CULT;REB:The horror of adobe
- To: "'i*@egroups.com'"
- Subject: CULT;REB:The horror of adobe
- From: J* R*
- Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 15:23:18 -0700
From: Francelle Edwards[SMTP:fjmjedwards@worldnet.att.net]
We have certainly had a scorching summer here in the Valley of the red hot
Sun. All our plants have suffered. Irrigation is necessary. I live in a
subdivision of two acre ranchettes that get irrigation every two weeks. I
usually have to augment that with a hose because irises need water every
week. Marvin fixed one bed that does not get irrigation with underground
plastic pipes with holes on the sides. These we fill with a hose. No
water gets on top of the rhizomes. We thought that would be the answer to
rot problems. It isn't. Our soil is heavy adobe clay. We are using a lot
of silt and compost to lighten it this fall.
Francelle Edwards, Glendale, Arizona, Zone 9
Good luck! We have horrible alkaline, heavy, slimy (when wet) abode clay
complete with veins of oily rock and crystallized salt. Our soil is toxic
to most plants, including iris. I lost 75% of the iris I planted in one
area with "only" 60% planter mix blended in. Only SELECT CIRCLE and one
supercharged seedling actually bloomed there. The weather here is
excellent for iris (excepting those varieties which are sulky without a
winter freeze). Our whole yard is now torn up to put in a pool; we are
terracing the slope above the pool with fake rock walls and will backfill
it with pure planting mix. Way too expensive, but when they build tract
homes out here in California they start the grading by stripping away all
that pesky topsoil. The few beds of iris which are not currently planted
in laundry baskets (from 99 cents only store) were dug out to a depth of 2
feet and backfilled with pure planter mix. They are extremely happy. I
use a very fine-grind mix, mostly compost with no steer manure.
STINGRAY (mid blue-purple space age rebloomer from Monty Byers; average
form but a bit lacking in substance, good vigor, height, and branching) is
going crazy right now! Stalks coming out all over the place!
JohnReeds, in sunny southern California (San Juan Capistrano)
jreeds@microsensors.com
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