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Re: Help with Cyclamen and Helleborus seedlings

If living in pots, both want a highly organic, loose soil with good
drainage.  My basic mix is sifted compost, fine pine bark (this is
pulverized) and/or sifted leaf mold or sifted rotted wood chips, with
granite grit to ensure good drainage.  You could use a bagged mix if you
wanted to and don't have access to what I use.  Personally, for bagged
composts, I prefer Pro-Mix, but any of the peat based ones would do.  I
always add grit or perlite (in a pinch, really don't like it much) or even
coarse sand just to improve drainage.

Problem with garden soil in pots is that it does not drain well enough,
becomes soggy and kills the roots.  If, however, you are digging up the
seedlings from the garden to pot on, then keep whatever garden soil you dig
with them (disturbing their roots as little as possible) and insert into
the pot of good mix.

IMHO, key to healthy potted plants is good drainage.  You can add any
nutrients required, but if the soil gets soggy, the roots will rot.

When you pot up the cyclamen babies, be sure you don't plant them too
deep...they like their little corms somewhat exposed.

Hellebores are not fond of living in pots for too long, I have discovered,
so as soon as they get large enough to fend for themselves, plant them out.

Also, make sure you don't pot in too large a pot.  Just one big enough for
the rootball and a bit more.

Hope this helps.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Jose Almandoz. <almand@arrakis.es>
> To: seeds-list@eskimo.com
> Subject: Help with Cyclamen and Helleborus seedlings
> Date: Sunday, November 30, 1997 6:27 AM
> 
> Hi!
> 
> Need your help. Could you advice of a suitable soil mix for potting young
> species Cyclamen and Helleborus seedlings?. A prompt reply would be VERY
> appreciated!. Thanks a lot.
> 
> Jose
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