Here is more information on expanded shale:
EARTH-KIND PROJECT NETS SURPRISE SOLUTION FOR HOUSTON'S GUMBO SOILS! =
Caldwell Pink, an antique rose, was one of the winners in a new Texas =
program called EarthKind Roses, instituted by Texas A&M to identify the =
toughest landscape roses for Southern climates that would perform
without =
chemicals and with very little maintenance. Other winners were Livin' =
Easy, The Fairy, Sea Foam, Pearle, Marie Daly and Belinda's Dream. =
=
During these trials, a wide variety of roses were tortured beyond belief
and =
the winners were awarded the EarthKind title. Learn about their =
experimentation conditions (worse than even lazy gardeners inflict!) at =
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindrose or by requesting a free =
EarthKind packet from: Dr. Steve George, Texas A&M Research and
Extension =
Center,17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252
=
The EarthKind Rose experiments also resulted in what looks like a great
new =
product for Houston gardeners and others who have to cope with gumbo
soil: =
expanded shale. Steve is extremely high on this naturally occurring
mineral =
rock dug up around Dallas and heated until it becomes porous inside. =
Remember how they used to tell us to work gypsum into the soil? Most
experts =
now agree that was not a very effective additive. But this one seems to =
really do the job. It is just starting to be marketed and is only
carried by =
a few large Houston nurseries (specifically Cornelius) at this time. =
But any =
nursery can order some from you as it distributed by Nitro-Phos, a local =
company. You will also get information on expanded shale in the
EarthKind =
Rose packet mentioned above. =
This is only for gumbo or clay soils; it is not a benefit to sandy soils =
which are already porous enough. -- BBS.
J Kolenovsky wrote:
=
Just read about it briefly. "Expanded shale" for clay/gumbo soils only.=
Has anyone tried this or heard of it?
--
J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/reference.html
-- =
J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 -
http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 -
http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/reference.html