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| To grow something like ligularia, you need constantly moist soil. If you happen to live next to a body of water or a water feature, this seems to be doable, but what if you don't is there any way to do this? What about adding those soil moisture crystals?
Paul |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Great questions! I've been thinking about this for awhile...though I haven't actually done much about it. For the most part, I've restricted my plant choices to those I hope will survive in my soil and environment without a lot of extra watering. I have added loads of peat and compost to my gardens over the years. That, along with abundant mulching, have improved the soil's water retention. But, I doubt I'll ever be able to grow anything that needs constant moisture without building an artificial environment (i.e. rubber liner under the soil and/or a reliable watering system). I've read that soil additives work both ways. They hold abundant moisture when it's available. But, will "suck" water from the surrounding soil when it is dry. I have no idea where that tipping point might be, if it's true, or if the benefits outweigh the risks. I hope you get some details from someone with experience. Or, tell us how it works if you try it... DD |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, May 28, 12 at 10:56
| wonder what those crystals would do in winter.. freeze solid on the roots??? .. i dont know ... but my gut tells me that they were developed for pot culture ... and mixing potting science with mother earth.. usually doesnt work ... and the result would be VERY zone specific ... the ground freeze thing .. you have two options.. define how often you can realistically water it .. and develop a soil which can hold the water for that period .. by adding peat or humus .. and it should be the whole bed ...which will then lead to a new mania for collecting boggy type plants ... or pot it.. and keep it close to the patio .. for frequent care ... when i moved to 5 acres of sand ... i lost track of most of these type of plants ken
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| I check out the product again and there are some arguments for and against it. My main objection is the comment that the amendment last only about 5 years. Let's say I missed in a cup of this water retention polymer crystals. What do I do 5 years later when it is all dissolved? I can't dig up the plant and amend the soil. I was thinking perhaps to heavily amend that section of the bed with sphagnum moss and compost (1/3 compost and 1/3 sphagnum moss?). The current soil is clayish. By the way, how do I know where the sphagnum moss comes from? I notice post indicate Canadian sphagnum moss is supposedly sustainable. Paul |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Mon, May 28, 12 at 17:51
| What do I do 5 years later when it is all dissolved? I can't dig up the plant and amend the soil. ==>> why not you arent thinking that once you plant your garden.. you are done for life.. are you??? and again.. you do the whole bed... you cant heavily amend part of a whole.. been there.. done that.. failed wildly ... ken |
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| Some plants really don't like being dig up and replanted. Think Hellebore and Butterfly weed. So I can't amend a section of the bed? Paul |
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- Posted by prairiemoon2 zone 6a/MA (My Page) on Mon, May 28, 12 at 18:46
| You might also consider two choices that will certainly help. One is to use a soaker hose in the area in question, and two, a good layer of mulch, using cardboard under the mulch. It also depends on what you start out with. If it is clay soil, not sand and has at least average soil moisture, it sounds very do-able. Oh and one other thing you could consider doing, is to put the plant in a low area, or make a low area for it so that the water collects there. |
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| You are over thinking this plant. It is not a bog plant. If you amend your soil. I mean really amend with manure, compost, it will grow. If you get a week without water you just water the plant. You would do that with any garden plants in the summer. I have Marie Britt she is huge and I also have clay soil. I did dig deep and put cardboard in the hole and filled it with my manure, and homemade compost then put the plant in and covered with the compost. I did that because when clay gets dry that stuff can suck the life out of a plant that likes moist. If we get one of those dry hot summers my clay turns to rocks I would have to water for 2 hours to get it moist. This is it behind the iris. |
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- Posted by butterfly4u 8 (My Page) on Mon, May 28, 12 at 23:53
| Paulsiu, I grow mexican hydrangea in a nice size pot and constatnly water it. It is doing fine. I live in a hot, dry sandy area. UGH! I also have Ostrich ferns in pots that I water frequently. My soil doesn't hold moisture very well, even amended, so I found that pots are a nice option. |
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| I have used the Soil Moist crystals in the ground in the past with much success. I used them to help get hydrangeas established under mature trees. I figured by the time they broke down in a years' time, the shrubs would be established with good root systems and able to hold their own against the tree. Worked great, would do it again if needed. You could create moister conditions for a particular plant by digging a big hole and lining it with plastic (garbage bag or tarp would work), making sure to cut some holes in the bottom for drainage. I've also done that before and it's worked nicely. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, May 29, 12 at 9:36
| in another post.. you indicated severe soil cracking ... and that tells me.. you have a good deal of clay ... if you dig a hole in clay ... and add stuff to make it anti-clay .. as the clay dries ... it will actually wick water from your prime media ... and in the long run.. you end up losing ... in the alternative.. the clay will create a cauldron that holds water ... and then all the water retaining media holds too much water ... so it gets real tricky.. amending ONLY a planting hole ... and the easiest solution is to do a whole bed.. and the other solution is to raise that bed above grade somewhat ... work above the problem ... its all about the dichotomy between drainage.. and water holding capacity ... actually .. its all theory.. and what you do .. is plant one .. and find out if you can make it live.. if it fails.. move on.. there are too many other plants that you can plant.. and never forget.. it is said.. you are not a real gardener.. or greenthumb .. UNTIL you have killed every plant in your yard 3 times ... its the experimenting that teaches you .... though i used to give up after two tries. i mean really.. whats the point after two.. lol .. i can bang my head on the garage for free.. lol .. ken |
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| A rather simple alternative to all of the above is to get an inexpensive battery-operated programmable water timer and hook it up to a drip irrigation system. By choosing the appropriate drip emitters and watering cycles, you can keep the soil as wet or dry as you want (Mother Nature not withstanding). |
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