Re: pH testing results
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: pH testing results
  • From: I* I* <c*@impressiveirises.com.au>
  • Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2010 06:30:08 +0930
Hi Cindy

Our pH at our last place was 6.1 at our new place it is 5.0, and have a 
Mediterranean climate We grow all types of irises and have sold irises 
to a wide variety of climates and soils. Much of Adelaide (our main 
city) is on alkaline clay with a pH around 8.5. However one lady was 
watering her garden from a very alkaline bore and her pH got up to 10. 
There are certainly quite a few gardens around Adelaide that are on 
limestone with a pH just over 9.
Most PCN won't grow over 6.5-7. At our last place I tried several that 
had been bred in a pH 4.5 garden and they wouldn't even grow at pH 6.1. 
Since I'm breeding PCNs I'm a bit disappointed that my new pH is 5 as 
I'm trying to breed more pH tolerant ones. Will have to set up a special 
garden and try to get the pH up to 6.
TB and spurias seem to grow well at both the higher and lower pHs, but 
different cultivars may prefer one over the other. Most rebloom seems 
better at alkaline pH although a few cultivars seem to rebloom only on 
acid soils.
The lady whose garden got to pH10 did have problems even with her TBs, 
but I think her spurias were OK.
Siberians would probably not be affected by pH as much as the fact that 
most alkaline soils are in drier areas. Certainly all the areas around 
here that are alkaline are too warm and/or too dry for siberians in the 
garden. Maybe in damp pots in the colder places.
La's do grow in our well acid soil, but don't flower well cold windy 
spots, so I'll now keep them in a more protected area. They flourish in 
pots of acid soil in the warmer areas of Adelaide.
Evansia seem to struggle on alkaline soils also.
Japanese grow well in my garden provided I keep them damp enough through 
our dry summer.
It's often not just the pH but your soil type, water availability, 
overall climate and micro-climate in combination.

Colleen Modra
Adelaide Hills
South Australia.


Cindy Servis wrote:
> How many of you test your pH and what pH's are your gardens?  For those of you
> who do test it, what happens when it is too high or too low?  Thanks for your
> responses.  Cindy
>
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