Re: Has anyone tried Calycanthus occidentalis in wet clay?

Gayle & Tim Kalman wrote:
Dear Susannah,
As long as you are on some kind of a slope, even a minor one, it might be okay. Calycanthus are pretty tough and adaptable. As long as you can assure a summer drought, and have dappled shade, you should be okay. I have one which is now 8 years old growing in hard clay. It is on a steep slope over looking a creek which it probably gets little if any water from. I have never done a thing for it. It took 6 years for it to flower, but this season it shows promise of finally becoming a mature shrub. What a great plant.
Susannah
Botanica says they like a humus-rich moist soil. it does not say anything about drainage, but humusy soils even on clay tend to be quite free drainaing.

I have no experience of gardening on clay myself but friends on the Organic gardening list list from your area recommend softening clay and helping it to drain better by piling compost and mulch on top of the clay layer, which apprently works much quicker and more effectively than digging the materials in, and is eventually long lasting in its drainage improvement. Perhaps you could with advantage pile a deep layer of organic matter such as this on your clay before you venture to plant the Calycanathus and thus keep its roots at least partially above the very damp layer until the clay softens.

Moira



--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ. Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
NEW PICTURES ADDED 4/Feb/2004

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