WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:07.200 Broadcasting from Studio A. Here at proven Winners, Color Choice Shrubs. 2 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:11.560 It's time for the Gardening Simplified Show with Stacy, Hervella me, 3 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:16.760 Rick Weist, and our engineer and producer Adrianna Robinson. Well, 4 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:20.960 when push comes to shovel, the guidance provided by soil 5 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:27.559 tests to horticultural professionals and gardening enthusiasts is sometimes compared 6 00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:32.520 to well blood tests that physicians give us. And in 7 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:34.000 this vein see what I did. 8 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:36.399 I definitely did, thank you very much. 9 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:39.880 A soil test is like a blood test for the soil, 10 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:44.840 and there's primary purposes for doing a soil test, maintaining 11 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:53.119 proper soil fertility, guiding your plant selections, performing plant problem diagnostics, 12 00:00:53.159 --> 00:00:59.399 and for conforming to industry approved standard practices. Now you 13 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:02.840 can get your yourself a soil test, and I recommend 14 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:08.200 personally getting a soil test from a university because they're 15 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:12.200 affordable and they're going to give you more information than 16 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:18.040 you ever imagined possible about your soil. It's fascinating to 17 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:21.439 get a soil test and they're affordable. Stacy, my preference 18 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:24.840 is to do that and to use your method that 19 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.959 you've taught. All of our listeners and viewers, and that 20 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:32.519 is to type in soil test semi colon, then cite 21 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:34.000 dot edu. Correct. 22 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:37.439 Well, so you do soil tests and then cite site 23 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:39.000 and then semi colon dot edu. 24 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:43.400 Yeah, and it's perfect. I did that and Penn State University, 25 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:48.120 Ohio State University, North Carolina State University. My go to 26 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:52.200 has always been Michigan State University because of where I live. 27 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:54.239 I did a quick check and a soil test to 28 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:58.519 get a little cardboard box instructions. Twenty six bucks. 29 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:01.439 Get affordable, not bad, you know. I think people do 30 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:03.519 think of soil tests as like, oh, that's something that 31 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:07.079 very serious gardeners do, and it's just good to have 32 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:09.599 a soil test. And honestly, if you test your soil, 33 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.400 it's probably good for the lifetime of your garden in 34 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.840 that place. It's not like your soil, you know, is 35 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:16.759 going to change so much that you're going to need 36 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:19.319 subsequent soil tests. So it's something that you invest in 37 00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:22.319 once you get the results and you can rely on 38 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:24.520 them for years to come. And I think another really 39 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:27.080 important part of the soil test that a lot of 40 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:29.759 people don't realize if they haven't gotten one, is that 41 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:33.479 it's not just telling you what you have. It's also 42 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:36.719 giving you specific results, specific advice on what to fix 43 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:39.719 if something is wrong or you want to change things. 44 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:42.360 So it's not like, Okay, now I have these results, 45 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:44.400 what do I do and you're just you know, left 46 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:46.240 out in the dark, not knowing what to do with 47 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:48.439 that information. It will you know if you want to 48 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:50.240 change your pH it will tell you how much you 49 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:52.840 know line to apply, it will tell you how much 50 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.759 nitrogen to apply, and so it will give you actionable results, 51 00:02:56.759 --> 00:02:58.479 so you're not just like, Okay, what do I do. 52 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.360 With this exactly? So sending in your soil is probably 53 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:04.599 a good idea. By the way, it was interesting I 54 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:08.520 went to Cornell University site and they were talking about 55 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:12.719 prohibited areas for transport of soil in the United States. 56 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:16.159 So if you're in one of those prohibited areas, you 57 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.159 probably would not be able to do this. I think 58 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:22.840 North Carolina State University does a great job explaining soil 59 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:26.000 tests for the general gardener, and we'll put the link 60 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:31.000 there at our website Gardening Simplified on air dot com. 61 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:34.840 So soil testing, I think right off the bat, Stacey, 62 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:37.560 we've got to make sure to say that there's a 63 00:03:37.639 --> 00:03:39.919 right way and a wrong way to take soil tests. 