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Mon, Jun 4, 12 at 9:15
| I'd really like to have a few salvia in my mostly sunny front garden, but my soil is rather clay-ey. Should I bother trying to amend the soil, or is salvia hardy enough where it hopefully won't care too much as long as it gets proper nutrients and sun? Should I feed them with anything other than compost? |
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| As long as your clay is well drained the Salvia will love it. I would not fertilize, just mulch. Al |
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- Posted by aklinda 7 (lindanewland@myway.com) on Mon, Jun 4, 12 at 10:42
| I am in New Mexico - zone 7b - and the salvia grow great in my clay soil. That part of the garden I do not yet have mulched. One salvia in particular - I think May Queen or soemthing like that (winter sowed 6 yrs ago) started from 1 small plant and is trying to take over the universe - now about 6 feet in circumference and lots of babies. I move the babies where I need a new plant. My goal is to have the flowers in the garden so thick they choke out the bindweed, purple nightshade and goatheads. Seems to be working. |
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| Woo hoo, so glad to hear that it won't revolt and die the instant it comes into contact with clay. :) Incidentally, how would one improve drainage in a bed of clay soil? It's not a raised bed, it's on the ground though I do work compost into it pretty well. |
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| There is sort of a short answer and a long answer to the "how to improve drainage in clay soil" question. The short answer, ie, the quick fix, is to work in as much sand and organic matter (peat, compost) as possible. The more complex, long term would include doing the above, but also fixing the bigger issues such as making raised beds, installing drains or even making a swale or raingarden at the low end to channel and collect water away. |
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