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Spider[_3_] · 21-09-2016, 10:39 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 08/09/2016 18:00, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Thu, 8 Sep 2016 15:49:18 -0000 (UTC), (Nick
Maclaren) wrote:

my garden has some fairly
aggressive fungi in the soil, and I lose quite a few plants to root
rot.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Interesting comment. Not relating to the OP's post, but I'd recently
taken cuttings of four different evergreen azaleas. After they'd
rooted, I transplanted them into a mix of roughly 75% sieved but
coarse garden compost, 12.5% grit, 12.5% Perlite, watered them in and
put them in a shady spot out of direct sun under the staging in the
greenhouse. Within three days most of them had died! I was obviously
disappointed, but also puzzled, especially at the speed of their
demise. All the cuttings had excellent root systems, and the compost
hadn't dried out nor was it waterlogged, so my conclusion was that
there was something else wrong with it, and I've now ditched what was
left. Aggressive fungi sounds like a good candidate.

Fortunately, there's still time to take a second batch of cuttings,
and I'll be more circumspect with the potting-on compost!

I'm sure you're knowledgeable enough to have used ericaceous compost?
.... but thought it worth asking.
--
Spider
On high ground in SE London
Gardening on heavy clay