64 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:45.479 You want to be using clean tools. And in addition 65 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:47.520 to that, you don't want to just take a small 66 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:50.280 sample from one spot. You're not going to get a 67 00:03:50.280 --> 00:03:53.199 good soil test that way. We're going to take multiple 68 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:56.599 samples and we're going to put them together. We don't 69 00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:59.719 want to put them in a plastic bag because they 70 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:01.919 don't want the soil to be wet. As a matter 71 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:04.039 of fact, they're going to dry the soil when they 72 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:06.400 test it. That's why generally you're going to get a 73 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:10.400 folded cardboard box when you order one of these. Then 74 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:12.479 when you get your soil test back, they're going to 75 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:15.800 tell you what soil class you're in. Can you dig it? Huh, 76 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:20.959 Mineral soil low percentage of human matter, mineral, organic soil 77 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:27.000 medium percentage, and then organic soil high humic matter content 78 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:30.199 and stacey. There are many reasons to get a soil test, 79 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.319 but I find, by and large, most people get the 80 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:36.600 soil test to test pH. 81 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:40.000 Yeah, because that is really important information to know. And yeah, 82 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:41.480 I do think all of the rest of the stuff 83 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:44.560 is kind of just interesting to know. You know, here 84 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:46.319 in Michigan and in most of the Midwest, in the 85 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:50.120 East coast, we are unlikely to develop any kind of 86 00:04:50.360 --> 00:04:54.000 weird nutrient deficiencies in our soil. But if you live 87 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:56.439 out west, or in Texas or in a more arid climate, 88 00:04:56.839 --> 00:04:59.319 all sorts of crazy things can happen. And so you know, 89 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:02.079 if you're finding your plants aren't healthy across the board, 90 00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:04.120 you may get a soil test and find out that you're, 91 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:07.839 you know, lacking your soils, lacking in a very essential nutrient. Again, 92 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:10.600 not likely in our in our climate, but it does happen, 93 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:15.079 or maybe too high and a lot of times people 94 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:19.079 don't realize that having a lot of one nutrient in 95 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.000 the soil is not a good thing because it will 96 00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:26.399 actually impact the plant's ability to uptake other essential nutrients. 97 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:29.680 High phosphorus, for example, can make it very difficult for 98 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:33.399 a plant to uptake aluminium or iron. So it's good 99 00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:36.040 to know how all of these things interact. And but yeah, 100 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.920 the pH that's kind of what what you're really hoping 101 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:41.079 to find, because that will let you know what you 102 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:44.600 can grow and if you need to fertilize, what type 103 00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:48.480 of fertilizer you're going to use. You know, people tell 104 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:51.800 me all the time, I'm using Aspoma holly tone on 105 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:54.879 my hydranges, and we've talked about it on the show before. 106 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:57.120 You and I both like Ispoma products an awful lot. 107 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:00.600 Just that's what we use in our own gardens. But 108 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:04.600 hollytone is an acidifying fertilizer, and I'm always telling people 109 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:08.920 please don't use holly tone unless you know you need 110 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:12.879 to acidify your soil, because otherwise you're just needlessly acidifying 111 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.199 it and it can push it to a point where 112 00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:18.279 it becomes unhealthy, you know, through repeated use of other plants. 113 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:21.199 So it's important to know what fertilizer you should use 114 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:22.040 on your garden as well. 115 00:06:22.439 --> 00:06:24.680 So Stacy, when you get the soil test back, make 116 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:28.639 sure to do some analysis but also some research because 117 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.560 there's gonna be stuff on there that you have no 118 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:33.360 idea what it is. I got my test back there 119 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:37.360 was something in there called BS percentage. That's the base 120 00:06:37.560 --> 00:06:44.160 saturation percentage of the CC, the cat ition exchange capacity. 121 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:46.319 These are all things that you're going to have to 122 00:06:46.360 --> 00:06:48.360 research to learn. And by the way, as far as 123 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:51.319 CEC is concerned, we could get real technical on this, 124 00:06:51.800 --> 00:06:54.920 but the bottom line is I have found that generally 125 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:59.240 the rates of the CEC are far higher in soils 126 00:06:59.240 --> 00:07:04.680 that have good humid humous content, clay soils, that sort 127 00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:06.959 of thing, and so these are all things you want 128 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.000 to look at. It will give you a reading on sodium, 129 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:13.079 which may be something of interest for people who live 130 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:15.240 here in the north, and of course we have the 131 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:19.879 salt trucks coming by in the winter, all of those 132 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:23.519 types of things. Nitrogen generally, you're not going to find 133 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:26.519 much as far as nitrogen is concerned, because it's here today, 134 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:31.000 gone tomorrow, something we readily apply. Whereas as you were 135 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:35.759 saying stacee naturally within our soils. The pH is important 136 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:40.439 because these natural elements are in the soil, like magnesium 137 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:45.560 or potassium or potash many times naturally in our soils 138 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:49.839 without having to amend the soils. And then of course 139 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:54.160 a perk test. Now people will do a perk test 140 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:58.199 if they're, for example, installing a septic tank or a 141 00:07:58.279 --> 00:08:02.079 drain field, or putting in founds for a large project. 