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#1
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Soils and adding IRONITE
Ok Dave, since you've got yer stuff together on the fertilizers, I need to
ask YOU a question.........my friend whose been in landscaping for years now (a couple of decades) has recently been fiddling around with mixing Ironite that Lowe's sells in granular form (a handful per container, or mixing soils and some ironite up with the soils and planting perennials). She convinced me to use it myself when I saw the massive improvement in the size and health of her plants in just a year. If I'm only using this in my perennials (the bag says NO BURN) why will they grow lush and larger? I have red clay soil and I've ammended with compost, worm soil, and cheap topsoil. I appreciate the trouble you're going to on this. I need to learn as much as possible, and before I start mixing massive amounts of soils and Ironite I need to make sure it won't have long term effects on my plants and possibly us. If it's safe, just let me know.... madgardener still learning about this whole thing "David J Bockman" wrote in message .. . You might be battling a high pH soil, in which case long term acidifying would mean laying down powdered aluminum sulphate (I like straight iron sulphate), along with an acidifying fertilizer like Espoma's Hollytone. The coffee grounds can only help. Dave "Suzanne Couturiaux" wrote in message ... I planted a couple Nikko blue hydrangeas two years ago, but the flowers haven't been blue (they were more of a pinkish white). I watered them with an aluminum sulfate solution this spring and last fall to try to make the flowers blue this year. Now, I'm considering adding old coffee grounds to the soil -- Will this counteract the aluminum sulfate, or will it help to make the flowers blue? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Suzanne |
#2
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Soils and adding IRONITE
Generally speaking, increasing acidity to optimum levels for a particular
plant will also allow for maximum nitrogen uptake. Clay soils in particular are notorious for locking up available N and are, of course, relatively high in pH. If I were you, I would topdress, topdress, topdress with any organic material I could find. Grass clippings (thinly laid), shredded leaves, pine fines, shredded paper, compost..... anything. Simply topdressing over time will leave you with a rick dark organic loam down 10-14 inches. I'm not sure where you're located but it might be helpful to have a soil analysis done or consult a local soil map, from the Soil Conservation Service. Dave "madgardener" wrote in message ... Ok Dave, since you've got yer stuff together on the fertilizers, I need to ask YOU a question.........my friend whose been in landscaping for years now (a couple of decades) has recently been fiddling around with mixing Ironite that Lowe's sells in granular form (a handful per container, or mixing soils and some ironite up with the soils and planting perennials). She convinced me to use it myself when I saw the massive improvement in the size and health of her plants in just a year. If I'm only using this in my perennials (the bag says NO BURN) why will they grow lush and larger? I have red clay soil and I've ammended with compost, worm soil, and cheap topsoil. I appreciate the trouble you're going to on this. I need to learn as much as possible, and before I start mixing massive amounts of soils and Ironite I need to make sure it won't have long term effects on my plants and possibly us. If it's safe, just let me know.... madgardener still learning about this whole thing "David J Bockman" wrote in message .. . You might be battling a high pH soil, in which case long term acidifying would mean laying down powdered aluminum sulphate (I like straight iron sulphate), along with an acidifying fertilizer like Espoma's Hollytone. The coffee grounds can only help. Dave "Suzanne Couturiaux" wrote in message ... I planted a couple Nikko blue hydrangeas two years ago, but the flowers haven't been blue (they were more of a pinkish white). I watered them with an aluminum sulfate solution this spring and last fall to try to make the flowers blue this year. Now, I'm considering adding old coffee grounds to the soil -- Will this counteract the aluminum sulfate, or will it help to make the flowers blue? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Suzanne |
#3
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Soils and adding IRONITE
In my part of the world there are many locals with blue hydrangeas whose
