Spring is around the corner...so....... (Kingsport: for sale, home, buy)

[mbmouse]

Where does everyone go to get those spring gardening needs?
I have been working for 3 years on my yard, amending the soil, trying everything I can to get things to grow in my yard,VERY nitrogen deficient. Hoping this is "the" year, I have it right and ready to go. Just in case, as far as the veggies go, I am going to try for the raised beds with a different soil mix than out of the yard this year.

What I am looking for is suggestions on where to go locally for plants that are indigenous to the local area (hence, not Lowe's) and that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I know I can get nice healthy, big plants from Evergreens in Kingsport, however it is WAY to easy to drop several hundred and not feel like you get much for you buck there. Where do you go to get good, healthy plants for a fair price?

How about mulch? I bought mulch from the place that happened to be closest from home and the stuff was junk and it molded on me. I feel under $20 a scoop is a fair price for good mulch, know of anywhere? Same for vermiculite, peat moss and GOOD top soil, you know dirt that is not filled with mostly wood?

I have found 1 plant type in particular that grows wonderfully in my yard, I only know them as "4 O'clocks" and want to find more varieties and buy locally. They are tubers, but all that I see available on line are seeds. I would prefer to find the tubers that spread. If anyone happens to be trying to get rid of these in your yard because they do spread so much, I will be more than happy to take them off your hands for you. Or if you have seen them for sale somewhere, please let me know. I have also had some good luck with creeping phlox in one area, looking for more of that as well locally. I bought the ones I have on line, but they come VERY small, just roots really, I want new ones to add that are larger. Again, without spending $6 or $7 each for them. That really adds up when you want to get 20 or so of one plant.

I am also thinking of starting a water collecting barrel that I can connect a soaker hose to so I can try to salvage the hybrid willow trees I planted last year that didn't do to well. I was afraid to over water them because the description on these trees said ok for clay soil and "will grow easily in any soil type with very little work, very drought tollerant"...well, whoever wrote that has never been in my yard. Upon doing further in depth research, I found an article written by someone in a more western state that said they had to water these trees A LOT to get them to grow well. So, I need to water them MUCH more this year, that is if they are even alive still (not quite sure, have to wait for warm weather to be really sure). I was thinking of getting a decent looking trash can/barrel that I can paint or cover to look nice in the yard, then install a spigot and soaker hose to it, using collected rain water. Anyone here ever done something similar? Will there be enough pressure from a full container of water to utilize the soaker hose? It will be on a hill and hose heading down a bit of a slope. Suggestions, comments?

Anyone else have really good luck with a certain type of flowering plant, evergreen plant or shrub that also has TN red, thick, need a pick axe to dig a whole, clay for a yard? How about grass types that you have had good luck with? I have nice green weeds for a yard but would really prefer actual grass LOL.

Yea, getting cabin fever and really want to get out in the yard....can ya tell?