous yard and had championship quality roses, but the soil conditions are far different here.

 

Lots of caliche that is steel hard and has to be broached to get decent drainage, very acidic soil, practically no local (or imported) flora to create fertilizers or help break up the soil, about six hundred billion native weeds that need to be dealt with, little critters (and big) that see any plant in any garden as a good supply of snacks, etdamncetera.

 

Some things grow well here.  Lavenders, iris (I HATE iris, but that'a another story), some very decorative bushes that came with the house (these are ideal for me. They thrive on abuse and neglect), pyracantha, little red ground cover plants that look like roses, (but aren't), dandelions, Russian thistle (nasty plant that will cross 30 feet of open ground to stab you), ocotillo cactus which does the same thing, and any kind of pine tree.

 

A lot of annual plants seen to do alright, but I don't want to have to  plant an entire garden every year.  If I did I'd fill the yard with lantana and enjoy butterflies, humming birds galore, and those big fat black  bumble bees that pollinate everything and have NEVER stung anyone that I know of.

 

Like I may have mentioned above, I want something that will thrive on abuse and neglect.

 

Does anyone want to come over and help me out?  The work is awful, but the hours are so-so, the pay stinks, and the boss is a horses butt.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

kinda sounds like ya have been workin' for ME 

 

 CB 

[Alpo]

Have you tried coffee?

 

Not the wet stuff. Used coffee grounds.

 

When Michael came to visit he blew over one of my pecans. Actually he blew over both of my pecans but the one in the back of the yard I don't care about. When the root ball came up and left a big hole in the ground. And for about 3 years I would try to remember there was a hole there, and occasionally step in it and cuss loudly and fluently.

 

And then I remembered reading something about using coffee grounds in your compost. Well I don't compost, but I figure if coffee grounds will work in compost it ought to work to help fill up a hole. And for the last year I've been dumping my used coffee grounds in that hole. There's better, higher, greener grass growing in that hole than there is in the rest of the yard.

 

Might just be a coincidence.

[Dr. Zook]

Coffee grounds add an acidic mixture to the soil.  Egg shells are a source of phosphorus and calcium for the soil.  Some people with access to crushed oyster shells use that instead. Gypsum is good for helping to break up clay type soils along with organic matter. 

Caliche is just as you said, like concrete - had to lay a foundation for a 6' brick wall - used a Makita demolition tool to break up the ground to be able to dig out for the foundation.  

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

35 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Have you tried coffee?

 

Not the wet stuff. Used coffee grounds.

 

When Michael came to visit he blew over one of my pecans. Actually he blew over both of my pecans but the one in the back of the yard I don't care about. When the root ball came up and left a big hole in the ground. And for about 3 years I would try to remember there was a hole there, and occasionally step in it and cuss loudly and fluently.

 

And then I remembered reading something about using coffee grounds in your compost. Well I don't compost, but I figure if coffee grounds will work in compost it ought to work to help fill up a hole. And for the last year I've been dumping my used coffee grounds in that hole. There's better, higher, greener grass growing in that hole than there is in the rest of the yard.

 

Might just be a coincidence.

 I use the used grounds at the rate of about three cups a week.  Don't see much difference....yet.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

21 minutes ago, Dr. Zook said:

Coffee grounds add an acidic mixture to the soil.  Egg shells are a source of phosphorus and calcium for the soil.  Some people with access to crushed oyster shells use that instead. Gypsum is good for helping to break up clay type soils along with organic matter. 

Caliche is just as you said, like concrete - had to lay a foundation for a 6' brick wall - used a Makita demolition tool to break up the ground to be able to dig out for the foundation.  

Bought a new flag pole when we first moved in ten years ago.  It took the guy who installed it almost three hours to get through it.  I tipped him enough for a good lunch at Back Burner Cafe.