Well drained

Does any one have any good recipes for a "well drained" soil medium? Depth, size of hole in conjuction with existing bulb/root ball, size in conjuction with how big bulb/root ball will get? My thought has always been that if you make a nice size hole with a good mix of grit and soil that the top will drain well but given enough rain the hole will just fill up underneeth? So surely thats defeating the object? I think that makes sence??

Ive resently bought a few beautys including: Tulipa Creticum, Arum Dioscoridis, Dracunculus Vulgaris, Crinum Bulbispermum, Brunsvigia Grandiflora and my fave Crinum Procerum var Splendens.
Obviously i want to give them the best medium as possable and through thorough research via good old Google "well drained" soil is advised for them all, but I cant find anything on how to achive the best possable mix?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

 

I'm still learning, so don't take my advise as 'gospel'

use John Innes#3 .... mix in 30% perlite and a bit of well rotted manure, but dig the hole deep and wide

John Innes #3 is a bit 'heavy' for the first few weeks, but drainage improves

if you are looking at a medium to 'retain' mositure, then use the above, but use vermiculite instead of perlite

I stand to be corrected, but that is what I use?

 

'Well drained' goes way beyond a simple well draining soil mix
If you dig a hole in a heavy clay soil and fill it with a 'well draining' soil mix it will simply create a 'sump' which will fill with water and defeat the object of the exercise
The sub soil MUST be capable of good drainage. To create this in a heavy clay soil you have to be able to create a drain to a lower level, either by way of piping or by making suitable stone drains
Advice to 'add grit and stones to create good drainage' is therefore, by itself, not enough
The whole picture is really a matter of common sense

 

Totally agree, Whis4ey.
It's the base levels that are key and without that the rest is redundant ..... some of those will need quite sharp drainage indeed.

Technic, those lovely plants you've chosen will need a fair bit of winter protection, especially if you're not in the one of the mild southern counties - it might be worthwhile digging them up each year and replanting again in the spring.
To be honest i don't have that level of discipline but admire those that do.

 

I think the OP was asking for a soil/compost mixture that has good drainage?

but getting back to your point, sadly, much of the UK gardens are situated on clay soil .... we would all like to install antique roman drainage sytems with clay sewerage pipes, several meters below ground level, but that is not practical

so, for example: if you buy a shrub that is in a 3 litre sized pot, and dig a deep wide hole and fill with a free draining mixture .... and, if the hole is 800mm-1m cubed, it will take a monsoon of rain to fill the hole with water....

the roots of the plant/shrub will have a good area where it is 'free' draining, and stand a very good chance of thriving

that is the 'practical'/common sense solution

 

I've got a north facing border which has clay soil underneath and the drainage is quite poor. The soil at the top is quite free draining though and I planted out some Rhododendrons last year which have done well. This year I've planted out an Elaeagnus and an Escallonia so if we have a wet soggy autumn/winter that will tell whether it's free draining enough.

Part of the reason that it's free draining at the top level is that I have worked in quite a bit of organic matter (compost and farmyard manure), I guess down to about 30cm ish all the way along.

Another reason for the free draining is that the garden slopes slightly from the fence down to the house. I have also built up the border into a slight 'mound' so that the water runs off rather than sits (which you might want to consider?). I do have to water more frequently in the summer (especially since my neighbour has mature plants on his side of the fence so they compete for moisture), but have found that in autumn/winter the plants don't get waterlogged (Rhodos don't like being waterlogged so I'm sure they would tell me if they were).

In fact I've had to work some water retaining gel around one Rhodo at the top of the slope which was drying out too quickly.

Anyway, hope you find the above of some use.

 

Sorry Dim if you found my reply to be somewhat irritating to you
Merle ... your 'slope' would help considerably. In addition, other solutions to poor draining soil is to use raised beds, or to plant high and mound up around the root ball ( to get above the water table, and allow water to get away)
It really IS all common sense you know

 

LOL ... I never get irritated ... was just trying to advise the OP as regards a possible suitable free draining mix to help with the planting of bulbs

 

I've got clay subsoil but I dont get waterlogging, I've never broken up the subsoil either, it would be a mammoth task as the clay is full of lumps of sandstone of some kind.
Infact the clay is good as it holds moisture during the summer and tree roots can really get a hold.

I think a lot depends on your situation, ie at the bottom of a hill etc.
But under normal circumstances if you dont get standing water after rain, the drainage is probably OK.

 

Thanks for your advice everyone.

Luckly Louise I am almost as far south as you can get in the Uk, Penzance (Cornwalll), I doubt id be trying said bulbs if I wasnt.

Regarding the soil composition I am lucky enough to have a good rich soil which seems to continue down at least a couple of feet which I discoverd when I put my fence up.

I think though, on the advice been given, I will start digging my holes abit deeper as the rest already seems to be in place.

 

You have it spot on here Pete
Your sandstone clumps probably help too, and your plants are obviously above the water table, so get the advantage of the rich fertility of a good clay soil and good drainage