Plants that thrive in clay
Excerpted from ajc.com
TOUGH COOKIES
Clogged in clay? Here are 30 plants that refuse to crumble
By DANNY C. FLANDERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/24/04
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know the drill. When it comes to gardening in Georgia, you've got to amend, amend, and then amend some more the heavy clay soil clogging most of the state.
No doubt, adding nutrient-rich compost breaks up compacted soil and improves drainage, helping to ensure a healthy garden.
But you can't just add compost to a planting hole; you've got to amend the whole planting bed, because as roots extend out and reach the clay wall, they turn back, prohibiting the plant from gathering nutrients.
Sound like too much work?
Take heart: There are plants that tolerate — and even thrive in — clay soil, and they should make your spring planting a breeze.
Here are 30 suggestions offered by metro gardeners and horticulturists at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
These shrubs, perennials and bulbs are available from most local garden centers or mail-order nurseries.
PLANTS THAT THRIVE IN CLAY SOIL
1. Aster tartaricus
2. Astilbe
3. Bee balm, Monarda
4. Black-eyed Susan,
Rudbeckia
5. Bugleweed, Ajuga
reptans
6. Butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii
7. Canna
8. Coreopsis
9. Creeping phlox, Phlox
subulata
10. Crinum
11. Daffodil, Narcissus
12. Daylily, Hemerocallis
13. Deutzia, Deutzia
gracilis
14. False indigo, Baptisia
15. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica
16. Gaura
17. Goatsbeard, Aruncus aethusifolius
18. Joe-pye weed,
Eupatorium
19. Milkweed, Asclepias
tuberosa
20. Miscanthus, Miscanthus sinensis
21. Miss Huff lantana, Lantana 'Miss Huff'
22. Obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana
23. Oxeye daisy,
Heliopsis
24. Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
25. Salvia
26. Spirea, Spiraea
27. Sunflower, Helianthus
28. Swamp hibiscus, Hibiscus coccineus
29. Winterberry, Ilex
verticillata
30. Witch hazel, Hamamelis vernalis
Excerpted from ajc.com
TOUGH COOKIES
Clogged in clay? Here are 30 plants that refuse to crumble
By DANNY C. FLANDERS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/24/04
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know the drill. When it comes to gardening in Georgia, you've got to amend, amend, and then amend some more the heavy clay soil clogging most of the state.
No doubt, adding nutrient-rich compost breaks up compacted soil and improves drainage, helping to ensure a healthy garden.
But you can't just add compost to a planting hole; you've got to amend the whole planting bed, because as roots extend out and reach the clay wall, they turn back, prohibiting the plant from gathering nutrients.
Sound like too much work?
Take heart: There are plants that tolerate — and even thrive in — clay soil, and they should make your spring planting a breeze.
Here are 30 suggestions offered by metro gardeners and horticulturists at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
These shrubs, perennials and bulbs are available from most local garden centers or mail-order nurseries.
PLANTS THAT THRIVE IN CLAY SOIL
1. Aster tartaricus
2. Astilbe
3. Bee balm, Monarda
4. Black-eyed Susan,
Rudbeckia
5. Bugleweed, Ajuga
reptans
6. Butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii
7. Canna
8. Coreopsis
9. Creeping phlox, Phlox
subulata
10. Crinum
11. Daffodil, Narcissus
12. Daylily, Hemerocallis
13. Deutzia, Deutzia
gracilis
14. False indigo, Baptisia
15. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica
16. Gaura
17. Goatsbeard, Aruncus aethusifolius
18. Joe-pye weed,
Eupatorium
19. Milkweed, Asclepias
tuberosa
20. Miscanthus, Miscanthus sinensis
21. Miss Huff lantana, Lantana 'Miss Huff'
22. Obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana
23. Oxeye daisy,
Heliopsis
24. Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
25. Salvia
26. Spirea, Spiraea
27. Sunflower, Helianthus
28. Swamp hibiscus, Hibiscus coccineus
29. Winterberry, Ilex
verticillata
30. Witch hazel, Hamamelis vernalis