142 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:06.720 It's overkill for the general homeowner. As a matter of fact, 143 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:08.959 you can do a simple perk test, and that is 144 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:12.040 to dig a hole twelve inches deep, fill it with water, 145 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:15.160 let it drain away. Once you've done that once, then 146 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:19.600 go back fill it again. Watch the rate of the drainage, 147 00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:22.560 and you're going to because again, Stacy, we've said this 148 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:27.199 often on the program. Sure, moisture and nutrients are very 149 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:29.199 important to soils, but so is. 150 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.840 Oxygen absolutely just as essential as water and nutrients. 151 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:37.159 Really exactly so all of those things. Would I encourage 152 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:40.759 you to get one of these soil tests. Absolutely, I 153 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:43.559 would get one of these soil tests. You're going to 154 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:46.000 be well grounded if you do it. You're going to 155 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:49.039 learn a lot as far as your plants are concerned. 156 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:53.840 And you know, if we're going to enjoy plants, Stacy, 157 00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:56.559 I've always said, you have to have a sense of humans. 158 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:00.759 That's you definitely definitely do. And you know, when you 159 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:04.039 do your soil test and you have that information, you're 160 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:07.879 able to make a database decision on how you're going 161 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:10.080 to care for your landscape. And that is so important. 162 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:13.399 Otherwise you're just guessing, and you could be adding chemicals 163 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:15.720 to the soil that that just don't need to be there, 164 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:19.279 that aren't beneficial, wasting your time, wasting your money. So 165 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:21.679 it's good to make a database decision and the only 166 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:23.440 way you can do that is a soil test. 167 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:27.399 And coming up on today's fourth segment, we'll be talking 168 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:30.679 to Deborah Kannapki. She's a soil expert. We're going to 169 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:35.240 be talking about restoring soils. That's coming up in our 170 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:39.639 Branching News segment. But next Stacey's going to give us 171 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:42.159 plants on trial and we'll see how she ties in 172 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:46.159 soil tests with plants. That's next here on the Gardening 173 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:47.120 Simplified Chip. 174 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:55.799 Proven Winners Color Choice Shrubs cares about your success in 175 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:58.320 the garden. That's why we trial and test all of 176 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:00.919 our shrubs for eight to ten years, making sure they 177 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.639 outperform everything else on the market. Look for them and 178 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:08.919 the distinctive white container at your local garden center. Greetings, 179 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:11.759 gardening friends, and welcome back to the Gardening Simplified Show, 180 00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:13.720 where the topic of the day is soil and don't 181 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:16.279 touch that dial. I know you're like, oh my gosh, 182 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:19.639 soil is so boring. Why in the world would I 183 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:22.840 listen to a show about soil? Because I felt that 184 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:25.840 way when I was in horticulture school and it was 185 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:28.200 time for my soil science class. I mean, I was 186 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:32.120 just like, oh, great, soil. Is this going to be fantastic? 187 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:36.000 You know? And I loved every minute of my soil 188 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:40.360 science class. It was honestly for me, the moment where 189 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.360 everything just made sense, and I said, you know, this 190 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.159 is why I want to go into horticulture, and I 191 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:47.960 want to write and I want to help people understand 192 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:51.320 because it is so crucial and it just it makes 193 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.080 so much more sense when you spend a little time 194 00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:55.879 trying to understand it instead of thinking about, you know, 195 00:10:55.960 --> 00:11:00.240 soil is dirt or just that stuff that's out there. 