Re: how to plant Leucadendron
- Subject: Re: how to plant Leucadendron
- From: Xavier Flores x*@ucdavis.edu
- Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 13:36:41 -0800
Ellen Hoffs
At 05:18 PM 1/27/03 -0800, you wrote:
My daughter is planting 20 Leucadendron. She has done extensive
research about how to plant them in her clay soil,. . .
. . .
She was favoring the DG method until she was told that the DG
would turn to cement in a year or two.
Ellen Hoffs
Santa Monica, CA
As you know, what's needed is to increase drainage with granular
material. Decomposed Granite is such a material and will do that
job well. It will only solidify when treated properly (wet and
compacted) to form a durable path surface in it's pure form. It
will not aggregate when "diluted" with the native soil or other
amendment.
Two problems to watch for are:
pH change- I have a hunch DG is basic but don't know optimum
conditions for Leucadendron.
amending the soil in the planting hole to more favorable conditions
will encourage the roots to grow well within the hole but
discourage roots from penetrating the walls of the original pit.
It's like creating a subterranean pot for the plant. This restricts
the available water and nutrients to the reservoir created in the
hole. As long as one is aware of this condition one can treat the
plant accordingly. Use caution when the climate can stress the
plants, high wind or heat, when the plants will need more water. Of
course, the more generous the planting hole the better and larger
the root environment.
Xavier Flores
Davis, CA.
