On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 19:32:49 GMT, "Lattés"
wrote:


Here is what I need help with. I have a mature tree in the front yard (good
to diffuse light for a lot of veggies during mid day sun) and right now I
have some perennials at the edges and grass in the middle (I live in the
city, small front yard, about 20'x25') what I want to do is pull out all the
perennials and rototill the whole thing, get rid of the grass and put down a
LOT of good earth. I have been told by a couple of people that this would
not work because the tree would take all the good stuff from the soil and
not leave anything left for my veggies

Most vegetables don't need to be shaded from mid-day sun. They are,
with a few exceptions, "full sun" plants, which means a *minimum* of
6hrs direct sun a day, and more is better. "Dappled shade" is *not*
for vegetables.

Tilling around a tree will probably kill either the tree, the tiller,
or both. You didn't say what kind of a tree it was, or how large, but
there's a good chance there are sturdy roots just below the surface at
least out to the 'drip line' (the tips of the branches).

If you've been lurking, you may have read of 'neighborly' disputes
that seem destined for the courts. While I agree that "lawn" is a
waste of space, and would much rather see that space used more
productively, your neighbors may feel otherwise. Just a point to
consider.

For a "really big" veggie garden, you might look for a community
garden arrangement in your area. They're a lot more common in Europe,
but not unknown here. Congrats on your success with containers.