196 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:02.639 You know, soil. It is so fascinating. I could go 197 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:04.159 on no, but I don't have time to do that. 198 00:11:04.279 --> 00:11:07.080 You have to be well grounded. And today we are 199 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:10.320 partners in grime, so to speak. I like it soiling 200 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:12.879 the airwaves, so let's do it. 201 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:15.960 So soil in your garden. The reason that the soil 202 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:18.240 will differ from one place to another is it's all 203 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:21.519 based on the parent material. So that is the rock 204 00:11:22.039 --> 00:11:26.440 that the soil originally was eroded from. Because all soil, 205 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:29.960 actual soil in your ground is mineral based. It is 206 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:33.679 from e roded rock that water and lichens and all 207 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:36.679 of these different factors have over time built and that's 208 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:38.960 why it's so precious and why we have to treat 209 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:42.519 it like it's an asset in our garden and not 210 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.799 just something that happens to be there. And that is 211 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:49.559 also why if you do a soil test, only do 212 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:53.720 your actual soil in the ground. Do not include any 213 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:57.159 potting soil or any potting mix or anything like that, 214 00:11:57.240 --> 00:12:01.200 because the regular standard soil tests that a laboratory will 215 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.440 do will not measure what you need to know in 216 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:09.399 potting mix whatsoever. There are separate laboratories that will measure 217 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:15.200 and interpret your your potting mix chemistry. But a soil test, 218 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:17.559 as we have described it so far is strictly for 219 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:21.960 actual native soil in the ground that was weathered from rock. 220 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:24.600 I always tell people root for the loan team. 221 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:26.720 Oh I like that, Yeah, and it. 222 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:29.000 Helps you remember to do just that. 223 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.279 Yes, and so loam like, that's a whole other thing. Basically, 224 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:35.200 a loam is a soil that has roughly equal parts 225 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:38.320 of sand, silt, and clay. I do not have a loam. 226 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.240 Do you have a loan? 227 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:41.759 I do not have a loan. I have beach sand. 228 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:43.320 Give me a loam. 229 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:44.480 Yes. 230 00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:47.360 I also had a buffalo roam. Almost all beach sand. 231 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:49.360 I mean where I live was a dune. Where you 232 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.639 live used to be a dune, and so, yeah, our 233 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:54.360 soils tend to just be sandy, and so a loam 234 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:58.919 is kind of like a a dream. It's it's a 235 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:04.120 it's a an ideal, an ideal that exists in very 236 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.320 few places. So you know, don't feel bad if you 237 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:08.600 don't have a loam. I don't have a loam, and 238 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.200 I make it work. I love my sandy soil. So 239 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:13.600 easy to weed, so easy to work, and you never 240 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:15.600 really get that dirty when you're working in it. 241 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:17.919 Did you ever do the ball jar test where you 242 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:19.720 measure the sand silk clay. 243 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:20.919 I did in my soil science class. 244 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:21.159 Yeah. 245 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:23.919 Yeah, So you can just take some soil, put it 246 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:26.840 in a ball jar with water, put a drop of 247 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.320 soap in it. That will destroy the soil bonds, and 248 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:31.559 you shake it all up and then all of the 249 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.399 different elements of your soil will segment out and you 250 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:37.879 can actually calculate. Yeah, it's very cool. It's a very 251 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:40.000 cool thing to do. So if your kids are still 252 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:42.000 on vacation and you're looking for something interesting to do, 253 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:44.919 look it up. Get the full instructions. But Anyway, I 254 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:48.840 was talking about ideals, and I think in gardening there's 255 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:51.639 a lot of ideals that we put out there, and 256 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:55.240 one of those is well drained soil. 257 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:59.080 Ah, yes, yes, moist, well drained. 258 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:01.799 Soil, moist, well drain so well. And you know then 259 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:03.320 people are like, well, is it moist or is it 260 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:06.200 well drained? Well soil can be moist and well drained 261 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.360 because the moist part actually applies to the soil particles 262 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:13.759 themselves that they are capable of holding onto water. So 263 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:17.399 usually what that means is Azrik was saying, good humic acid, 264 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:20.960 a lot of organic matter in there, and then the 265 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:24.360 well drained part actually applies to the holes or to 266 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:27.600 the spaces in between those soil particles, and that's how 267 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:30.960 you can have a moist but well drained soil. The 268 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:34.360 particles stay moist, but there's plenty of air spaces in 269 