Re: RE:CULT potting new arrivals

Hello Judy,

> Donald I'm in an area closer to you than Sandra--KS.

Really, a summer like Sandra just described is beyond my comprehension.
Only a week with temps above 90?  Wow!  And cool nights all summer.

 > they arrive and wait till Sept. to plant. I just use garden soil, no
> additives, just dirt.

I do this occasionally.  I have some now.  On a rhizome potted in the
natural garden stuff (I don't think I'll ever be able to call it soil), I
plant in a root ball and have no problem.  If I know I'm going to plop
something in a specific bed or take something out and pot it to attempt a
head start, I try to do it.  There is a risk in using it as a potting
medium, though.  The heavy clay content does not make a good medium in a
pot.  It's too easy for it to stay too wet and gummy or dry out to the brick
state.  If they stay potted too long, I'm apt to end up with rot.  When I do
it, the intention is for it to be relatively temporary.  I'm not very good
at keeping things in a pot for a long period of time.  Too many distractions
to monitor it close enough, I expect.

I do amend the clay, but it takes a few years of adding amendments for the
results to show up as a permanent improvement.  Organic additives disappear
fast.  I don't know why they don't last longer.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA

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