Hmmm we're alkaline. Have not read anything about a strong ph preference, but then my soil isn't all that far off neutral. My mother is able to grow them in Kansas City, but they don't winter over for her. The humidity is higher there. I don't know about winter hardiness here because I can't get them through the summer. It isn't dormancy- the leaves turn black, shrivel up, and the root disappears.
We don't have soil nematodes or anything like that.
Actually now that i think about it, they end up on the clearance rack in the stores within 2 weeks of shipment. That would make me think it's the dry air, or hot roots in the pots?
