In article
,
Billy wrote:
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.
Plant life requirements sort of like the much debated food pyramids.
Musings. LD50 creeps in as a thought way off topic.
I'd guess here
70-80 % sunlight as a foundation
10-20 % as a viable soil rich in life read teaming with life bugs rot
etc
5 % water and wind hydration effect
5% seed viability
How would you folks correct me? Yes heat and cold a factor but they
just shorten or lengthen plant life without protection or manipulating
the above guess.
Worship of the sun king may not be misplaced. If the above is half
correct we have been toying about with 30% man interference and the
rest a gift. Just planted some lettuce and oriental greens in partial
light. Thinking about taking down some more trees but for some reason
only take down dead wood. Ecotopia book ( Wish there was a movie)
sort has influenced me and the loss of my dads garden has challenged my
givens. He had LIGHT and all the rest mentioned.
What would your pyramid look like with your current understanding?
--
Bill Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA