To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Van Well Nursery
Date: Wed, 28 Mar 2007 22:19:01 -0500
Rick, If your soil soil doesn't drain all that well, get a CEC soil test,
like from A&L Labs and see what your Ca:Mg ratio is. We are on a slope, but
the internal drainage in our clay is terrible. We made the mistake the
first year of adding dolomite lime, high in Mg, which pulls soil particles
closer together. Ca will spread the particles further apart. Also the test
should include Boron. You will probably be alright where you are, but in
the south on clay soil,, boron is the limiting factor for apples in
particular. You may find your test shows some other trace mineral is low,
and that one factor might slow or reduce cropping. In our case, it cost me
years of trees that simply would not grow. Donna