CULT: JI: pH
From: James Brooks <hirundo@tricon.net>
I've had a devil of a time in raising Japanese Iris, largely due to two
factors: adequate moisture and pH. I think I now have a handle on the
problem, thanks to the purchase of a pH meter and a bunch of those
expensive little plastic faucets one can put on a gallon milk jug (not near
as expensive as drilling a well, installing a pump and running in
electricity - the cart behind my ridey mower perfectly fits 25 one-gallon
jugs.)
I had used a pH meter for soil testing, but somehow lost it. Instead I had
been making about every third or fourth watering a Miracid solution. My
purpose for the pH meter was really to see whether I was killing my
expensive Japanese iris by watering with gallons of hard water from my well.
Filling a jug with water I stuck the probe in the jug 7.0! I might as well
be filtering it through gypsum board.
The solution (an appropriate term) turned out to be two teaspoons per
gallon of vinegar for a 5.8 pH reading. I can just hear the sighs of relief
from my JIs now. We had .6 inch or rain last night, so I won't be trying
this for a couple days, but by using the pH meter and a little vinegar, it
appears that water pH can be perfectly altered to suit the individual plant.
I'll keep you all posted on the results. Also bought a soil test kit so I
can test before I fertilize. I have a feeling that our heavy clay soil
needs more Nitrogen than the books which recommend 6-12-12 or something of
that ilk. If anyone knows the desirable levels of N-P-K for both bearded
and beardless iris, I'd appreciate hearing from you.
James Brooks
Jonesborough, TN
hirundo@tricon.net
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