Re: Planting leucadendrons

Hi Melissa,

I hope you don't mind also sending this to
medit-plants as a continuation of your thread...  

I haven't actually used dg pathway fines as a soil
amendment with planting out Proteacae plants, but I
would be concerned that there is the possibility of
creating cement with your proportions as used, the dg
could act like sand, and combine with the clay
particles to become cement-like over time.  This is
why it is generally recommended to use a coarser grade
when amending.  It is not so much that the dg compacts
over time, but that it can combine with the clay to
become less permeable to drainage.  

Replanting on slightly raised mounds along with humus
and perlite certainly wouldn't hurt.  I'd also suggest
doing a drainage test to see if mounding up will be
necessary.  Roughing up the plant pits at the edges
will also be good advice, and making the planting pits
extra wide(3x to 4x root ball) and same depth as root
ball is also good general practice with sensitive
plants.  Adding gypsum(or lime, depending on your soil
ph), as recommended can also help with getting clay
soils to form aggregates, and give better drainage.

Working with clay soils when they are relatively moist
is also much preferable to digging when too dry or
wet, as they can be almost impossible under either
condition, and actually be worsened if compacted while
too wet.  Problems with roots not penetrating into
surrounding clay soils are often worsened if the soil
was further compacted under too wet conditions.

Hope this helps some.

Regards,
David Feix 


--- Stuart Swezey <ssamok@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hello
> 
> Thank you so much for your response to my mother's
> call (on my behalf) for information regarding
> leucadendrons and decomposed granite. 
> 
> Unfortunately, at the time of her email, we had
> already planted the leucs (about 3 weeks prior)
> using
> decomposed granite, at the strong recommendation of
> someone we trusted. The DG is the kind used for
> making
> paths. Some of the plants are on a gentle slope,
> some
> not. We are very concerned now due to a lot of
> things
> we heard that the DG will compact and kill the
> plants
> in a couple of years. 
> 
> I would like to ask you, if you have a minute: What
> is
> your experience with path-grade DG as a soil
> amendment? (Basically we planted with 2/3 native
> soil
> and 1/3 DG -UGH.) We are considering digging them up
> and replanting with a little composted bark and
> pumice. Have you heard that DG compacts and causes
> problems?
> 
> Thanks so much for your time.
> 
> Melissa Hoffs


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