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Too much peat

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Charlenenj  Send Charlenenj a private message!




My Weather
My Garden
Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 12:42 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Hello all. In early spring, I carved out a small area that was mostly clay soil to make into a garden. I was going to add a little bit of peat moss (along with compost and such) but the entire bag of peat moss opened and fell into the area. The things I planted in there are doing odd things and I assume it's because of too much peat moss? Examples: (1) my Arizona Sun gallardia looked saggy all season and didn't retain the flowers very long. (2) a Sprirea Goldmound bush I planted spread horizontally all across the garden at lightening spead, with no height to it and is like ground cover (3) my phlox was completely covered in powdery mildew. I'm trying to "understand" soil, so can someone say what is happening here? Is this what is called a bog? Is it retaining too much moisture? Not sure what to add to it to correct the problem.

Thanks!

Charlenenj - New Jersey, Zone "6b"
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Verdant0green  Send Verdant0green a private message!




Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2006 - 03:10 am EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Peat moss is acidic and holds a lot of moisture, so that could be an issue...have you tested the pH of the soil in that area vs an area that didn't receive the addition of the peat?

Verdant0green - Northern California, Zone "9"
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Otnorot  Send Otnorot a private message!




Posted on Friday, July 06, 2007 - 05:52 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Phlox is always gets powdery mildew.Peat moss is acidic, and contains very little of nutritional value.
Bill

Otnorot - Ont, Zone "6A"
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Luis_pr  Send Luis_pr a private message!


My Time
Posted on Saturday, July 21, 2007 - 08:57 pm EST :   Last Buddysize PhotosCopy highlighted text to new message Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

My Spirea Goldmound does not grow as fast as yours; I consider it a low-growing bush here. Spirea does prefer growing in acidic soil but tolerates alkaline soils (like mine).

Phlox is well known here for getting powdery mildew so I do not think that is connected to the peat moss snafu. Phlox plants are infected during mid-spring and early fall when temperatures are near 60˚F. Some resistant varieties are Red Magic, David, Eden’s Crush, Darwin’s Joyce, Blue Boy, Robert Poore and Delta Snow.

Luis_pr - Hurst, Texas, Zone "USDA 7b/8a"


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