Blueberry questions
- Millymollymandy
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Of course, it's the peat in it that makes it acidic. But do you really still use peat???Gytrash wrote: The article reckoned you could just buy a bag of bog-standard ('scuse the pun! ) peat, which is acidic anyway. (Not 'multi-purpose' compost, which has lime added).
The peat is cheaper than the ericaceous compost but does exactly the same job. As most of the added nutrients in bagged composts only last 6 weeks or so, you'll still be feeding after 6 weeks whatever compost you use.
MMM - yes, that should be ideal. I just mulched my blueberries with shredded conifer.
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
- maggienetball
- Barbara Good
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We grow blueberries in our fruit cage on the alottment. When we prepared the cage we were aware that we didn't have the right soil type for blueberries (and the cranberries we planted with them). So we piled in chipped conifer, pine needles and ericaceous compost.
Now, each year we sprinkle a sachet of powder (organic I'm told) into the bed to top up the acidity. It's bought at our local gardening centre and costs about £1. It seems to do the trick though because we've had a crop every year. Our blueberries are self fertilising as are the cranberries that are planted with them.
Can't remember what it's called but it's probably something like ericaceous compound/soil improver. It must be available anywhere ther is a need for acid soil.
Anyway, hope this helps
Now, each year we sprinkle a sachet of powder (organic I'm told) into the bed to top up the acidity. It's bought at our local gardening centre and costs about £1. It seems to do the trick though because we've had a crop every year. Our blueberries are self fertilising as are the cranberries that are planted with them.
Can't remember what it's called but it's probably something like ericaceous compound/soil improver. It must be available anywhere ther is a need for acid soil.
Anyway, hope this helps
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- Tom Good
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Personally, no. I was just passing on what the article saidina wrote:Of course, it's the peat in it that makes it acidic. But do you really still use peat???Gytrash wrote: The article reckoned you could just buy a bag of bog-standard ('scuse the pun! ) peat, which is acidic anyway. (Not 'multi-purpose' compost, which has lime added).
The peat is cheaper than the ericaceous compost but does exactly the same job. As most of the added nutrients in bagged composts only last 6 weeks or so, you'll still be feeding after 6 weeks whatever compost you use.
MMM - yes, that should be ideal. I just mulched my blueberries with shredded conifer.
Some of my customers still think that peat-based compost is the only way to do things. You just have to gently edumacate them!
- godfreyrob
- Barbara Good
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I got myself a blueberry and a cranberry bush from woolies last week (very cheap) and I was wondering how to make the soil acidic. We live near Ilkley moor and I wondered about picking up some of the peaty stuff around the bracken (just a carrier bag full).
If this would make the soil acidic enough, would feeding it via some organic fertiliser do the job. I have a source of pelleted sheep 'dags' manure - can that be used?
If this would make the soil acidic enough, would feeding it via some organic fertiliser do the job. I have a source of pelleted sheep 'dags' manure - can that be used?
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- Tom Good
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godfreyrob wrote:I got myself a blueberry and a cranberry bush from woolies last week (very cheap) and I was wondering how to make the soil acidic. We live near Ilkley moor and I wondered about picking up some of the peaty stuff around the bracken (just a carrier bag full).
If this would make the soil acidic enough, would feeding it via some organic fertiliser do the job. I have a source of pelleted sheep 'dags' manure - can that be used?
The ph of most of the soil in and around north Leeds, including Ilkley, is on the acidic side anyway, so I reckon you'll be fine growing 'em without having to make drastic alteration to your soil conditions, godfreyrob.
Cheers
Dave
Wow, that's handy to know; Starbucks come in useful for something then? On the subject of blueberries, all are self-fertile, if you get a second one it will increase the crop size of your first one, but only by 10-15%Wormella wrote:Might be worth using coffee grounds too, Stabucks give away free coffee grounds to gardeners so it's worth asking in store.
- Jove
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blueberry
I also finished building my fruitcage around my berries (red berry (in flemish : jenever berry) , blueberry, raspberry....the last few years I tried it with nets only but that was such a mess and birds still got in and stole the fruit. This year will be different, my feathered friends
I don't put compost or anything around the plants, but I always throw the ashes from my pellet-stove on the soil, that seems to be very good for berry-plants. For the last few years I had a nice harvest !
I don't put compost or anything around the plants, but I always throw the ashes from my pellet-stove on the soil, that seems to be very good for berry-plants. For the last few years I had a nice harvest !
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- Living the good life
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Cranberries and blueberries usually do fine in pots, I've even heard that cranberries will do very well in a hanging basket, though I've never tried it. It's much easier to control the growing conditions if they're left potted, if mine seem to be struggling I simply pot them on, and cuttings take well so once you've bought the initial one replacements are free.