Almost 4 years ago I moved here from a location that had what we call 'gumbo' here in Texas, to a place that has sandy loam that I'm guessing is somewhat more acidic than the clay-like soil. I brought all my gingers with me, but they have just not done well at all in the soil here, in spite of having plenty of water. What could I amend the soil with that would make my gingers happy? They don't get above about 4 ft. and rarely bloom, and the stalks are kind of anemic. I've tried mulch, but it didn't work very well.
Hedychiums and Alpinias
I would take a lot of organic material of almost any sort-rotted leaves, shredded mulch (anything that will break down fairly fast) and work it down into the soil, and in the spring I would do it again and then add slow release fert to the area that the plants are in and keep with the water. It sometimes takes a year or two to change the soil.
Ya need to mend, mend, mend your soil with organic humus,leaf compost,aged horse manure,shredded pinebark mulch, and mushroom compost...all the good stuff... I do all my new beds starting now until thru spring and then your beds will be settled and ready..I don't used any kind chemical fertilizer in my soil..I use what I have around my house to feed my gingers to make them healthy..LOL...
Hey Nadine, long time, no see!
I guess what I need to do is get my hubby to break out the tiller and just make a nice bed and turn all the good stuff into the soil. I have old shavings from my chicken pens I've been mulching, plus grass clippings and leaf litter I can toss in, etc. I didn't do anything special for them back at my old place, so whatever was in the soil there was what they liked. I really hate that I have softer dirt, but it's pretty much useless for anything except weeds.
Thanks for the input!
Just one more question...if I wait until my gingers go dormant, would it be okay to pull the rhizomes up for the winter to store them while I'm preparing the beds for them? We tend to have warm winters, so I'm sure the soil will still be 'cooking' until the spring, and then I could plant them in the new beds. Just wanted an opinion on that...
This message was edited Oct 11, 2007 11:58 PM
HEY HEY HEY!!! Stacy!!! How are ya? I have been around and trying to get many gingers in as I can in the ground here.. I would dig them all up..and store them until next year..so I don't have to think whether I am gonna mess up those rhizomes by cutting on them..and trying to remember where they are planted at..By all means...use that chicken stuff..I use mine after it has aged abit..D-mail me if ya looking for anything special...