Soil Problem Question

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H! I have a raised bed against the side of my house (upstate NY) I am having a lot of trouble getting the soil to be good and rich. The soil against the house ( to about a foot out is always so dry and dusty) . It doesn't seem to matter what I do..
I am trying to totally redo that particular garden. I would like to put some of my lovely day lilies against there ( trying to get it to be totally pereinniel, less weeding)
Will that be ok to transplant there? Is there something I can do to the soil ? Why that area and not further out? Thanks so much!!!!!!
 
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H! I have a raised bed against the side of my house (upstate NY) I am having a lot of trouble getting the soil to be good and rich. The soil against the house ( to about a foot out is always so dry and dusty) . It doesn't seem to matter what I do..
I am trying to totally redo that particular garden. I would like to put some of my lovely day lilies against there ( trying to get it to be totally pereinniel, less weeding)
Will that be ok to transplant there? Is there something I can do to the soil ? Why that area and not further out? Thanks so much!!!!!!
Is you house on a concrete slab?
 
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I'm guessing Chuck is wondering if the soil in that spot is shallow and poor because of concrete about a foot down.

Anyway...adding organic material (straw, aged poop, commercial compost, richer dirt) and maybe building it up in height a bit will help. Raise it up a bit higher with good stuff in other words. :)
 
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No.... But is is against the side of the foundation which could be concrete... Does this make a difference??? TY
I'm guessing Chuck is wondering if the soil in that spot is shallow and poor because of concrete about a foot down.

Anyway...adding organic material (straw, aged poop, commercial compost, richer dirt) and maybe building it up in height a bit will help. Raise it up a bit higher with good stuff in other words. :)
Exactly. When concrete slabs are poured there is a good bit of excess concrete and then fill dirt is poured on top. Concrete absorbs moisture and most concrete slabs are poured over a compacted sand filled top. Many times I have seen slab perimeter gardens fail not only because of the moisture absorbtion of the slab itself but also because watering will make voids in the sand underneath the slab. The soil under the slab is air and water proof so naturally the dry soil will by osmosis suck away any moisture that is available around the perimeter of the slab. Here in Texas folks have to actually water the outside of their slabs with a soaker hose to keep the slab from cracking or subsiding because of lack of water. It is a two pronged problem. One as @Beth_B stated is fixable by adding moisture retentive organic materials but the other is not. In most places when a house is built building codes require a 6 inch space between the top of the slab and soil level to prevent flooding
 
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