Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Old, Tired Gardens

Q. I live in southern Michigan and have had our garden in the same spot for about 30 years. At first the garden was great. Now, I can't seem to grow much of anything without planting seeds twice or more. My question is when I go to fertilize, do I plant the seeds and then put the fertilizer on the covered seeds or what? I have tried manure, fertilizer, and nothing seems to make my garden grow. I grow the best weeds around but when it comes to veggies, outside of tomatoes, it's a no go! We do rotate crops. HELP!

A. You have touched upon some important factors. For vegetables, over that long period of time, you should be rotating where you are growing them. One type of plant uses a certain amount of nutrients to grow well and produce. Another plant will need other ones. So, moving them around is a good way to supply the needed nutrients.

I like your soil amendment ideas, but would like you to till the soil as early as you can, adding dehydrated manure, compost, blood meal, leaf mold and/or peat moss. Then, let it set for a couple weeks before seeding. Do not lay fertilizer right next to the seeds as you sow. It can dissolve with water and burn the tiny root tendrils of your plants.

Let me know if this helps, or we may have to explore other options.