Plant Lover Reborn!!

[KBW]

This is what I was talking about. You can see the weak growth which is primarily due to bad soil and partially due to late planting. I have tried to improve soil texture but it will take its time. For quick results, only option is to replace the soil.



Grass in the lawn is also doing great though there are still a few patches...




I am hoping that in next 15 days, I will have a lush green lawn with no patches.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Regarding annuals....your soil appears to me to be somewhat clay like. Reduce watering amount. It appears drenched....

[KBW]

@farhan137
It looks damp because it has just been watered sometime earlier. The problem is not with the type of soil. It is the pH level that is not right. Too alkaline for most plants to do well. I foresee two solutions: One is to continue adding leaf mould /compost along with gypsum. That will take a long time in my view. The other solution is to replace the soil. It is a quick and long lasting solution but will take lot of effort. Right now I will perhaps have to live with it because the kiari is adding some colour to the landscape, though in a depleted form.

[aykhan]

Why not add the above plus sulphur? It'll take a few months but the pH will come down. There are calculations as to how much sulphur to use for getting the pH where you want. Do a soil test to find the pH and then calculate the amount of sulphur required. For short term when you water use a little iron.

[KBW]

Yes that can also be done. Generally, the pH level in the area ranges from 8.5 to 9 but I can get the exact level checked. Thanks for the advice. I will give it a try.

[KBW]

Container mini-rock gardens are doing well. A speciality of these container gardens is that while I was searching for appropriate plants on the net for these containers, I bumped into Gardening Pakistan

Just to show you the progress....


This was a little more than a month ago.


This is the same container garden today.

Others are growing well too.... few pics.













Just to mention, less Gerbera which is a little expensive, all plants in this arrangement are cheap plants. One rock garden contains plants worth Rs 500/-, half of this is one Gerbera.

[aykhan]

If you plan to plant only in these planters then changing the soil is the best option.

[KBW]

No, I am talking about the kiaris and not the planters. When I planted the plants in the planters, I replaced the complete soil, improved the drainage and filled them with my own made medium. So the planters already have a top quality medium. That is the reason these plants are doing so well.

In case of kiaris, one option is to continue with a treatment of gypsum and single super phosphate. When the annuals are done, I will add lot of leaf mould / compost in it. Do you feel use of sulphur is needed at this stage or it is better to wait for a couple of months and during this time, keep giving the treatment that I have mentioned above?

regards

[aykhan]

I have no experience with gypsum but leaf mold and other organic matter is temporary and defintely fail to bring the pH down to 7 if the pH is 9 as you said. Even sulpher which will take maybe 3 months to alter the pH will be temporary and need replacement but not as frequently. You should add leaf mold and compost anyways to soil but you will need something else to get the pH down. Like I said for short term watering dilute with iron is good.

[Farhan Ahmed]

Adding leaf mold/organic material will lower the PH upon breaking. Larger amount with top dressing in future can benefit.
For immediate results you can use Engro ammonium sulphate. it will lower the PH instantaneously.
Do check whether your water is alkaline? Leeching, frequent drenching will also lower the PH. Will take time though
Only adding Sulpher will take much longer.
Peatmoss can be added to make soil acidic also. Calculation is already there on the forum for the amount required.
Most of the plants commonly available here tolerates alkaline soil.

By the way my soil is also alkaline. Plant are not bothered though......