To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] pear roots and peat pots
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 08:48:53 -0600
Murph and all, I learned the same lesson the hard way. Peat pots, peat
plugs, and to a lesser degree, potting soil just aren't compatible with our
clay soil. Bareroot plants do fine. Any plants too small to put right in
the ground I'll pot up with a mix of our garden soil (clay) and potting
soil. Done that way, I can plunk them in the ground anytime anywhere and
they grow just fine. When I took plants potted my way to the local nursery,
they blanched and replaced the soil with a potting mix. The look of horror
on their faces was priceless. But it works. I wonder how many plants are
bought locally, looking so happy and perky in their pots full of light
fluffy soil, proceed to die in the first hot dry spell. You get plenty of
repeat biz that way I guess. The customer would never guess the cause, at
least not without a lot of trial and error which would have to include
comparing mail order bareroot plants. Donna