Re: Roses and soils

Dear All,
 
     It has become my belief that the best way to deal with adobe is to avoid it if possible. If you cannot seed it directly, building up a foot or two of imported planting mix is the best bet. Compost, preferably home made, works as a good seed cover in the winter in attempting to seed into clay. It seems to me that disturbing the clay in most circumstances just is not a good idea.
     Ceonothus, some manzanita, mountain mahogany, some salvias and a few other natives in my experience have done well planted directly into adobe.
 
     Tim Kalman
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Grant
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 8:57 AM
Subject: Roses and soils

It may already be obvious to many of you that mushroom compost is absolutely horrible for roses. I had to learn the hard way years ago. There is a lot of salt in that compost. Rotted horse manure has become my standby every year. We now have many horse stables in my area - and one actually is happy to deliver the stuff! Only the stuff collected from cement surfaces.You just have to have room to let it sit for a year.
This exchange on roses has been fantastic! Someone should edit all of it and publish it. bill grant
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