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:37.679 there for the plant to be able to get that 270 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:42.799 crucial crucial oxygen for the roots. And you know this 271 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:45.320 is I mean, I write our plant tags, so I 272 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:47.200 can't even begin to tell you, through the course of 273 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:49.600 my career how many times I have written well drained 274 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:53.080 soil or said well drained soil. It is a lot, 275 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:57.519 but it is so crucial because, like we said, oxygen 276 00:14:57.639 --> 00:15:02.200 is imperative for plants, and some plants are better able 277 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:05.720 to deal with poor drainage than others. So this is 278 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:07.440 one of those directives on the plant tag that you 279 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:09.960 really want to look at because if it says it 280 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:13.759 needs well drained soil and you don't have well drained soil, 281 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:16.799 that plant is not going to thrive. So today's plan 282 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:22.120 on trial is one that well drained soil is absolutely imperative. 283 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:24.799 Don't even think about growing this plant if you don't 284 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:28.120 have well drained soil and it is Lo and Behold 285 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:30.360 pink microchip butterfly bush. 286 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:33.720 I love that plant, especially along borders. It's a great plant. 287 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:35.919 It is a great plant. It is also one of 288 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:39.000 the smallest, if not the smallest butterfly bush on the market, 289 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:42.000 reaching just eighteen to twenty four inches tall, so a 290 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.799 foot and a half to two feet tall and wide, 291 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:46.159 so it's like a little pincushion of a plant practically, 292 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:50.480 and it also fun fact for being such a small 293 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:53.480 plant is one of our longest plant names. Low and 294 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:58.559 Behold Pink microchip butterflies, so you can ask our designer 295 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:00.480 about that. How she tries to fit that out tags. 296 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:04.840 But anyway, I wanted to pick this plant in specific 297 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:08.320 when we're talking about soil and well drained soil, because 298 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:10.960 well drained soil is important to all butterfly bush. But 299 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:13.960 when you have a very small butterfly bush like lo 300 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:17.320 and Behold pink microchip, having that well drained soil is 301 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.519 even more crucial because since it is so small, any 302 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:24.159 damage that occurs from a less than ideal site is 303 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:27.679 going to be much more concentrated on that little, tiny 304 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:30.120 plant than if you get you know, a big you know, 305 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:34.279 say miss Molly four to five foot tall butterfly bush. 306 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.879 So it's really really important if you want to grow 307 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:40.440 this that your soil is well drained, that you do 308 00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:43.279 that test that Rick was just talking about, the home 309 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.879 perk test, yep. And so the great thing about the 310 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:48.519 perk test is you can you might want to do 311 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:51.000 this before you head to the garden center. But if 312 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:52.720 you happen to just get too caught up in the 313 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:54.240 moment and you bring home a plant that says well 314 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:57.000 drained soil and you need to check, and usually you know, 315 00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:58.840 I mean, honestly, I think most people know if they 316 00:16:58.840 --> 00:17:01.360 have well drained soil or not, because like, if you 317 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:03.879 go out after a rain, are you squishing and slashing 318 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:07.640 around or is it just kind of wet in my garden? 319 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:09.839 It is you can barely even tell it rained except 320 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:13.480 that the rain is still clinging to the foliage. So 321 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:15.559 most of us do have some idea, but I think 322 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:18.640 it does get confusing for people with clay soil, because 323 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:21.319 not all clay soils are going to be poorly drained. 324 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:24.640 You can have a soil that is fairly well drained 325 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:27.720 even if you have clay. So those are the people 326 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:30.240 who are really going to want to pay attention to 327 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:32.000 this perk test and do it before you go out. 328 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.599 But the cool thing is if you do this perk test, 329 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:37.599 you can actually use that hold to plant in. It's 330 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:40.920 like pre doing the work for yourself, you know, And 331 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:43.480 so it's not a waste. And it's also very interesting 332 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:48.480 to just watch in general, and you know, you know 333 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:49.839 again what you're dealing with. 334 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:53.559 I think your point is well taken, Stacy, as far 335 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:55.920 as the perk test and drainage is concerned. I have 336 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:59.240 a miss molly in a low area and a mishot 337 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:02.519 violence in a high area, and the miss violet is 338 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:05.400 doing better than Miss one one. Interesting, so I think 339 00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:06.000 it's important. 