preparing soil for water chestnuts, how?
 

I have to prepare a couple of tubs to grow water chestnuts. If you have
grown them in tubs, what was successful, or not for you?

T.I.A.

preparing soil for water chestnuts, how?
 

not sure you need to do anything terribly special except keep the
water cover up? they will grow happily in the clayey silt in a dam, so
any old potting mix or garden soil should work.

On Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:04:36 +1000, terryc
wrote:

I have to prepare a couple of tubs to grow water chestnuts. If you have
grown them in tubs, what was successful, or not for you?

T.I.A.
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

preparing soil for water chestnuts, how?
 

On Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:32:16 +0000, len gardener wrote:

not sure you need to do anything terribly special except keep the water
cover up? they will grow happily in the clayey silt in a dam, so any old
potting mix or garden soil should work.

That is the problem, we just have the backyard and the specs say 2/sq.
metres, so we are going to squeeze 2 into an old bath tub and four into an
old dairy vat.

I will probably try different soil mixtures, although we don't have a lot
of choice as we have used up most of the bath tub compost pile*. Normally
I make up a mixture 50% soil, 50% compost, 1L of lime, 1L of dolomite, 1L
of dynamic lifter, box of epson salts, bicarb soda, and potash, plus
lashing of rabbit/horse bedding. the idea is that the compost supplies the
immediate needs and the bedding and DL breaking down over time continue to
provide nutrients. But, I this is good for an aerated soil, but what about
waterlogged soil?

We will just have to suck it and see.

* half the bath tub compost is a Avocardo tree 12" high. Leaves have been
"burnt" and trying to work out if frost (rather sheltered) or if it is
just a sign that it isn't going to survive.

th e soil quality is not significant,as any qualities it may posess are soon lost,but an aerator or water top ups are recommended in smaller containers i have grown them in ponds and baths...

preparing soil for water chestnuts, how?
 

I think they'll grow ok, but how are you going to keep the mosquitos out
if it? You can put some fish in but they will eat the greens if you
aren't careful and I'm thinking the fish you'd need to use would be the
small Australian ones (that I can't remember the name of, blue
something). Otherwise you'll have to keep the water covered with
mosquito netting. Mind you if you get the proportion of fish correct so
you don't lose your crop you will severely deplete the population of
mosquitos - the fish love their larvae. I have a fish tank on my front
porch, and while the goldfish I have in it are voracious greens eaters
the mosquitos are definately attracted to the tank and the fish eat the
larvae and probably the mosquitos too if they pause too long on the
surface of the water. This area use to have a massive mozzie problem but
so long as there isn't any other standing water near the house there are
very few mozzies left these days.

terryc wrote:
I have to prepare a couple of tubs to grow water chestnuts. If you have
grown them in tubs, what was successful, or not for you?

T.I.A.