Here is 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
beliefand 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
theEarthKind 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, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/reference.html