Yellow pine is used for (or used to be) floor boards in the older houses. It's soft, but not too soft I guess. Anyway, practically every day you can see the logging trucks hauling a load of trees somewhere. So the clay is good growing for something! (Actually clay has lots of good stuff, just that it doesn't have enough drainage for a lot of the things I want to plant.

I learned something new I have "gumbo" clay. In drought conditions my yard literally has "canyons" in it because the clay turns into bricks. I'm slowly trying to improve the soil, but its definitely a challenge.

Yep, a challenge. Composted manure, buckwheat, crimson clover, vetch, alfalfa, (green manures). Just takes time.

Arlene, 2 acres of lawn IS a lot, and we only have a walk behind mower! At least it is self-propelled. We're shopping for something to pull behind the ATV, like a brush hog or something. At least that would make lawn mowing fun! We have discovered lots of ticks here in the non-lawn area, so I think we'll actually keep the lawn now. With two large dogs, they need a safe place to roam where they probably won't get ticks. Ticks are disgusting!

As soon as I get back home, I'm hoping that the Calendula will be getting ready to bloom, but I'm sure that isn't going to happen. We didn't know last year that we would be moving, so I tossed all the seeds. Since we'll probably sell our house rather quickly, I think I'll just dig up a few of the plants and move them here. Hopefully they will survive. It would look amazing, having them in a border along the lawn!

Ticks, ugh! Yes, very hard for the dogs. I hope you can move all your plants successfully! It would be nice to have a little bit of a head start. I brought as many of mine as I could.

I'm still kicking myself for not gathering seeds last year! About the only thing I'm going to have room for in the truck are my daylilies, which I refuse to leave behind, but I'll cram some other plants in where I can. Maybe on the dashboard? I do have seeds from the previous year, but never gathered any Calendula, because they reseed everywhere. I figured I'd never need them to plant elsewhere! It's okay though because my best friend got some seeds from me last year, and she'll send me some this year after her plants bloom. So, I'll suffer through the year without them, but that will give me more time to figure out where to put them.

I flung a few hundred thousand wildflower seeds down the hillside the other day, so at least I have that show to look forward to! Mother Nature has been kind enough to water them for me the last three days, which was so appreciated! I also appreciate Home Depot for putting the seeds on 1/2 price sale!

I need to try green manures. I hope your calendulas survive the trip.

Natalie, thats's too bad you won't have room for your plants. I have extra calendula seeds if you want me to send you some? I think I bought about three varieties.

Cameron, you'll be amazed how much the green manures help. And I LOVE the crimson clover, it's so pretty when it blossoms!

Years ago when we moved I called my sister and Dad for a visit and loaded them up with plants for their garden and had them return the favor a year later when I had my new place established. Maybe a good gardening friend could do something like that for you?

The city of Plano has been planting lots of crimson clover along the highways. I'll probably try the green manures next year.

Natalie, whereabouts in Idaho are you moving? We're fairly close to Coeur d'Alene here. (Well, actually it's a 2 hour drive, but that's "fairly" close in the grand scheme of things. )

Woofie, we are in Lenore, which is about 30 miles east of Lewiston. We're practically neighbors!

Arlene, thanks for the offer on the seeds, but I should be fine. I can get some from my neighbor when I get back to Utah. The seeds came from me originally, so I'll just raid her seed stash when she isn't looking! She plans on raiding my flower beds when I'm not looking!

Cinda, My Dad is going to babysit my daylily seedlings for me if needed. I've got so many plants that I'll never be able to move most of them. I'll just take the ones that I can't live without, and replace the rest. So many of them don't transplant well anyway, so it's okay to start over. I don't have anything rare, so it's no big deal.

Well, you're probably closer than just about anyone else on ATP!

I bet you are right woofie! I have an uncle in Spokane, so it's almost like we're related!

Well then, when you visit that uncle, you'll just have to drive a little farther! The pups LOVE visitors!

Sounds good to me! I'm hoping to swing by his place and steal his horses! He won't miss them, right?

My husband was born in Omak. Is that closer to you? His great-grandfather founded that town.

Little thing like a horse? Nah, he'll never even notice.

Omak is to the west of us; we're about 40 miles north of Spokane, right off 395.

I didn't think so! But, I'm sure he'll miss all 5 of them!

So, just take 4?

Good idea!!