Re: Need Help
- Subject: Re: Need Help
- From: M* T*
- Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 16:28:23 -0400
Bettie, Claire's right...we need to know where in the world you're
gardening to really help, but in the meantime, I will tell you that
bagged topsoil is not what you need. What you need to do is buy
bagged cow manure and bagged small or fine chip mulch to dig into
your soil until you can get a compost heap going to provide you with
organic material. You need to pile at least 3 or 4 inches of
amendments on top of your soil and dig it in to at least a spade's
depth. You may also need to add some other type of fertilizer for
starters until your soil improves. Now, of course, this is general
advice that does not take into consideration what kind of soil you
actually are working with....the advice could vary depending on what
you've got.
I would plant the Clematis - most are hardy wherever they're sold -
they need a hole dug about 18" deep and at least that around -
breaking up adjacent soil - and mixing a lot of bagged manure into
the soil you remove as well as other organic material...they are
heavy feeders. You will need a trellis or fence or a sturdy shrub or
small tree for your Clematis to grow on - they are vines that cling
to supports by tendrils they wrap around whatever they can find to
wrap on to. It will need some help finding the support you intend it
to grow on - string, or even better that heavy duty green plastic
mesh fencing sold in garden centers makes a good support for
Clematis.
The Hibiscus depends on which it is and where you are. So post and
tell us where you're gardening and more about your conditions.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Online Nurseries 2002 - WorldPlants.com
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
----------
> From: Bettie Conner <bsconner@dlis.net>
>
> I have no good soil to grow plants in, but I bought some topsoil
from Wal-mart
> & planting Hosta. They do not seem to be doing very well. I also
have
> purchased a clemitis plant and a hibiscus. Now I do not know where
or how to
> plant them. They are still in the containers. Do they come back
each year?
> Should I plant them outside or leave in the containers on the
patio? I love
> flowers, but know nothing about them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
