CityView Magazine

is incredibly gratifying. If we can do it, anyone can.��� Experts in the field agree, starting a vegetable garden is a hobby, vocation and possibly a rite of the spring and summer seasons that does not require a horticultural degree. ���Our name,��� said Whitney Allen, co-owner of Green Side Up Gifts and Garden Center, ���comes from a joke old nurserymen used to say when customers asked them, ���How do you plant this?������ Tim Owen, who co-owns Owen Garden Center, agrees. ���For about 90 percent of people it���s not a long learning curve,��� said Owen, who suggested many people don���t know the savory enjoyment of freshly picked produce. ���I snip off a piece of lettuce and let them nibble on it and frequently hear, ���That���s what lettuce tastes like?��� �� Pre-planting homework ��Even so, there are some basic requirements and you-better-darn-well-do duties that will ensure success for anyone who feels they have black thumbs or is leery of failure. The first is having a soil test. The majority of soil in the greater Cumberland County area has a sandy quality. A free soil analysis is available from the Cumberland County Extension Service. The analysis will show the soils content level of major nutrients, such as potassium, phosphorous, calcium and sodium; levels of micro nutrients, such as copper, zinc, manganese and sodium; saturation and absorption rates; and make recommendations as to how to prepare the ground. But don���t get hung up on these chemical names. ���Get a soil sample, but keep your gardening simple,��� said J. F. Dunn, owner of Dunn���s Nursery. ���Ask someone who knows if you are having a problem or unsure of something.��� A soil with too much clay also needs attention. Cucco said a test of her soil showed the ground needed lime and calcium. She also said they quickly learned the value of adding compost to the soil; another element most experts agree is beneficial. Dunn said any new gardener should Bringing families & communities together one pool at a time for over 35 years! Bringing families & communities together one pool at a time for over 35 years! 3703 Bragg Blvd. | 910.868.8319 | spaandpoolworld.com | claytonbrittandsonsinc.com 3703 Bragg 910.868.8319 | spaandpoolworld.com | claytonbrittandsonsinc.com | 910.868.8319 3703 Bragg Blvd. | Blvd. | www.SpaandPoolWorld.com Gymnastics skills that improve independence and coordination. Or as they see it, The Little Gym reach their greatest potential. Structured lessons, unique themes and a nurturing environment build con���dence during each stage of childhood. Call or schedule a free introductory class online. The Little Gym of Fayetteville 4011 Sycamore Dairy Rd, Ste 105 Fayetteville, NC 28303 (910) 223-3496 Enrolling now for Summer Camps and Classes! Parent / Child Classes �� Pre-K & Grade School Gymnastics �� Dance �� Karate Sports Skills �� Awesome Birthday Bashes �� Parents��� Survival Nights �� Camps CityViewNC.com | 15

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