Re: rhodies & blackberries
You can do the same thing with lilium. 'plant' on top of clay and then
cover well with munchie humus/compost/etc etc/ In the winter you pile
lots of mulch over it (a la roses) and take off mulch in the spring.
When planting heavy clay most lilium will rot away if planted in 'sink
holes'/
Ginny in Victoria BC not OZ
Marge Talt wrote:
> Well, Sheryl, hate to tell you but think you have created the
> infamous bath tub effect for your poor rhodie. If it were mine, I'd
> dig it up immediately. Cut off any black and rotted roots that look
> slimy. It will die if you do not dig it up and replant it yesterday.
>
> What you want to do with clay soil is plant rhodies and azaleas
> basically on *top* of the natural grade and back fill with a very
> organic mix - like maybe 1/3 your natural soil, 1/3 fine bark
> (preferably pine bark) mulch and 1/3 peat. You would likely have to
> do some retaining - a few logs or rocks - to keep the soil around the
> plant and be able to level it out somewhat so it doesn't create a
> hill that water simply runs down. You want to mulch with an "acid"
> type mulch - pine bark is best; pine needles are good, except they
> tend to not hold in moisture as well as bark, IMO.
>
> You do not want to fertilize a newly planted rhodie. These are not
> heavy feeders in the first place and can do without it. If you do
> fertilize, it should be in early spring and never after the end of
> June. Always use a fertilizer especially formulated for acid loving
> plants. I use something called 'Hollytone' but there will be similar
> available wherever you are.
>
> You can also dig over and loosen the soil in the area you want to
> plant and then scrape out a shallow depression with at least half of
> the root ball extending above the natural grade line, but I'd only do
> this if I knew the clay soil had good natural drainage.
>
> What happens when you dig a nice hole in clay and then backfill with
> a mix is that the water just stays in the hole, like a bath tub and
> drowns the plants roots.
>
> Once you have replanted "high", you do need to water regularly if it
> doesn't rain. The soil should never dry out, but it *must* drain
> sharply for this genus...the old conundrum of constantly damp but
> well drained.
>
> The American Rhododendron Society has some very good information
> about planting and care as well as a line drawing showing what
> "planting high" looks like...should help you out a bit.
>
> http://www.rhododendron.org/librarysector/planting.htm
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@clark.net
> Editor: Gardening in Shade
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> ----------
> > From: Sheryl Jones <sljones1@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
> > Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 8:36 AM
> >
> > I bought a rhodie about a week ago. I dug a hole in my somewhat
> heavy clay
> > soil and tossed the diggings into a wheelbarrow. I mixed it with a
> generous
> > amount of peat moss and a little fertilizer. I took the rhodie out
> of the
> > pot, loosened the rootball and placed it in the hole. I backfilled
> with the
> > amended soil. I watered well and mulched with cocoa bean hulls. I
> continue
> > to water every day. It looks bad. The leaves are all curled in.
> Any
> > ideas? I don't want to lose the poor thing!
> > Thanks in advance for your help!
> >
> > ----------------------------------
> > Sheryl Jones
> > sljones1@facstaff.wisc.edu
> > Madison WI * Zone 4/5A
