Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Many of us use outdoor greenery for decorations during the holidays. In the South, conifers usually bring to mind pine trees and filling-station junipers. Our high summer temperatures and the heavy clay soils found in many parts of the State make life hard for plants that naturally grow on well-drained slopes in aeas with cooler temperatures. When summer temperatures are high at night, some conifers don’t get to shut down their energy-producing respiration cycle needed to support the cooling process of transpiration. The oxygen required for plants respiration cycle comes from pore spaces in the soil – heavier soils, especially if poorly drained, have lower oxygen supplies than more porous and well-drained growing sites. If you are trying to grow conifers, you may need to create raised planting areas with improved air-movement and drainage to be successful.
Conifers Need Good Drainage to Grow
