Blueberry Preparation

[vicpivo]

Hi all,

I've ordered some blueberry bushes and prior to collecting them I have learnt about the preparation - all the websites say it loves a highly acidic soil which can be gained from using ericaceous compost.

I've bought myself a PH kit (it's not arrived in the post yet!), but I'm just wandering whether their is a rule of thumb that states how much ericaceous compost I would need to mix with the existing soil.

Currently I am looking to place it in a new raised bed made up of circa 60% well rotted horse manure and 40% multi-purpose compost.

I'm hoping a small amount will increase the PH level in the soil - am I optimistic & way off with my assumptions!!??? Or the more ericaceous compost I use the better????

Cheers!

[binley100]

I think you will need ericaceous rather than mpc , also bark chippings especially pine.

[jackie j]

I dug a large hole and added the ericaceous soil then put the plant in and add more once a year around the top, so far so good. I havent added any bark chippings.

[Two_Sheds]

Devon soil is pretty acidic though. Adding ericaceous compost to a planting hole in alkaline soil won't work: you'd be better to plant into a pot, then bury the pot in the soil.

Have a look around you Vicpivo: what plants grow well in your area? If it's azaleas, rhododendrons, and you don't get scabby spuds, you have acidic soil.
If brassicas grow really well but spuds are all scabby, you probably have more alkaline soil.

[gojiberry]

I'm just down the road and my blueberries are all in pots of ericaceous compost. They do well and each year I replace the top half inch with fresh compost. Each spring I use a sprinkling of blood fish and bonemeal and use an ericaceous foliar feed up till the flowers open.

Ian