Blueberries
 

This weeks Screws of the World has an article about growing
Blueberries.

Where would one get the plants?

Can they be grown in the ground?

Any other information about them would be appreciated.

--
alan

reply to alan(dot)holmes27(at)virgin(dot)net

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

This weeks Screws of the World has an article about growing
Blueberries.

Where would one get the plants?

Can they be grown in the ground?

Any other information about them would be appreciated.


You need very acid soil and, I believe, moist conditions and/or frequent
watering to get a good crop. there are a few suppliers at around £5/ bush.

--
Anton

In article ,
anton wrote:


You need very acid soil and, I believe, moist conditions and/or frequent
watering to get a good crop. there are a few suppliers at around £5/ bush.

I believe that the need for acidity is a myth - they can handle it,
unlike most plants, but can grow in neutral soil with enough humus
and moisture. That is from books, though.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I planted 6 bushes in nutral soil and within two seasons they had all died.
I tried to add acidic builders to that part of the garden, but it didnt seem
to help. I wish I knew what the problem was. The books asy that they do
better a pH of 4.5 to about 6. Ours is 7.5. Let us know how they came out.

Dwayne

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article ,
anton wrote:


You need very acid soil and, I believe, moist conditions and/or frequent
watering to get a good crop. there are a few suppliers at around £5/
bush.

I believe that the need for acidity is a myth - they can handle it,
unlike most plants, but can grow in neutral soil with enough humus
and moisture. That is from books, though.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

mine (Bluecrop, from Homebase) nearly died in normal soil, seems to be much
perkier this year in a big pot of ericaceous
hasn't cropped yet, but season is August according to label


"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

This weeks Screws of the World has an article about growing
Blueberries.

In article ,
"Dwayne" writes:
|
| I planted 6 bushes in nutral soil and within two seasons they had all died.
| I tried to add acidic builders to that part of the garden, but it didnt seem
| to help. I wish I knew what the problem was. The books asy that they do
| better a pH of 4.5 to about 6. Ours is 7.5. Let us know how they came out.

Yup. It happens. However, I know people that HAVE grown them in
not-acid soil. I also know other people sho have failed, like you.

It turns out that there are many reasons for acid-loving plants to
like acid soils, and they are all secondary to the 'acidity'. For
example, some calcifuges are quite happy with dolomitic (magnesian)
limestone. In many others, and I think that blueberries are among
them, they can tolerate neutral conditions if they have enough
humus in the soil. That usually means a LOT, so they are often
easier to grow in large tubs.

Note that I am not saying that I know how to grow them in neutral
soil, so much as that I know it is possible if you find the right
trick.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , (Nick
Maclaren) wrote:

In many others, and I think that blueberries are among
them, they can tolerate neutral conditions if they have enough
humus in the soil. That usually means a LOT

If you add a lot of humus to the soil in the form of compost/manure,
isn't that likely to make it acid anyway?

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

In article ,
Steve Harris wrote:
In article , (Nick
Maclaren) wrote:

In many others, and I think that blueberries are among
them, they can tolerate neutral conditions if they have enough
humus in the soil. That usually means a LOT

If you add a lot of humus to the soil in the form of compost/manure,
isn't that likely to make it acid anyway?

Yes and no. Fen peats are not classed as acid soils. My point is
that the 'acidity' of soils is not a simple matter, and the reasons
that plants like 'acid' soils is even more complex. It is very,
very rarely as simple as the books make out.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.