Re: bermudagrass wars

What about our charming black gumbo clay? Is that somewhere in the
middle? I remember the red clay from VA. I know Daryl knows it well -
Georgia is famous for that stuff!

:-)

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Kitty" <kmrsy@comcast.net>
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Tue, 2 Sep 2003 22:48:56 -0500

>> what's up w/ blue clay?
>
>Well, if I can explain this correctly.....Clay gets its color from the
>minerals within it. The red clay that several have mentioned is red because
>of the iron deposits.  The iron is red because it is oxidized.  It's
>oxidized because of the air that has been in its pores over the eons.  Blue
>clay has iron that has not oxidized.  It has been deprived of oxygen.  This
>occurs because the pores are very small and/or they have been continuously
>filled with water - again, over eons.  Plants need good pore spaces, large
>and small in any kind of soil, with oxgen available.  Areas under water for
>too long - even if that were 1000s of years ago - have blue clay if they
>contain iron.  Not a good soil for much of anything.
>
>Kitty
>If I didn't get that quite right, feel free to correct me.
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Pamela J. Evans" <gardenqueen@gbronline.com>
>To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
>Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 9:46 PM
>Subject: Re: [CHAT] bermudagrass wars
>
>
>> Clay does retain moisture it's true. And if you amend the bejeebers out
>> of it - you can plant darn near anything. My great big xeriscape herb
>> bed - I excavated down about 18", left half the clay, used the rest for
>> a berm. Added some compost, about 8 or ten bags of lava sand and 3 or 4
>> of greensand and the lavenders, rosemary, artemisia, salvia and thyme
>> seem quite happy. I also top dress it twice a year w/ lava sand to keep
>> it from "regressing".
>>
>> So you can do a lot w/ it.  Great graphic Kitty -
>> hadn't seen that one before...
>>
>> what's up w/ blue clay?  I think Andrea has that.
>>
>>
>> ---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
>> From: "Kitty" <kmrsy@comcast.net>
>> Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
>> Date:  Tue, 2 Sep 2003 18:34:09 -0500
>>
>> >Well, I was just guessing.  Actually clay gets a bad rap.  It's not
>always
>> >that bad.  When someone says they have no clay - that's really not that
>> >good.  If you take a look at a soil pyramid
>> >http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/seeu/atlantic/images/Soil_pyramid.jpg
>> >clay plays a part in more than half the area.  Clay helps to retain
>moisture
>> >and improves cation exchange.  As regards the texture of the soil:
>> >"Texture refers to the composition of the strata according to the USDA
>soil
>> >pyramid, which classifies soils based on percentages of sand, clay and
>silt.
>> >A loam has roughly equal amounts of sand, silt and clay. A clayey silt is
>> >predominantly silt with some clay, but may also contain sand, etc."
>> >So if you have a nice loam soil, you do indeed have some clay.  The clay
>you
>> >reaaly don't want is blue.
>> >
>> >Kitty
>> >
>> >
>> >----- Original Message ----- 
>> >From: <Cersgarden@aol.com>
>> >To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
>> >Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 5:14 PM
>> >Subject: Re: [CHAT] bermudagrass wars
>> >
>> >
>> >> In a message dated 9/2/03 1:15:46 AM, mhobertm@excite.com writes:
>> >>
>> >> << Hmmm....I bet clay soil would have done a better job of
>> >> holding on to that
>> >> tree. :+) >>
>> >>
>> >> Kitty, our tornado of 98' didn't recognize the fact our soils were
>clay.
>> >We
>> >> lost 9 trees in our garden, several of those uprooted but the home
>behind
>> >us
>> >> had an enormous ugly cottonwood and it was pulled up by the roots also.
>> >>     Ceres
>> >>
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>>
>> --
>> Pam Evans
>> Kemp TX/zone 8A
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
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--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A



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