Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Eedoryeong]

Okay for those of you who live in Korea and have an actual patch of dirt you can grow something on...

...does anyone know how to get your soil pH tested here? We're thinking of growing a rose bush/vine along our yard wall.

I've read that 5 hours of sunlight is necessary for roses (we got that for this wall) and that they need a certain pH soil, and depending if it falls to more acidic or more base-like (basic?), changes what I'll get to correct it for success.

Perhaps not standard Dave's fare, but certainly complicated by being in Korea.

Helpful replies only, please.

Thanks!

[OnTheOtherSide]

I used to grow roses back home and they grew like weeds, they tend to be very hardy and handle it wherever you plant then fairly well. I would say to just prep the soil well and go for it.

You actually have a yard here? You're lucky. I'm growing stuff in pots.

[prideofidaho]

Sorry, I can't really help with the rose-bushes, but I can add that growing up we had lots of them, and we're not what you would call a family of greenthumbs...also, they were in a partly shady area of the yard...a place that got maybe 5-7 hours of daylight max.

I euthanised the last plant I owned and I need salvation from my sin.

Can someone point me in the direction of some good urban gardening lit? I've got the space for a multitude of pots and planters.

cheers!

[Eedoryeong]

[RJjr]

I've never tested soil, so I can't help you on that. But I will say that roses are tough plants. As long as it's where some rain can hit it, it'll probably live for decades. If you think the dirt looks and feels good enough, it probably is.

[doc_ido]

The soil in Korea tends to be thin and rocky, and the rainfall is relatively high - this would suggest that it's acidic. However, I've never verified this.

You could possibly get litmus paper from a pharmacist and attempt to test a soil solution (dig a small hole and fill it with distilled water), or have a go at borrowing a pH meter from your local high school (be careful not to break the glass bulb if it's meant for liquids).

If you're going to improve your soil, I would definitely add lots of mulch to get the stuff to retain water and nutrients better.

[schwa]

Garden supply stores should sell simple testing kits & would understand the term "pH."

[refikaM]

As an avid gardener back home, I'm sometimes in awe that anything grows in a lot of the soil I've seen here. It appears to lack organic nutrients of any kind. Roses are hardy, but they do like soil on the acidic side, which shouldn't be a prob here. Adding a large amount of any kind of organic material will help.. composted mulch derived from bark and manures is best, so if you can find some, I'd dig a few shovels full into each hole before planting... along with a manure or organic fertilizer if you can find any.. That should be sufficient in adjusting any PH deficiencies enough so that your roses will thrive... Roses love bone meal as well, but good luck finding that! Also, roses receiving anything less than 7 hrs of full sun will be leggy with smaller blooms and prone to black spot and powdery mildew.

[Otherside]

[Eedoryeong]

Man, I just passed by my VP and he had a rake turned over and was agitating the soil of the school green house (where the students keep their plant projects). I realized at this moment that I know nothing about gardening.

So there's hoeing, there's de-weeding (I have no idea how often I do that? Once a year? Once a week?) there's watering and there's seeding. And putting grass/mulch compost. Is that it?

[BigBuds]

If you go to the animal/aquarium section of E-mart you'll find Ph testing kits.

They're designed for water but all you need to do is put some of the soil in a pot (decent sized pot) and pour some water through it. Let the water drain to the tray at the bottom and sit for a few minutes. Then test the water as the kit's instructions say. It'll give you a reasonably accurate reading. Don't worry if there's a little bit of soil in the water you're testing.

[Zutronius]

[blackjack]

[Eedoryeong]

former Mokpoite -

Here is the stuff that's growing right now in my garden

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43665756@N00/2888917396/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43665756@N00/2888917258/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43665756@N00/2888083067/

I'm not sure if it's a weed, and if it's a weed, what type of weed it is. The thing is, it's growing right where I planted green onion seeds.

If anybody knows what this is I'm sure I could find out online how to correctly kill it without using a whole bunch of chemicals. Actually I really don't want to do a whole lot of chemicals.

[refikaM]

It's definitely NOT an onion of any kind.. almost looks like sweet potato, but the leaves are a bit different... Can you take it to a nursery to have it identifiied? Get a Korean person to help you if need it?