Re: $50 hole was: Using compost
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] $50 hole was: Using compost
- From: M* T*
- Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 02:36:58 -0400
Gene's right.....$50 hole. Actually, I've found that it's better not
to dig a "hole" in clay, but to try to dig over an area - as deeply
as you have time and strength for and are able to when planting in
between tree roots. Add as much organic material as you can at the
time of digging over, esp. if you are under trees because their roots
will get the lion's share of the goodies in the end.
Digging over an area avoids any chance of the 'bath tub' effect that
you can get by simply digging a hole and amending it. Extend your
amendment of the soil widely for perennials so their roots can grow
out easily. And, yes, I'd mix some of the original soil with your
amendments. Even pure clay subsoil will become "topsoil" if mixed
with enough organic material...been making soil that way for years.
I have also discovered that just about any plant will grow larger and
happier if they can get their roots down and out - meaning in loose
soil. You are right to break up the sides and edges of any hole dug
in clay - the more the better.
Last spring I finally got around to moving a number of poor azaleas
who have been deer fodder for years. I mean these plants looked
awful - basically nubs with a few odd branches and leaves - and they
are very old plants. Because the soil where I wanted to move them is
solid clay subsoil and I simply didn't have time to double dig it
properly, I just left last years fallen leaves on the natural clay
and sort of dug it over a bit to break it up. Then I built up some
raised beds using old logs. Backfilled with mostly rotted wood humus
and fine chipped mulch, mixed a bit with the clay and some peatmoss.
Beds are maybe 8 to 12" high. Dug up the shrubs and hauled them to
the beds and plopped them in and backfilled with this mix and mulched
with rotted woodchips and watered.
Well, I was amazed the other day when I looked at those shrubs. They
are gorgeous - full rounded green and happy as clams - and at least
a foot bigger around in all directions than when planted; you'd never
believe they were the same sad and sorry shrubs I moved. One of them
had been in such bad shape, I wasn't sure it would even make it and
now I can't tell which one that was. One Pulmonaria 'Mrs. Moon', who
got a free ride in a root ball is at least three times larger than
any of the other millions of them covering ground in the rest of the
garden.
What this means to me is that having a really loose, organic root run
makes plants very happy. So, moral of this longish tale is give your
plants as open a root environment as you can...they will thank you:-)
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
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> From: Diann Barbee Thoma <diannthoma@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Date: Friday, October 13, 2000 10:38 AM
>
> Thanks all! This is interesting and helpful.
>
> My intent is actually purely from a concern over soil composition.
Although
> I have (esp the last 3 years) amended every plant hole I've dug,
right below
> it is almost invariably pretty clayish dirt.
>
> Also, I have a question concerning amending while planting a new
plant in
> existing gardens that have always been created piecemeal (plant by
plant; I
> have newish shade gardens planted within preexisting mature trees
and
> shrubs). It seems fairly accepted that, when planting a tree or
shrub, you
> only dig deep and wide enough to accommodate the existing roots;
and that
> few if any amendments are used. But what about, for example,
digging in a
> new hosta? Lately I've been digging ~3" deeper than the roots,
mixing
> amendments in with that bottom 3" while making certain to create
rough jabs
> in the dirt that won't get amended (breaking the "clay bowl"); and
making
> the hole about twice as wide and using mostly amendments to fill in
around
> the plant. Should I make these holes as big and wide as I have
time to
> plant?? Go to the trouble of mixing the old filler dirt with the
amendments
> when completing the job, or?
>
> Thanks again!
> Diann
