pbs Digest, Vol 36, Issue 16: Fertilizers and geophytes
Adam Fikso (Sun, 15 Jan 2006 10:11:14 PST)

Don't believe the words on the packages about what is FOR what, as in "this
is FOR getting scum off of tile"; this (detergent) is FOR washing dishes,
this hair shampoo is FOR your very, oh-so special hair that no other shampoo
with conditioners will treat so well, etc., along with "coral calcium" all
natural, not that awful synthetic chemical stuff. About 98.99% nonsense,
and marketing hype.

It's my experience that most plants will take what they need and do much
better treated with less rather than more fertilizer. There are exceptions
which are often keyed to time of year and availability of water
corresponding to the plant's ability to take it up based on IT'S needs not
yours. Many of the difficulties that gardeners have today is in overfeeding,
overwatering, and prepaering a nice "bed' for the plant to sleep in where it
promptly does just that.. goes to sleep forever. What's needed is to do
one's homework and try to learn about the growing conditions of the original
provenance of the plant-- assuming that one is not dealing with a Dutch
garden hybrid that has been bred to live and grow under extremely artificial
conditions.

On another plant group's list right now, it has become apparent that
Arisaema candidissimum dies readily in most people's gardens because it's
overfed, overwatered, and over sheltered from the sun. If it was a kid, we'd
say it was "spoiled", ie., overindulged...so it doesn't "learn" to grow
roots, and furthermore, can't learn, because it's denied the opportunity.
It's parents are in too much of a hurry to see the flowers, to have the kid
get into a "good" school. Intellectual garbage in both places.

Arisaema candidissimum does best in relatively poor sandy or clayey soil
with a fair amount of bound up calcium in the form of rocks or plaster, with
anywhere from 4-6 hours of direct or dappled sunlight each day. Watered
from time to time at a level that is so scant that it doesn't quite kill an
astilbe, where the ground can get hard as a rock. It seems to do better with
coarse sand mixed into the clayey loam, and with other plants around it to
perhaps take up extra moisture, or if it's on a slope.

The main mistake I think, made about assessing growth requirements for
arisaemas in the past has been that if the collector sees plants growing in
a woodland, the assumption is made that they are shade-loving, so, this is
reported andas a consquence then, they are shaded in our gardens and watered
too much. But think! How long has the plant been there?. Was it as shaded
when it germinated? Were the trees around it as tall, and as close
together? If the plant is 25-30 years old and a really nice big one....it
was probably NOT as shaded when it first grew there. If you want a nice
big one--maybe you should give it some sun--and leave it alone. Don't fuss
with it, disturbing its roots all the time. Water it in--make sure it gets
established, but then just watch it and minister to it, don't choke it.

One point of view: Adam in Glenview, IL erstwhile Zone 5a

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Subject: pbs Digest, Vol 36, Issue 16