My understanding is that 'Dr Huey' tolerates alkaline soils and can grow well in alkaline soils, which is not exactly the same thing as requires alkaline soils and does poorly at any pH below 7.0. That would mean 'Dr Huey' was poorly adapted to most of the eastern half of the country. I may have falsely given the impression that I feel that pH is the whole story. In fact, I think soil texture may be more important than the pH issue with 'Dr Huey'.

Like many builders, the one that constructed our house had not sense of horticulture. He needed to change the grade, so he brought in terrible non-draining fill on top of which he spread about six inches of topsoil from another site. the original soil on our lot was a Downer Loamy Sand which was 88-90% sand, 8-10 % silt and 1-2% clay with about 1% organic matter and pH of 4.5 to 5.0. This is a productive fast draining early warming soil when fertility and irrigation are provided.

In prep for the rose garden, the builders topsoil, a Sandy Loam with about 66% sand, 30% silt, and 4% clay was removed and piled. The poor draining fill was removed and disposed of. The resulting hole was 3-4 feet deep. The hole was back filled to within 16 inches of the surface with sand, a readily available commodity in south Jersey, which drained like the Downer Loamy Sand we excavated down to. The piled topsoil was sifted and mixed one third topsoil, one third sand, and one third leaf compost (by volume). Lime was added during mixing to bring the pH to about 6.5. The resulting soil resembled the original Downer Loamy Sand, but 16 inches deep and fast draining with enhanced organic matter and water holding capacity throughout the 16 inch deep topsoil profile. Water is provided by permanent trickle irrigation monitored by tensiometers. I have found it to be an outstanding soil for growing almost anything, but not 'Dr Huey'.

We also have a display rose garden at the front of Rutgers Agricultural Research Farm where the soil is less sandy, classified as a Loam with 2% organic matter. This soil is about 50 % sand, 40% silt and 10 % clay, not a heavy soil by national standards, bu heavy for south Jersey. 'Dr Huey' performs better in the heavier soil at the research farm.

I think soil texture may be more important than pH within reason.

BAM