[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

Jenny, assuming that is your name, there care several factors that need 
clarifying. The condition you describe is commonly called channeling--a 
phenomena where the water finds the route of least resistance between the 
root meria and the pot wall. The water goes straight through eroding the 
channel larger and larger while the nterior remains bone dry and the plant 
dies a slow agonizing death from critical thirst. It is very easy to 
correct. Get a blunt stick, a 1x1 inch stake or a hoe handle and, when the 
soil is just damp--not wet,  pack the soil tightly all the way around the 
interior pot wall. Force the stake down as far as it will go. Now, fill-in 
and pack lightly the space you have created along the pot wall with a 
potting medium similar to the existing soil and tamp it down firmly until 
the voids are full to the average pot level. You may destroy a few root tips 
but this "false pruning" may give the plant new life. Then, irrigate as 
follows.

Put a hose end in the pot, adjust the flow to maintain a shallow level of 
water and leave it until you are assured the entire interior is soaked and 
well flushed. Your pot should have adequate drainage holes. If possible, set 
the pot to irrigate and drain efficiently while nestled in soil to provide a 
wicking effect percolating the water by gravity all the way through to flush 
accummulated salts. Don't irrigate again until the soil is quite dry an inch 
or two deep. Repeat the watering procedure. Your plant should explode before 
your very eyes if it hasn't gone too far. Fertilize as directed before the 
plant drys and water it in well. My most effective method to feed potted 
plants is to dilute a soluble all-purpose fertilizer at the rate of 1/4th 
teaspoon per gallon and apply every time I water.

Most plants prefer full sun but there are a couple things you can do if not. 
Black plastic in full sun is deadly--even in San Diego or Montana fully 
exposed in July. Set the pot so that the foliage gets full morning sun and 
afternoon shade with the most light it can tolerate. You can slap a quick 
coat of white latex on black plastic pots to reflect most of the heat. 
Burlap or a strip of white paper frostcover draped around the pots and held 
in place with clothes pins is effective and not too unattractive.

Many plants will tolerate full sun if foliage is fully inbibed with water 
where the constant transpiration acts as its cooling system. But you have to 
study your plants like a doctor views his patient to look for signs of 
trauma. As soon as the leaf begins to wilt or loose luster, it is in 
decline, a weakening during which it is more vulnerable to attack be insects 
and pathogens.

If this creates any more questions that I've not addressed, do not hesitate 
to respond. Any other gardener who can clarify these issues or add 
intelligent substance to this discussion should feel an obligation to 
respond as well.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
University of Arizona Maricopa County
Cooperative Extension

jenniyo at gmail.com
My potted patio plants are suffering!!!
They can't seem to soak up the water they need.  when i water them they 
drain water as fast as I pour it---it seems to be running out between the 
dirt and the pot.  I've heard of this condidtion being called "hydrophobic" 
but can't find any info to treat the problem and get my plants the h20 they 
need in this arid climate!  I know it has something to do with too much peat 
moss in my potting soil.  some of the soil was from a mix i bought and some 
of the plants i've bought directly from a nursery.  HELP me---it's a matter 
of life a death for my plants!!!

By the way--- my patio sees 5 hours of afternoon sun a day and my all my 
pots are plastic.  Some have a compost mulch-which seems to help a little 
and others have bark which i notice doesn't do any good. Tanks for your 
help --i'm new to AZ