I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.



Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

Peat moss. Resist the temptation to fertilize until next spring, then
use cottonseed meal. Old sawdust (sawdust that has been sitting
outside for 6 months) is a good mulch for blueberries. If you have
naturally alkaline soil, your plants may not perform so well.

On Sat, 08 Mar 2003 23:42:19 GMT, "Vernon Brown"
wrote:

I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.



Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the blueberries
are happy.

Pine needles. Peat moss will do. Sawdust willtemporarily bind up the nitrogen.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Depends how much you need to lower it. Cottonseed meal is one.

Bryan

Use high nitrogen fertilizer such as fish emulsion.

Vernon Brown wrote:

I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.

Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

"Vernon Brown" wrote in message ...
I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.



Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

Sulphur is accepted as organic by most of the organic high priests.
It is every bit as much a mineral as greensand or rock phosphate.
It takes about a year to do it's work wnem broadcast over the soil
surface and lightly raked in.
Pine needles would make a fine mulch.

Coffee grounds (or coffee if you breakfast near them :)

--

John T. Jarrett
http://logontexas.com
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"Vernon Brown" wrote in message
...
I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the
blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.



Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

cotten seed mealand peat moss will both help too. But sulphur is probably
the strongest acid.
I've read that it's hopeless to try to make alkaline soil turn acid with
amendments, but if you already have somewhat acid soil, adding cotten seed
meal or peat moss can lower the Ph a bit. Also, "better nurseries" will
have organic fertilizer mixes for acid loving plants. I think Whitney farms
makes one.
-TM

"Alice Gamewell" wrote in message
...
Use high nitrogen fertilizer such as fish emulsion.

Vernon Brown wrote:

I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the
blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.

Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

I was reading Gene Logsdons "Gardener's Guide to Better Soil" just this
morning and he recommends using peat moss as an additive or oak leaves could
be another amendment.

MB

"Vernon Brown" wrote in message
...
I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the
blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.



Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD

Nothing added to soil will keep the pH low enough to grow blueberries unless the
pH is already low. Horticultural sulfur may help, but not likely. Peat moss
has a low pH, but not substantial enough to develop an acid soil forever. It
also gets used up fast in warm climates and adds nothing to the soil structure.

I was considering growing some blueberries in a large container this year. I
still may. It's much easier to keep pH low in a container. They really do need
a 4.5 to 5.0 pH to thrive. There may be some new varieties which can be
relatively productive with higher pH, but they have to be sought out.

Victoria


On Sat, 8 Mar 2003 18:50:08 -0500, "Michael Brant" wrote:

I was reading Gene Logsdons "Gardener's Guide to Better Soil" just this
morning and he recommends using peat moss as an additive or oak leaves could
be another amendment.

MB

"Vernon Brown" wrote in message
.. .
I'm putting a couple blueberries in, and I like to stay organic with my
garden..
What is the best organic way to lower the Ph of the soil so the
blueberries
are happy.
I've read : saw dust is one suggestion.



Thanks
V Brown
Kingsville, MD