Does Dr. Huey prefer acidic or alkaline soil?

10 years ago

I can't remember. My soil tends toward acidic. I'm considering ordering from David Austin to get some of the newer roses, grafted. I know some of my DAs were from there and I think they did just fine so it probably doesn't matter. I had hoped that Pickering or Palatine would have some of his more recent offerings. I would like The Alnwick Rose and Princess Alexandra of Kent.

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anntn6b

10 years ago

There are a lot of folks in the southeast who loathe Dr. Huey because Dr. Huey doesn't do well in our acidic red clays.

A book I have from Holland touts Dr. Huey as thriving in alkalin soil which would explain why Dr. Huey was so widely used in the playa (alkalin) lake beds in California.

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Comments (8)

michaelg
10 years ago
It tolerates alkaline soil better than other rootstocks because it is good at scrounging iron from the soil. It is happy in acid soils too.
buford
10 years ago
I have acidic soil and my Dr. Huey roses do very well. I used to live on Long Island, and I'm sure the soil here in Georgia is more acidic than LI. You have nice brown dirt. We have clay :)
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shellfleur
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you, both. I won't worry when ordering from DA, at least not because of the rootstock. Shelley :)
kstrong
10 years ago
Dr. Huey loves all soils! That's why it is the prevalent rootstock in commercial use now. It's generally happy most anywhere, and also why it is hard to get rid of -- like a weed -- once established. Happy ol' guy, no matter what..
chatwariq
10 years ago
Hahaha! Dr Huey would grow fine on cardboard, I'm sure.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
10 years ago
Dr. Huey prefers a pH above 6. It starts to underperform when the pH gets lower than that. By the time you get to 5.0, it isn't happy at all.
shellfleur
Original Author
10 years ago
Kstrong, thank you. I won't worry about ordering plants on Dr. Huey.

Chatwarig: LOL I Really won't worry!

Mad Gallica, that is good to know. When I tested my soil, the pH was just above 6 so it should be okay. Thanks