Re: Amending clay soil?
- To:
- Subject: Re: Amending clay soil?
- From: M* &* H* K*
- Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 06:18:06 -0400
I would love to have soil that drained a hole in 30 minutes. We have had
holes here that didn't fully drain in 24 hours. Most of my beds are raised
beds, but it still can cause the problem that Marge mentions, sort of like
gardening in a plastic tub. Luckily we are on a hillside, which helps, but
I lost several things this past winter, which was quite rainy, and I have
decided that lack of drainage was the most likely culprit. One was gaura,
and when I dug up the dead plant, the roots were all slimy. Another was
Japanese anemone Honorine Jobert and also Centranthus ruber - does anyone
know if these are particularly sensivie to wet winters/poor drainage?
Holly
in the Slate Belt, E. Bangor, PA 6a
-----Original Message-----
From: Allan <response@tiny.net>
To: perennials@mallorn.com <perennials@mallorn.com>
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 1999 10:46 PM
Subject: Re: Amending clay soil?
>
>
>Marge Talt wrote:
>.... snip...
>
>>
>> If your soil does not drain well, IMHO, you ought to add rough organic
>> material (as opposed to finely sifted stuff or peat) and probably some
>> coarse sand or grit. Make sure your drainage problem is soil based and
not
>> due to hardpan or underlying rock. If hardpan or rock is an issue, you
>> won't get decent drainage no matter what you add to the soil....have you
>> done a pit test to check drainage?
>
>I once dug a 1 foot deep hole, filled it with water and counted 10 minutes
>until
>I could see the bottom. Filled again, it took 20 minutes, and again 30
minutes.
>
>I'm not experienced enough to know more than, I think, I have slow draining
>soil.
>Though it does drain eventually.
>
>BTW, thanks to all who responded. I'm getting 10 to 20 yards of compost to
>spread
>around tomorrow. I decided against sand in favor of 8 inches of compost.
>
>-Allan
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
>message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
