Pansies Don't Look Healthy

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Casutherland
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Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by Casutherland » February 28th, 2017, 9:37 pm

Can someone help diagnose what may be going on with my pansies in the front beds?

They just don't look very healthy.

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killerv
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Re: Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by killerv » March 10th, 2017, 8:30 am

I wouldn't worry about it. You'll be pulling them up in another month anyway.

Do all of them look that way? Looks like some clay in the top right of the pics, if so, I'd certainly start ammending that soil.

Casutherland
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Re: Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by Casutherland » March 13th, 2017, 9:05 am

killerv wrote:
March 10th, 2017, 8:30 am
I wouldn't worry about it. You'll be pulling them up in another month anyway.

Do all of them look that way? Looks like some clay in the top right of the pics, if so, I'd certainly start amending that soil.
Yes, they all look that way..the soil is pretty bad. This home was a new construction, and they removed all the top soil when it was built. because i have all this mulch down, I need to rake it up and put down a layer of compost first, right?

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bernstem
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Re: Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by bernstem » March 13th, 2017, 9:31 am

Add ~2-4 inches of compost and mix it into the top 18-24 inches of soil. If you just lay it on top, it will take a very long time to incorporate into clay. After the initial amendment, you can top dress yearly with compost and mulch. The same treatment will improve almost any soil type. FWIW, I would not be willing to say you have clay from pictures of a few bits of dirt laying on top of the mulch.

Casutherland
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Re: Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by Casutherland » March 13th, 2017, 10:39 am

bernstem wrote:
March 13th, 2017, 9:31 am
Add ~2-4 inches of compost and mix it into the top 18-24 inches of soil. If you just lay it on top, it will take a very long time to incorporate into clay. After the initial amendment, you can top dress yearly with compost and mulch. The same treatment will improve almost any soil type. FWIW, I would not be willing to say you have clay from pictures of a few bits of dirt laying on top of the mulch.
Thanks Bernstem.

The grass is definitely much healthier than my flower beds. Our dirt here consists of heavy thick clay. I put down some compost in the mulch beds in the back to help with that, and raked it all in. However, in the front beds (where these flowers are), The only thing down currently is just black hardwood mulch. The mulch is pretty thick too, so it would be a pain in the arse to try and rake it all up and put down a layer of compost. Doable? Yes. Pain in my booty? Definitely. lol


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bernstem
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Re: Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by bernstem » March 13th, 2017, 1:49 pm

There are no shortcuts to a good garden, and all gardening starts with the soil. Proper soil prep will do more for you in the long run than anything else you can do.

If you really want to find out if you have clay, Logan Labs can run a physical analysis at your next soil test. Judging from your last soil test and TEC of only 9.7, though, you probably don't have clay. Clay soils have a TEC of around 20 or more. I would rather have a TEC of 9.7 than 20+, so be happy. High clay content soils can be very difficult to work with.

I would also add a bit of Peat Moss to the compost you are planning to incorporate. Something like 1 inch of Peat Moss and 3 inches of compost should be good. Your current pH is 6.6 and most composts are on the higher pH range (if you are lucky you might be able to get a compost analysis which will give you the pH). Peat Moss is low pH and will help to balance the compost and keep the pH in the ideal range.

Casutherland
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Re: Pansies Don't Look Healthy

Post by Casutherland » March 13th, 2017, 2:45 pm

bernstem wrote:
March 13th, 2017, 1:49 pm
There are no shortcuts to a good garden, and all gardening starts with the soil. Proper soil prep will do more for you in the long run than anything else you can do.

If you really want to find out if you have clay, Logan Labs can run a physical analysis at your next soil test. Judging from your last soil test and TEC of only 9.7, though, you probably don't have clay. Clay soils have a TEC of around 20 or more. I would rather have a TEC of 9.7 than 20+, so be happy. High clay content soils can be very difficult to work with.

I would also add a bit of Peat Moss to the compost you are planning to incorporate. Something like 1 inch of Peat Moss and 3 inches of compost should be good. Your current pH is 6.6 and most composts are on the higher pH range (if you are lucky you might be able to get a compost analysis which will give you the pH). Peat Moss is low pH and will help to balance the compost and keep the pH in the ideal range.
Thank you for the detailed information. Keep in mind that for my soil test, I took samples at around 3 inches deep and took those samples in the lawn which i have been applying all my product too. I haven't been as diligent with treating my flower beds. I have some work cut out for me thought to rake up that mulch and put down a layer of compost!

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