Mail order arriving - soil very, very wet- advice needed

9 years ago

Hello!
I learned so much and been so inspired by the vast knowledge and enthusiasm on this forum, thank you!

This is my first post, and it's a plea for your expert advice.

We've had unprecedented rainfall and my clay soil is soaked. I have a mail order of wonderful bare root hostas arriving and can't plant them. What while I do until the soil is plantable?

Many, many thanks for any help. I'm delighted to have joined your wonderful community!

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Comments (20)

kudzu9
9 years ago
Get a bag of mulch or garden soil, dump it in a heap on the ground, and plant them in that until the coast is clear. Even if you have more rain, the mulch/soil should drain adequately because it is loose.
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
That's something I'd have never thought of- what a great suggestion!

Many, many thanks!!
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kudzu9
9 years ago
Good luck...it's worked for me a number of times when I wasn't ready to plant something immediately.
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
Do you recommend any particular kind of mulch?
Also, have you had better luck with soil or mulch?
Thanks again!
kudzu9
9 years ago
I don't think it matters as long as it's good quality mulch/dirt and it's moist enough that it can be moderately tamped down so you don't have air pockets around the roots. You are simply keeping the roots hydrated without getting having them sit in a place that's waterlogged. I've done this for up to 6 weeks and, by then, plants have typically even formed additional roots
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks again- this is extremely helpful!!
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
PS would peat work (have a new bag sitting around)?
Thanks again!
kudzu9
9 years ago
I've never tried peat for that purpose. I would be concerned whether it would stay moist and not have air pockets.
bragu_DSM 5
9 years ago
get a bale of sphagnum peat moss, and make slits in the bale (thru the plastic) and plant the plants into the holes. Water liberally. I've had stuff survive/grow for several months until I found a round tuit. Keep it in the shade Ã¢ÂÂ¦ when it comes time to transplant Ã¢ÂÂ¦ just cut bigger holes in the bale. yes, I'm going to get grief over this suggestion, but it worked for me. Or put stuff in pots for awhile, using the bale of peat moss ...

dave
steeltowninwv
9 years ago
I also have clay soil..most of my hostas are in pots for the time being..or on a sloped hillside where the clay doesn't get as wet...if its too wet now..what will u do after u plant them and get some good rain...im pretty new here as well..and these folks have helped me see the light on my soil....if its clay u need to amend it to get good drainage
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Steeltown, thank you!
I actually don't literally have clay soil, just very heavy soil.
If I dig it when wet it becomes compacted like a brick. If it's dry it's very loamy. I've learned the hard way not to disturb it if at all wet!
Thank you for the welcome. I'll bet your hostas are beautiful on the hillside.
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you so much, kudzu and bragu for taking the time
to advise me- it's much appreciated!
User
9 years ago
Altheatime, welcome to the forum. Hope you come back often and have a good time talking gardens with us.

What zone are you in?
I'm a pothead, meaning most of my hosta are in containers. If you have some pots around already, you can pot them up. I use half MiracleGro (NO MOISTURE ADDITIVE though) and half mini pine bark nuggets (I get both at Lowes, probably Home Depot has them too). The small pine bark pieces help make the pot drain nicely.

One of the things we've had to do in our garden for many plants is to create raised beds. This is much easier to deal with than trying to amend a soil that won't drain. I think of it as a very huge pot with no bottom.

Hope your new arrivals enjoy life at your place. Take some pictures. We love Show And Tell around here. :)

Have fun
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you so much for your warm welcome, Moccasinlanding! I really appreciate your suggestions!

I'm in Zone 5a Midwest farm country. I love hostas and have just ordered my first giants to landscape a new outdoor "sitting room" under a mature pine and spruce. I will post some photos- I've been so inspired by the ones others have posted and it's helped me so much with my selections.

Thanks again, I look forward to learning from your collective wisdom and sharing my love of hostas!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
welcome to GW

tape them ... like old dirts current post...

and pot them ...

i could get about 20 in one large pot ... do not think they need to be individually potted ...

it all depends on how long you need to hold them ... and of course.. how big they are ...

i would NOT do straight peat .... except for very short term ... its hard to manage water in it ...

and i would not just dump a bag of media on the ground... it leaves you no options... back in the day... i might 25 to 50 .. in a plain old wheelbarrow with moist media.... it was early spring.. i could take it in and out of the garage for temps.. take them for long walks around the neighborhood... etc ...

kud said: and it's moist enough that it can be moderately tamped down so you don't have air pockets around the roots.

==>>> lets be very clear ... most pot peeps.. include big chunks of bark/wood chips.. to INSURE air pockets.. as roots of most plants need air.. as much as moisture... do NOT allow big pockets of air... again.. a water management problem ... but do not get the idea in your head... to tamp soil in a pot.. so tight ... that it ends up worse than your soil ...

some ot this depends on the size of the plants you are getting etc .... but its not all that hard. .. you have gotten some good ideas ... just dont overthink it all ...

my best suggestion .. is to make a small nursery bed ... say 5 by 10 feet ... whatever ... maybe get a yard of good soil dumped in the driveway.. and they move it somewhere.. and make a foot deep bed of good soil ... on top of the clay ...

and then spend the rest of the summer... making some other beds ... and then by EARLY fall ... move them to more permanent homes... or even next spring...

i had a friend with horrible OH clay ... HE BUILT ALL OF HIS BEDS ... with good soil.. on top ... he just heaped up about 2 foot of good soil.. so that by the time it all settled... he had 12 to 16 inches.. right on top of the clay ...

be sure to understand.. clay is a wonderful growing media... much richer than my sand in nutrients.... and if moisture is maintained ... good in that regard ... the issue is ... AIR ... roots... and water management ....

so get them nestled into some nursery situation... and start building long term beds ...

ken

ps: yes.. you can even dump the truck load of soil on the driveway.. and grow the hosta there ... lol ...

pps: build twice as many.. and twice the size.. of beds.. as you are already well enabled ... lol ...
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks so much, Ken, for the excellent information- much, much appreciated!

I think I wasn't clear in my original post. I actually am blessed with excellent soil, it's just that we've had about 6 inches of rain in the last week. Not wanting to disturb the soil and compact it, I just need to "heel in" my arriving bare root plants. I anticipate being able to plant in a week or so if the rain doesn't continue.

Thanks again! What a wonderful community this is- I'm very happy to join!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
if only a week... throw some dirt in the wheelbarrow ... and put it were it wont fill with rain water ... no need to spend money on media ... etc.. unless you have it laying around ....

man.. you are tough audience... long walks??? ... humor me... lol

ken
altheatime
Original Author
9 years ago
PS, Ken, I totally love the idea of walking them around the neighborhood in a wheelbarrow!
User
9 years ago
Oh mercy me! I just had a VISION.....
Not of a wheelbarrow but of a young woman in her jogging clothes with a twin sized baby stroller in front of her as he jogs along......and inside the stroller?

You got it....twin hosta out for their jog in the sun.

I'm sure Leafwatcher could set up a graphic of such a stroller with appropriate hosta too cute for words.

....Hmmmm.....my sugar must be low.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
....Hmmmm.....my sugar must be low.

===>>> only moc can gauge her sugar level by hosta hallucinations... lol

ken

Mail order arriving - soil very, very wet- advice needed

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Mail order arriving - soil very, very wet- advice needed

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