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that you would like to remain or that cannot be moved (utility fixtures, large trees, sand- <br />box). Use a piece of tracing paper to overlay the base map. Draw your new designs <br />and ideas on the tracing paper. Using multiple sheets of tracing paper will allow you to <br />create different landscape options without damaging or redrawing your base map. <br />WORK FROM THE GROUND UP: IMPROVING SOIL <br />The soil is the basis of your entire yard and garden. Consider it the foundation of your <br />landscape similar to the foundation of your house. If you have a weak foundation, your <br />house will have maintenance problems in the future. If you have a strong foundation, <br />your house will endure. <br />Poor soil may be compacted, lacking in nutrients and organic matter and may <br />have poor water -holding capacity. Healthy soil is loose, contains organic matter and <br />holds water easily, yet allows it to easily drain excess water. We tend to pay more <br />attention to our plants and lawns, forgetting that plant care begins with the soil. Here <br />are some basic steps you can take to start improving your soil: <br />TO DO/Call before you dig: <br />Before you dig, call Gopher State One at 800-252-1166 statewide or 651-454-0002. <br />Gopher State One will notify your local utilities and they will mark their electric, gas lines, <br />and cable lines that are buried in your yard. Always be careful of lines installed by <br />previous homeowners (e.g., from the house to an external garage), Gopher State One <br />does not mark these lines. <br />TO DO/Do a soil test: <br />Find out the condition of your soil before you do anything. Your local county extension <br />service can provide you with the proper instructions and bags used to collect soil <br />samples. Be sure to collect samples from various parts of your lawn. The University <br />of Minnesota Soil Laboratory (soiltest.cfans.umn.edu, 612-625-3101) will be able to give <br />you valuable information on the current condition of your soil - nutrient levels, <br />soil structure, and pH - and make recommendations for improvement. <br />TO DO/Aerify your soil: <br />Maintaining a healthy soil will improve short and long term lawn health. Where soils <br />are hard and compacted, core aerifying can be used to improve plant health, increase <br />rooting volume and improve infiltration. Aerification is done using a machine that can <br />usually be rented from dealers in your area. The machine pulls 2-3" cores of soil from <br />your yard, enabling air to be incorporated into the soil. Aerification will also allow greater <br />access to soil water and nutrients, as well as improving plant stress tolerance. <br />0 <br />