Re: CULT: acid v alkaline (was Epson Salts, etc.)

Hi Ellen,.

Is there a place where I could access Dr. McEwen's research?  Like a club
library or?

Thanks, Char
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ellen Gallagher" <ellengalla@yahoo.com>
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 12:36 PM
Subject: [iris] CULT: acid v alkaline (was Epson Salts, etc.)


> --- crook <zone1_5@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >>> Perhaps there is a difference between the chemical structure
> of fir and the spruce & pine needles. No fir
> grows up here. <<<
>
> I dunno about the chemical difference but we have mostly spruce
> and pine as well as a few fir in these mountains. The higher pH
> soil mentioned just happened to be near the only conifer near
> our property..the tree is right over the fence from where I took
> the soil test. There are an abundance of spruce, balsam as well
> as pine here.
>
> Dr. McEwen oversaw some testing of some years that measured the
> pH of soil around irises that were planted with a pine straw
> mulch and and the resulting pH change if any. There was no
> change in the original pH in any of the gardens which surprised
> Dr. McEwen. *Actually, I think he told me that the pH in some
> registered higher as the mostly Japanese irises fed on the pine
> needle breakdown into the soil.*
>
> I still mulch with pine needles since they are free and in
> abundance here. I don't expect the pine needles to lower the pH
> but it certainly makes a great mulch. :-)
>
> >>>  Most lilies prefer an acidic soil <<<
>
> That is correct and I was speaking from my acid soil base...my
> lilium do like a medium of about 6.1 pH...slightly acid whereas
> the beardless like it as low as we get here.
>
> >>> There are a few species, and hybrids derived from them that
> do like an alkaline soil.Examples are
> L.Amabile,L.Philadelphicum.
>
> Again I speak from my own gardening world...I belong to the
> Species Lily Group of NALS and prefer species lilium. I am able
> to grow trumpets (my favorite and some just finished) and
> orientals (some still in bloom) which I like because of the
> fragrance but the Asiatics are certainly here in abundance.
>
> Ocomote was mentioned on the Lilium list on Yahoogroups as being
> beneficial to lilium -check the lilium archives. Of course
> Oscomote is use for acid-loving plants.
>
> Ellen / White Mts. of New Hampshire / USDA Zone 3a
>
> "Ida M. Fuller of Vermont was the first beneficiary of monthly
> Social Security payments. She got check #00-000-001 for $22.54
> on January 31, 1940." (from Wicked Cool Stuff about Vermont)
>
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