I am trying to find the best soil mix for Carex Testacea. I tried giving farm manure (recommended by the nursery I bought it from) but after a week the tips of the leaves started wilting and turning into straws. So I took it out of the ground. Someone in a Web forum said Carex Testaceas don't like much nutrition and just need sandy loam. The plant label says I should use acidic soil improver and general compost. But I am not sure how much I can trust this.

I may treat it like other rock plants, which like sandy soil and peat. But I am not sure if Carex Testaceas like peat. Can someone tell me if this will be good for the plant? Or should I follow what the plant label says?

Thanks.

Hi jineu21, I work in a garden center in New Zealand (where Carex testacea is a native plant.) Using farm manure should be ok to plant them in. However it depends on how much you have put in... a little goes a long way. I have grown hundreds of carex and all I use is a couple of hand fulls of general compost when I plant them. I suspect your problem may be one of three things. 1. To much manure when you planted or 2. lack of drainage. or 3. It has dried out to much.

Thank you very much!