CULT: soil, lime, rot
- Subject: CULT: soil, lime, rot
- From: Linda Mann l*@volfirst.net
- Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 07:53:27 -0400
Responding to an offlist comment about the new garden, soil acidity, &
cultivar survival.
Most soils in the southeastern US are very old, highly leached by
thousands of years of lots of rainfall, low in nutrients (especially
phosphorus), & low in pH (acid). Regularly adding crushed limestone
will help raise pH, add calcium, needed for healthy roots and other
growing parts.
Bill B in Mississippi says he has best survival of Ghio, Keppel, & Blyth
introductions by keeping pH near neutral.
After discussion here about adding gypsum (calcium sulfate) in regions
of the country where I would have thought calcium levels were already
fairly high (i.e., Nebraska), I wondered what dumping a lot of crushed
dolomitic limestone on the newly potted arrivals that were rotting would
do. Seems to have stopped it, but it has also turned very hot, dry and
windy, so, as always, it's hard to sort out what has caused what.
--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
Tennessee Whooping Crane Walkathon:
<http://www.whoopingcranesovertn.org>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
iris-talk/Mallorn archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
iris-photos/Mallorn archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>
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