Re: soil mixing
- Subject: Re: soil mixing
- From: C*
- Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2001 13:35:56 -0400
I don't claim to be a soil expert either. That's why I say it sounds good in
theory, but in 25 years of growing plants commercially, I just don't see that it
is a problem in the real world.
My objection to this theory of roots that only grow in the soil they came in is
that it ignores the 99% of the cases that it's simply not true. We get a plant
and it doesn't do well and we look for a reason and, lo and behold, it has roots
that are only good for growing in bark so that must be why it didn't grow in my
clay soil. Seems to me that in looking for a simple answer, we are ignoring the
fact that plants go from pots to gardens a million times a day without having
any problem, and you very seldom see nursery stock that is grown in anything
resembling garden soil. I suspect that in the few cases where the plants don't
do well, the fault is more likely the poor soil that they are going into, not
where they came from, or maybe it has nothing to do with the soil at all.
I guess it's all a matter of perspective.
Chick
Helen wrote:
> Chick, I don't pretend to know the answer here. Once thing I've noted over
> the years though, is the importance of having a loose soil. I find the most
> important thing though, is when I'm ready to plant a potted subject, I never
> NEVER just pop it out of the pot and into a hole. Anytime I;ve done that, I
> could dig it up months later and the root ball is exactly the same as when
> it was planted - no growth and the plant is stunted. I always do a number on
> the roots. If I don;t pull them apart, I'll cut them. Literally. Take a
> knife and slice off the bottom half inch or so and even make cuts in the
> sides and rough them up well. The ones that get the rough treatment put out
> nice fresh healthy roots and grow.
>
> The reason why cuttings sometimes do better than previously rooted plants
> may simply be the fact that the original root system was inferior, and never
> got the necessary jolt to get it going again?
>
> Helen
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hosta-open@mallorn.com
> [o*@mallorn.com]On Behalf Of Chick
> Sent: Friday, September 07, 2001 10:14 AM
> To: hosta-open@mallorn.com
> Subject: Re: soil mixing
>
> zonneveld wrote:
>
> > So if there is large difference between the garden
> > soil and your amendement/ the soil in the pot, the roots are not fit
> > for your garden soil They dont make new roots because they
> > already have roots but of the wrong kind!.
>
> We had this discussion a couple of years ago and I still have the same
> question.
>
> If the statement is true, why don't we have any problems with 99% of the
> plants we grow? It sounds good in theory, but the fact is that virtually
> none of the plants you buy, with maybe the exception of b&b trees and
> shrubs, are grown in soil that resembles what most people have in their
> gardens. Almost everything now is grown in peat and/or bark. Since very
> few of us have garden soil that is primarily peat or bark, why do we have
> so few problems getting plants to grow?
>
> Chick
>
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