Growing serpentine clay-loving plants in pots

Arturo Tarak anmeghalimprnum@gmail.com
Mon, 12 Jun 2017 05:08:55 PDT
Hi Cody, I'm actually one step behind but also facing the same kind of
dilemas, in my case with hardy Cyclamens. The step behind is that I've yet
to get hold of many of your mentioned species. The question you arise is
about translating wild conditions back to a gardening situation, an even
more inside a container (clay pot, plastic pot , or plastic bag.). How much
clay you want in your soil mix inside a pot is a question of finding the
right ammount. None is never right. Also adding generous amounts of organic
material will help in moisture retention. My strategy with potted plants
are to water them from below. Then the crown area will be dry, yet further
down it will keep moist and even wet without any harm during the dormant
season. You simply have to check say once a week that the bottom tray has
standing water. If doing so there's hardly any risk in dessication. So the
soil mix inside the pot ought to be on the porous side because it will help
in the capillary forces that wicker upwards the moisture. In the garden
things work out differently. The options are working different typesof
soils placed in layers. You can place a clayey mix quite low and then add a
sandy/loam mix on top with very good drainage in the upper inch or so,
including a sandy grit as top dressing. The strategy is to avoid water
collecting around the roots of dormant bulbs during your summer general
garden waterings. It would be best to place your bulbs that have similar
requirements away from plants that have different watering requirements. I
don't have serpentine clay soils here.
arturo



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