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Too rich of a soil bad for flowers?
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:18 pm
by PunkRotten
Hi,
I have heard that with some flowers you want the soil to be on the poor side. But I am not sure if this applies to all flowers. I am going to be growing some sunflowers, marigolds, nasturtiums, impatiens, and chamomile.
What is recommended to grow in poor soil and what would benefit from some compost?
Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:36 pm
by DoubleDogFarm
Someone with more flower experience will come along.
When they say overly rich, I believe they mean Nitrogen.
My short answer is, all plants benefit from compost.
Eric
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:38 am
by rainbowgardener
A lot of mediterranean and desert flowers are adapted to lean, sandy, well draining soil, with not a lot of fertility. That includes most of the herbs and your chamomile.
I think the rest of what you named likes rich soil (though pretty much everything prefers well drained). The sunflowers are heavy feeders.
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:36 pm
by PunkRotten
So for the things that like it lean do not add any compost? Thanks
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:36 pm
by tomc
Compost sure, manure I might hold back.
Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:11 pm
by PunkRotten
Good to know. Thx
Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:15 am
by rainbowgardener
Personally, my herb garden doesn't get anything including compost. Not that compost would kill it or anything, but it doesn't need it.
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:21 am
by shadylane
rainbowgardener wrote:
I think the rest of what you named likes rich soil (though pretty much everything prefers well drained). The sunflowers are heavy feeders.
Sunflowers are very much so on the heavy feeding on nitrogen. Even growing once in a area will depleat the soil's nitrogen. You will see yellowing on any plant that grows in that spot afterwards, including weeds.
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:20 pm
by Little Homestead
Nitrogen supports green, leafy growth. Phosphorous supports root growth and Potassium supports flowering and fruiting.
Too much Nitrogen can cause leafy growth at the expense of flowering. So if you are growing flowers you want to be sure that your soil or fertilizer is not high on N. Manure, especially fresh, contains more N than flowers will like.
Compost, in general, doesn't contain a whole lot of macro-nutrients. It increases your soil moisture holding ability and has a lot of micro-nutrients. So if you are planting flowers that like a dry or well drained soil, you will want to go light on compost.