Just (finally!) got someone to rototill my backyard -- mostly heavy clay, one patch very stony & thin -- rented house, garden never been done before. I got some flower, herb & veg seedlings over the past two months and kept them going 'til now, and have lots of seeds of all kinds; have dug in composted peat & manure (about 1 lb per sq.ft.)but can't afford to bring in lots of extra amendments. Any input regarding planting this late? I'm doing it anyway, so would appreciate messages of hope, not too much gloom and doom. Suggestions for plants for poor soil?

Watering well and often is probably the number one thing to do, which you're probably already planning to do....

If you've managed to keep things alive and reasonably healthy in pots for two months, you should have a good chance with planting them. My experince would say the herbs will probably settle in the fastest. You might want to try using the MYKE stuff when you plant. I was a bit skeptical about this stuff (although I was familiar with the concept of beneficial fungus.) I intended to try and be somewhat scientific and try planting some things with it and some without but, since our spring was so cold and odd, I figured things needed all the help they could get. I planted a very large new bed (oval - about 20'x30')in heavy clay with a top layer of compost, using the MYKE with everything. I don't know how much difference the stuff made, but everything has grown wonderfully well, much better than I expected for the first year of a new perennial bed, so you've nothing to lose (other than the $15 or so a box of it costs...) by trying it, especially when planting at the 'wrong' time.

As for plants for poor soil, most drought tolerant plants will do well but I've never limited myself to those. The improvements you've done and adequate watering should take you a long way. Go for it...

Thanks, Susan! Got almost half of my "collection" into the ground last weekend, and everything looks hopeful. More planting this coming week, despite the heat. After the back garden (mostly veggies & herbs)come the house-side beds (herbs & butterfly stuff)THEN...on into the untouched front yard, currently "weedy" lawn on very compacted clay, edged by privet hedge. Have started seeds in pots, just in case I get that far in reasonable time. I just love the DOING, the result is (almost) immaterial.

As a thought on choice of plant material.. if you are looking for ones that will help to improve the soil (slowly) look into the legume family (Fabaceae).. peas and things of that nature. They fix atmospheric nitrogen (with the help of a fungus) and convert it into a natural source of nitrogen in the soil. Although I haven't worked with the MYKE product, by the sounds of it they use this same fungus to help increase the nutrients in the soil.

Doug - Legumes fix nitrogen by use of the Rhizobium bacteria in root nodules while MYKE uses Glomus intraradices fungus which also works with plant roots. I think the fungus helps the plant obtain nutrients from the soil while the legumes add nutrients to the soil... But you're right that Cherril sounds like she could benefit from using both. Clay soils can be quite fertile but the nutrients may be bound tightly in the soil. MYKE might make it easier for the plants to extract the nutrients while the legumes will supplement existing nutrients. I don't know if all my new plantings are doing well because of MYKE or not. Maybe next year I'll try the experiment of planting some things with it and some without it.....

Thanks, guys. Will incorporate various legumes in my plan - now is the time to plant fall peas, for example, isn't it? Also bush beans? Late for runner beans, but trying anyway. Sunflowers, broom corn, cosmos, calliopsis, borage, chamomile, dill have all sprouted - we'll see how they do. Tomatoes, zucchini, borage, brussels sprouts, peppers, basil, dill, parsley, all from seedlings bought May-June, in the ground and looking much happier. Suggestions for fertilizing?