Re: OT:lilacs and pH

Barbara Mann wrote:
> 
> Hi, Ellen!
> 
> You commented:
> You must have a different variety of lilac in Santa Fe than we do
>         in New Hampshire where it is the state flower and the soil is very
>         acid"
> 
> Nah, probably not.  I'll bet lilacs are very tolerant of a variety of soils,
> though you will often find them recommended for alkaline conditions.  My own,
> in alkaline soil, came from my mom's garden in Los Alamos, where her soil is
> definitely acid with the moss to prove it, and she got them from a friend in
> Nambe (alkaline) who says they came from Bishop's Lodge in Tesuque (acid),
> where they were moved from the Santa Fe cathedral garden (alkaline), where
> they had been planted by Bishop Lamy after he imported them from France in the
> 1880's (pH?--no idea).  Most of the lilacs here are indirectly Bishop Lamy's
> fault.  Probably a lot of the old flag iris, too.
> 
> Barb, in Santa Fe, keeping an old tradition going.  Hope the buds didn't get
> frozen last week.
Hi--
I have an extremely old lilac stand (part of which just got split off by
the snow storm) abd I feed it wood ashes from the fireplace in the
spring and fall.  They seem to like it!  I doubt if they come from
France via the Bishop or even from New Mexico.  But who knows?
Rima
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