Re: CULT: Bone meal and dogs

Ross Bishop wrote:
> 
> iris-l@rt66.com wrote:
> >
> > R
> >
> Griff,
>  I was half kidding, but do have serious
> questions. Here in Santa Fe the weather is ideal for Iris. They grow
> like weeds, but the soil is tough on everything. Alkaline, clay. Yuck!
> I'd much rather have your fudge. Raised beds here would be very warm for
> the roots. Do iris like that? I have read of people using alfalfa
> pellets for iris. What does your Rabbit Chow add?
> Thanks . . . Ross

Ross -- Last question first:  It adds forage products, processed grain
by-products, roughage products, plant protein products, grain products,
molasses products, calcium carbonate, salt, dicalcium phosphate, choline
chloride, DL-menthionene, ferrous oxide, magnesium oxide, niacine
supplement, vitamin E supplement, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin
supplements, vitamin B12 supplements, vitamin A supplements, vitamin D3
supplements, zinc sulphate, zinc oxide, elements of Mahler's 8th
symphony, manganous oxide, calcium oxidate, ferrous carbonate,
coppersulfate, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite and the kitchen sink.
(All but two of the above are as printed on the bag. A test will
follow.) The bag saith further that the blend "will support an average
of 5 breeding cycles annually . . . while encouraging . . . healthy,
rapid growth of bunnies." Well, I should hope so. Now, if it will do as
well for the irises . . .

I don't think iris like warm roots. The raised beds are strictly to
provide better drainage in a plot of ground that collects too much
moisture in a wet year.

You envy my soil. Well, there is always someone worse off. I didn't
mention the rocks, though. Seriously, my planting experience is limited
to central Indiana and Virginia. I would think that Sharon McAllister
might be better able to advise you regarding New Mexico conditions,
although I know that the State has various environments. For what it's
worth, though, you might think about gypsum. It's a flaky form of
limestone. In this part of Virginia, we are underlain by marine clay and
"hardpan clay". The trees here send taproots down 6 - 8 inches, then
strike out laterally, making them quite vulnerable to being blown over
in windstorms. When I moved here from Indiana, I needed to make the soil
more friable in a hurry. The local nurseries didn't even know what
gypsum was. I finally found some at an industrial establishment and
persuaded them to sell me a few bags. It did the trick.

Griff Crump, along the tidal Potomac, where the rains came and
transplanting of seedlings begins this weekend. jgcrump@erols.com
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