340 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.160 It is important, and I do want to say to 341 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:10.960 those who find out that they do not have good drainage, 342 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:14.880 that you are not without options to grow a butterfly bush. 343 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:17.640 You can actually grow this butterfly bush in a container. 344 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:20.000 And we do hear from a lot of people who 345 00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:22.000 want to grow butterfly bush, whether it's low and behold 346 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:26.440 pink microchip, today's plant on trial, or a different one 347 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.440 that you know, they want to grow them, so they 348 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.720 grow in containers and it is absolutely possible. Now if 349 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:36.079 you lone beehold pink microchip is about hardy to USDA 350 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.319 Zone five heat tllerant through USDA Zone nine, So if 351 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:42.440 you are colder than zone five, you can grow it 352 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.359 as an annual. Just enjoy it for the season, let 353 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:46.799 it go at the end. And the cool thing about 354 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:49.799 butterfly bush is that they flower so much that it's 355 00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:52.640 almost like, you know, as if you were growing like 356 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:56.119 a mandavilla or a hibiscus or something a tropical plant 357 00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:57.720 that you would normally just let go at the end 358 00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:59.559 of the season because they're just going to flower for 359 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.680 you all summer long. Now, if you live in zone five. 360 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:06.079 You can either transplant it into the ground or you 361 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:09.680 can attempt to overwinter it in the container. Now, if 362 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:12.039 you are in that camp, you're going to want to 363 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:14.839 choose a weather proof container, one that can stay outdoors 364 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:18.480 all year round without breaking or cracking or flaking. And 365 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:20.759 you're going to this is really crucial, want to choose 366 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:25.400 a container that is roughly as deep as it is wide. 367 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.440 So you don't want to choose one of those I 368 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:28.960 see these all the time. They seem like they're really 369 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:33.039 popular right now, super narrow and tall containers. That would 370 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:35.640 be the worst thing because basically what that is going 371 00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:39.559 to do is create a huge volume of soil. It's 372 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:42.559 always wet and the roots never grow into it, and 373 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:46.039 that is basically creating a poor drainage situation because that 374 00:19:46.119 --> 00:19:48.000 soil will stay out and you can grow plenty of 375 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:51.079 other things in there, but definitely not butterfly bush. So 376 00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:54.400 choose something that's about proportional, or if you have a low, 377 00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:57.160 kind of more bowl light container that can work as well. 378 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:00.759 Your goal is to minimize just the soil sitting around 379 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:03.119 the roots to hold on to that moisture. 380 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:04.519 Good. 381 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:06.680 Oh yes, of course, got to have a drainage hole 382 00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:10.279 at the bottom, so it's it's a simple thing to do, 383 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:12.720 and it's a great way to be able to enjoy 384 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:16.400 low and behold pink microchip if your soil conditions don't 385 00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:19.200 comply with your dreams. And we've all been there, so 386 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:21.880 I feel you. So I didn't talk a lot about 387 00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:24.119 what lo and behold pink microchip. Butterfly bush looks like 388 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:26.640 hopefully it is right there in the name pink flowers. 389 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:29.160 But you can find out all that information on our 390 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:32.599 show notes at Gardeningsimplified on air dot com, and we'll 391 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:35.480 also link you to some shrubs and container information there 392 00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:38.200 so you can take all of this and whether you 393 00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:41.759 have well drained soil or not, put a butterfly bush 394 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.039 into your life. We're gonna take a little break when 395 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:45.640 we come back, we're opening up the garden mail bag, 396 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:55.279 so please stay tuned. At proven Winter's Color Choice, we've 397 00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:58.559 got a shrub for every taste and every space. Whether 398 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:02.640 you're looking for an easycare and unforgettable hydrangea or something 399 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.119 new and unique, you can be confident that the shrubs 400 00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:07.519 and the white containers have been trialed and tested for 401 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:10.519