In article ,
Bill who putters wrote:
In article ,
"Steve Peek" wrote:
"Billy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Steve Peek" wrote:
"Jeff Thies" wrote in message
...
I put in a peach and some blueberries a year ago. They look like
they
are now acclimated and growing well, The Peach (perhaps 2" trunk, 9'
tall)
is loaded with small fruit about the size of a nickle. The
Blueberries,
perhaps 3' tall. Lot of peat moss in holes, particularly the
blueberries.
I'm unsure how much water they need. Googling has left me very
confused
on this. I'm in 7b, Atlanta, day temps currently in the upper 70's,
warmer
later, summer will bring some 90's.
I think I've got a fair idea of how much water cukes and tomatoes
need.
But I'm clueless for these. Last year I gave everything the same
amount
of
water (drip irrigation). I'm thinking this year they will need more.
How
do I gauge this? Should I put smaller drippers at the edge of the root
ball? I'm thinking waiting for stress symptoms is not a great plan and
I'd
like to not screw this up. Some day, I'd like to learn from success
rather
than failure!
Also, when should I thin the fruit on the Peach?
Jeff
I really don't know about peaches, but I'm fairly knowledgeable on the
blueberry front. 90% of blueberry roots occur in the top 8-9 inches of
soil,
thus they are quite susceptible to drought. Apply a heavy mulch of
organic
(acidic) material (pine needles are great) and water 1-2 inches per week
if
nature doesn't supply. They also need a pH of 5.5 (4.8 seems to be
optimum)
or lower in order to be able to convert nutrients.
Drip irrigation works quite well. I have about 700 plants and each has a
1
gallon per hour dripper. A deep well pump in the stream pushes water
1200
feet (only 125 foot in rise) up the hill into numerous t's and into
about
a
mile of 1/2 inch tubing. I use a company in Oregon called Dripworks for
all
my irrigation supplies.
I would think peaches are like other fruits, thin them to about 4 inches
after the "June drop".
Hope this helps,
Steve
Planted potatoes near my blue berries because they have similar pH
requirements. Now the potatoes are amongst the blueberry bushes for
good, as I can't think how I can harvest them without damaging the
blueberries.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html
Wish I could help, but the Ag ext service in NC doesn't even recommend
cultivating near blueberry plants. Maybe you could pull up the potato
plants
and feel around in the resulting crater?
Good luck,
Steve
Think of the potatoes as a cover crop.
Got me thinking about spacing and distance and poor soils vs. great. My
main issue now is Sun and a raised bed encourages heavy planting to me.
Guess arable space is crucial along with light etc. Micro climates and
Hopi come to mind. Wandering.
Welllll, since you mention it. I'm sure others have similar challenges.
What grows for you in low light conditions? Fully a third of my yard is
in shadow to dappled light.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html