I went to plant a cherry tree in my front yard today and was surprised to learn that there is very little organic matter in the soil. There was about an inch of soil, followed by gravel. Eventually I'd like to get rid of the grass as I don't like the thought of watering it just to mow it. I'd like some advice about how I might go about improving the soil. I had thought about mulching with newspaper, followed by grass clippings or leaves, or maybe a layer of compost followed by green manure or cover crops. Thoughts? I have a carragana shrub that I could transplant into the yard, which would be helpful for building some organic matter. There's some saskatoonberries growing, and seem to be doing well. There's also a pincherry which is in bloom but has seen better days. The saskatoons will eventually take over that area, which is great. I'm hesistant to plant too many trees just to help improve the soil as it is a very small space. I think eventually I'd like to have a low maintenance yard (maybe a clover mix growing, or some low maintenance flowers....). Any thoughts on how I can get to that goal? Also, I live in northern Canada, close to Alaska, so that will affect the type of plants, cover crops, and trees/shrubs that I can plant. We are in an area that is classified as semi-desert, and therefore don't get alot of rain. The yard receives alot of sun as it is south facing. I'd like to work with the climate instead of against it, as my neighbours do with all of their fertilizing and watering of their lawns! Any help would be appreciated!
