Re:CULT: pH, lime, & soft rot (was Leaf Removal & Soft Rot

Also, just to complicate things, calcium is a very important plant
nutrient, especially in actively growing tissues, roots, and other
underground parts (rhizomes).  And since calcium is usually the other
half of the material added to raise pH values (make soil solution more
basic), adding lime may also be improving the overall ability of the
iris plant to cope with drought/temporary deluge and disease (i.e. soft
rot).

So, Bill, for your next experiment, try some beds with pH raised with a
non-calcium source of base (sodium hydroxide?), compared to those with
equivalent amounts of comparable neutral salt, compared to those with pH
raised with equivalent base exchange of lime (calcium carbonate),
compared to a neutral calcium source (calcium nitrate)..

And then do some beds with & without pH raised with all of the above
combined with & without worms & organic matter <g>.  Then buy a new
computer and hire a data analyst to make sense of the results <g>

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
Updates on migrant whooping cranes:
http://www.savingcranes.org/whatsnew/Class2002FloridaMain.asp
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
iris-talk/Mallorn archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
iris-photos/Mallorn archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>

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