Re: Orville Fay

In a message dated 2/24/01 8:13:48 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
dickow@uidaho.edu writes:

<< How the devil could rocks retain water? My guess is that rocks have 
improved
 drainage or aeration rather than water retention. The only failures I have
 in my garden concerning siberians seem to be related to rhizome rot and
 heavy wet clay. Dryness never results in total failure (=death) for my
 plants. >>

I should not get into this type discussion but since I live with rock, gravel 
or shale in all the gardens I will describe what I see.

If you are weeding or cultivating a bed here and the soil is dry many inches 
deep. a plant in that soil that does not have roots deep into the subsoil 
will either be a succulent or plant with a water retaining rhizome, maybe 
tuberous roots.   Under the same conditions large rocks act as what might be 
described as an insulating mulch.  Pick one up and the soil will be damp or 
even wet beneath the rock.  Large rocks close together retain moisture in the 
spaces between them allowing plants, for instance campanulas, to grow where 
they would not grow in open soil.

It is an old garden practice to dig a hole, lay aside the sod and first few 
inches of soil.  Remove the subsoil, put in the sod upside down, add the 
plant and top soil.  Put in a few rocks and finish with the subsoil on the 
topside.  A lot can be learned from older gardeners.  

If you think that rocks, bricks, any masonry cannot absorb water have a chat 
with a mason.  This is something technical that I can write about but think 
would bore the entire list.  A for example - a brick in a walk absorbs water, 
winter comes, temps fall below freezing and the brick cracks.  Think about it.

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4


------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-~>
eGroups is now Yahoo! Groups
Click here for more details
http://us.click.yahoo.com/kWP7PD/pYNCAA/4ihDAA/VTJVlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->

 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index