neighbours just next door are like your description and they swear its all due to the generous quantity of nails they put under when planting which have rusted. Regards Mike Gilmore www.winsfordwalledgarden.freeserve.co.uk "David J Bockman" wrote in message ... Generally speaking, increasing acidity to optimum levels for a particular plant will also allow for maximum nitrogen uptake. Clay soils in particular are notorious for locking up available N and are, of course, relatively high in pH. If I were you, I would topdress, topdress, topdress with any organic material I could find. Grass clippings (thinly laid), shredded leaves, pine fines, shredded paper, compost..... anything. Simply topdressing over time will leave you with a rick dark organic loam down 10-14 inches. I'm not sure where you're located but it might be helpful to have a soil analysis done or consult a local soil map, from the Soil Conservation Service. Dave "madgardener" wrote in message ... Ok Dave, since you've got yer stuff together on the fertilizers, I need to ask YOU a question.........my friend whose been in landscaping for years now (a couple of decades) has recently been fiddling around with mixing Ironite that Lowe's sells in granular form (a handful per container, or mixing soils and some ironite up with the soils and planting perennials). She convinced me to use it myself when I saw the massive improvement in the size and health of her plants in just a year. If I'm only using this in my perennials (the bag says NO BURN) why will they grow lush and larger? I have red clay soil and I've ammended with compost, worm soil, and cheap topsoil. I appreciate the trouble you're going to on this. I need to learn as much as possible, and before I start mixing massive amounts of soils and Ironite I need to make sure it won't have long term effects on my plants and possibly us. If it's safe, just let me know.... madgardener still learning about this whole thing "David J Bockman" wrote in message .. . You might be battling a high pH soil, in which case long term acidifying would mean laying down powdered aluminum sulphate (I like straight iron sulphate), along with an acidifying fertilizer like Espoma's Hollytone. The coffee grounds can only help. Dave "Suzanne Couturiaux" wrote in message ... I planted a couple Nikko blue hydrangeas two years ago, but the flowers haven't been blue (they were more of a pinkish white). I watered them with an aluminum sulfate solution this spring and last fall to try to make the flowers blue this year. Now, I'm considering adding old coffee grounds to the soil -- Will this counteract the aluminum sulfate, or will it help to make the flowers blue? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Suzanne |
#4
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Soils and adding IRONITE
Maddy, you didn't ask me, but Ironite contains rather high levels of arsenic and
you can get better results from using Greensand. It comes from NJ or TX, but my Lowes does sell it. The use of mulches and additional organic matter will give you much better results than if you took the fast road and used Ironite. I do not recommend it. It is polluting the local springs in Texas, so I imagine it's doing a number on all springs. On Mon, 3 May 2004 19:45:14 -0400, "madgardener" opined: Ok Dave, since you've got yer stuff together on the fertilizers, I need to ask YOU a question.........my friend whose been in landscaping for years now (a couple of decades) has recently been fiddling around with mixing Ironite that Lowe's sells in granular form (a handful per container, or mixing soils and some ironite up with the soils and planting perennials). She convinced me to use it myself when I saw the massive improvement in the size and health of her plants in just a year. If I'm only using this in my perennials (the bag says NO BURN) why will they grow lush and larger? I have red clay soil and I've ammended with compost, worm soil, and cheap topsoil. I appreciate the trouble you're going to on this. I need to learn as much as possible, and before I start mixing massive amounts of soils and Ironite I need to make sure it won't have long term effects on my plants and possibly us. If it's safe, just let me know.... madgardener still learning about this whole thing "David J Bockman" wrote in message . .. You might be battling a high pH soil, in which case long term acidifying would mean laying down powdered aluminum sulphate (I like straight iron sulphate), along with an acidifying fertilizer like Espoma's Hollytone. The coffee grounds can only help. Dave "Suzanne Couturiaux" wrote in message ... I planted a couple Nikko blue hydrangeas two years ago, but the flowers haven't been blue (they were more of a pinkish white). I watered them with an aluminum sulfate solution this spring and last fall to try to make the flowers blue this year. Now, I'm considering adding old coffee grounds to the soil -- Will this counteract the aluminum sulfate, or will it help to make the flowers blue? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Suzanne |
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