2002-07-08 P & R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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An understanding of the soils on your site is a factor in determining the character- of the landscape. The proportion of major components of soil - clay, sand, silt, and organic matter - will determine the porosity, water holding capacity, and general physical quality of your lawn. You can easily determine the quality of your soil by identifying the plants and wet areas of your landscape. If you would like to find out more about the water dynamics of your soil, the information on page 19 will assist you. To increase your general understand of your soils, you can also purchase a soil test kit that measures the phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, and pH levels in your lawn. For more information about purchasing a soil test kit or for assistance with plant identification, please call the University of Minnesota Extension Setvice at 285-8250. Whether you are making changes in an existing home or siting a new one, your plans should include consideration of solar orientation and identifying areas of partial or full shading. Determine the angle of summer sunlight by marking the areas of shade around your property. Plants grow best when they obtain their optimal sunlight. Some plants prefer a full eight hours of sun while others do best in full shade with no direct sun- light. The type of plants you use in your Rain Gardens will be determined by the amount of light the area receives. For further site study, you can also locate the direction of prevailing summer and winter winds. This might help you determ ine location for other landscape features such as windbreaks. ,----------, i j i ~I i I I I . I 1 I I I I .. r----------, ! > 81JDI/IS of Sl//IHg/lt I I I , I I I I I ! I I : f i, . i > 8IJoun of SlllllllIJt I . ,\1// ~Q~ '" .... /, \" , . '" "'---. ~~ - -- "" ..;~... JJ;- "p \ ., 7