Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 13:00:04 -0800 From: Doug <dburdic@presys.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4450$foo@default> Subject: Re: Nep. soil
Hi,
I am no soil scientist by any stretch of the imagination, but I remember
a few things from when I was getting my Hort degree about 2:1 expanding
clay soils( Lateritic soil/clay may or may not be in this catagory), one
of which was the characteristic of the individual clay particles to
expand and contract in relationship to the moisture level. When this
type of media is used in a pot, you end up with gaps and fissures in the
clay that usually destroys the root system in a short time. I tried this
with some of the clay soil which Darlingtonia is found growing in near
the Southern Oregon Serpentine bogs. The experiment was a complete
failure due to this behavior of clay soils when confined in a container
growing situation.
Again, I don't know about Laterite soil/clay, so this may not apply.
Doug
ps: I wonder if Laterite soil is synonymous with what we used to refer
to as Jory soil? The description given for Laterite soil is identical
to this stuff that used to cling to our boots when out taking soil
samples Northwest USA. Guess I move ten feet and look it up, but that is
too easy.
========================================================================
mark.fisher@tpwd.state.tx.us wrote:
>
> Trent Meeks wrote:
>
> > ...I'm convinced the reason most of the hard to grow species are so
> > difficult is because of soil. Check out N. merrilliana, petiolata
> > and northiana. Our traditional mixes just are not what they like.
> > ..."iron -magnesium" soil found in the red hills on northern
> > Mindinao.....limestone hills near Bau, Sarawak... What is unique
> > about the soil?
>
> Trent,
>
> I am not a soil scientist, but I believe the red soil found in Nep
> habitat is called laterite. From a soil science reference I found,
> "It is a red soil found in tropical and subtropical regions that has
> been leached of soluble minerals, aluminum hydroxides and silica. It
> is primarily composed of iron oxides and iron hydroxides. Often red,
> iron rich clays or soils are erroneously referred to as laterite;
> however, only those soils which have undergone considerable weathering
> over thousands of years are true laterites. Lateritic soils or
> latersoils are commonly fine clays (< 2 microns); however, latersoils
> may have any texture. There are sources of latersoils in many
> locations throughout the world which were deposited thousands or
> millions of years ago during times when the global climate was
> significantly warmer."
>
> Laterite is a very infertile soil, and tropical regions depend on the
> high turnover of nutrients for productivity, rather than the inherent
> fertility of the soil. The failure of farm crops to grow well in
> cleared rain forest soils is famous.
>
> You can get laterite at some aquarium shops (laterite is often used as
> a gravel additive, for better plant growth), but it is very expensive.
> A cheaper alternative is to get "red art clay" used by potters. It's
> the same soil, just much cheaper.
>
> I have no clue if Neps do better in laterite than our usual potting
> mixtures, but it may be worth a try.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark
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