Re: Acid-loving plants
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] Acid-loving plants
- From: v* p*
- Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2000 21:48:24 -0700
- References:
Peat moss Roberta, unless you have a thing against it. I tend to water
with a weak vinegar solution. And coffee grounds. I get 5 gall pails
of it from local coffee shops. And mulch like crazy. That should cut
down on watering.
Cheers Ginny in Victoria BC not Oz where we are losing our community
garden after 27!!!!! years.
Bobbi Diehl wrote:
>
> Can anyone help with instructions on preparing a shadegarden dedicated to
> acid-loving plants?
>
> The house we recently bought has a rather large yard with some good trees
> and sufficient space for specialized gardens. On the north side of a row
> of huge arborvitaes that run along the back of the property, my husband
> wants to make an "acid garden". This would consist of a Carolina
> silverbell tree, various azaleas and rhododendrons, a fothergilla--maybe a
> few heaths and heathers if they can tolerate the amount of shade that is
> there, and maybe blueberry bushes, unless they need more sun. What else?
> I'm sure there are other plants that would be happy in this type of
> environment and would love to have suggestions. Trees, shrubs, even
> acid-loving annuals and herbaceous perennials would be possibilities. I
> know that hostas tend to be acid lovers. Are there hosta CVs that would
> particularly like this type of environment?
>
> The area is higher than the house, gently sloping down, and is currently
> lawn and under that, yellow clay which is probably mildly alkaline. (And
> yes, I do intend to have the soil tested just to confirm my hunch about
> the pH.) We propose stripping off the sod and adding topsoil, amending it
> to increase the acidity. We'd work in some pine bark mulch, copper
> sulphate, maybe Starbucks coffee grounds, whatever, to lower the pH. The
> idea would be that with the soil pretty much adjusted, we wouldn't need to
> keep watering with Mir-Acid and such. Is this a viable idea? Has anyone
> else succeeded with this type of garden? Thanks!
>
> Bobbi Diehl
> Bloomington, IN
> zone 5/6
