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jesgur Gillette, WY Jul 09, 2007

I live in a rather dry area and I water my garden sufficiently each day. However, now I believe that many of my plants are getting root rot. Our soil is basically clay and sand mixed together, aweful! Is there anything I can do to help my plants currently or do I have to wait until this season is over?

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podster Deep East Texas, TX(Zone 8a) Jul 10, 2007

Jesgur ~ I am so sorry. I am sure after all that effort you are upset.

Daily watering may be too much for the roots to take even tho the plant leaves seem to need it. It sounds like a constant moist soil is drowning them. I find leaving plants dry will encourage the plant roots to search deeply for water.

Next season you may want to add lots of compost to the soil. Or perhaps build the beds up like raised beds which will improve the drainage.

What are you growing? Annuals, perennials? Are they plants that others in your area grow?

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Jul 12, 2007

Hi Jesgur, Podster is correct about your clay soil, you have done so well to get to the flowering stage, but you really do need to add tons of manure/compost to the soil when you next dig your beds/borders as this will allow air, neutrients and room for the roots to grow better, or as they also said, make some raised beds and add good soil mixed with the manure/compost yourself, then you will be able to grow a wider variety of plants, over the years as you add to the soil, it will eventually be good dark soil needed for most plants other than your native types, unfortunately, clay soil stays wet longer and then when baked in the sun, it gets like a crust on the top, this traps all the air and neutrients so that the plant roots dont get to it, then when you water, the water mostly runs off the crust and the roots cant get it or they sit in the wet already trapped within the clay soil, so I'm afraid it's more digging and adding to the soil that will give you the results you are looking for and your plants, do it an area at a time so you dont feel your tackling too much all at once, Good Luck. WeeNel.

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