Blyth's Gardens



-----Original Message-----
From:	Linda Mann=20
Sent:	Saturday, 6 September 1997 22:02
To:	Multiple recipients of list
Subject:	CULT: Blythi intros, EURYTHMIC (was Re: CULT: alfalfa pellets =
and BIG

A couple of listers have made the same suggestion about using 'horse =
processed' alfalfa pellets for Eurythmic after my horse child kept =
rooting around for the fresh alfalfa and tossing the poor rhizome around =
in the dust, so I figured I would post an update.  After about a week of =
that abuse, I potted it in a 6 inch pot of a mixture of gravelly =
'compost' from a ditch around the barn and about 1/4 fresh alfalfa =
pellets.  Using a modified "Walter Moores" approach to potting, I have =
used this same mix (without removing roots) for all my new acquisitions =
and they are all in partial shade.  No problem keeping everybody =
standing up straight - once the alfalfa pellets get saturated, the =
entire pot contents are glued together and latch on to the rhizome like =
mad.  I watered Eurythmic (and all the others I got about the same time) =
nearly every day while waiting for some rain.  EURYTHMIC has put on more =
height growth than anything. =20
A recent post from someone 'down under' (sorry, I didn't save the post =
so can't remember who it was) mentioned their past winter was much drier =
than usual which made me wonder if our extremely wet winters may be a =
big contributor to many Blyth intros not doing very well in this region =
of the US (in other words the combination of wet and cold).  It doesn't =
seem to be heat and water or too many nutrients at this time of year, =
judging from the way this one has shot up.
How much winter rainfall is typical in the Blyth's growing location for =
selecting their cvs?  I am wondering if I ought to try putting this pot =
in a shed out of the rain once it quits growing over the winter.  Or =
maybe even indoors where it doesn't get as cold.
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA lmann@icx.net
FINALLY some rain - one inch (2.54 cm) barely dampened the surface.  But
at least it's cooler


Dear Linda,

Re rainfall in Blyth's growing location, I don't suppose this will be =
any help at all, but here in Adelaide, which is 800km west of Tempo Two, =
we have an annual rainfall of 22", mainly winter rains.  In Victoria, =
where Tempo Two is located, it would be quite a bit wetter.  Our =
gardening magazine puts that area as a Zone 3 :"Uniform rainfall in all =
seasons, with a seasonal ratio of less than 1.3 variation".

In their 1996/97 catalogue they made mention of a dry winter and the =
very good flowering season that followed?

Regards,
Sue Stribley, South Australia
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