Re: CULT: question - frost heave

Now that I am thinking about it, there is another factor affecting frost heave.
Soil composition has a lot to do with how much a rhizome heaves. Heavier clay
soils that are made up of really fine particles will tend to react more to the wet
freeze/thaw cycles than a very loamy soil with a lot of organic material in it.
Case in point, we plant in a heavy, fine clay and get heave, while the pots of
iris sitting on top of the same ground do not see any effect. They are planted in
a mix that has approximately 25% coarse compost, perlite, 35% peat moss, 25% of
something from a bag labeled "organic compost (yeah right) and the rest shredded
topsoil. It retains moisture but drains well....no heave.

John Bruce
SW Ohio zone 5

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