Veggies for Acidic Soil

[jackb]

Mary,

Sorry about your blueberries. My plants are not in containers but do well. I feed them with plant food for acid loving plants from Wal-Mart, and I also place coffee grinds around the base of the plants from time to time. Hope you solve you problem.

JackB

 

[Smart Red]

Well I called the place where I bought the soil and they said the PH was 6.6. I think this is still too high for blueberries. He said the soil should get more acidic with time. I'm not sure I believe this. Mary

We really didn't know the ph level when we planted our blueberries other than we did what we could to amend the soil to a lower ph. However, what I have read says that research shows that plants put into amended acidic soil do tend to make the soil around them more acidic as time goes by and they have already gotten a good start.

The same applies for alkaline-loving plants in acidic soil. Once they are established, they will make the soil around them more alkaline as time passes.

I know that I am adding less acid products to my blueberry, azalea, and rhododendron bushes and they continue to look good, flower well, and the blueberries are large and sweet.

 

[ninnymary]

Oooops, I added sulfur not sulfate in the spring. My mistake.

Mary

 

[897tgigvib]

If were in your shoes, (sorry, just got a visual of that, lol!), I'd go with getting a second container and starting a second Blueberry plant in soil designed for Rhododendrons and Azaleas, and meantime, do what JackB says, and use the fertilizer for acid loving plants in the first one. Carefully, not too much, and yes, coffee grounds in that first one.

Blueberries I believe are Ericaceae family plants. They really are evolved for low ph! Eventually Ericaceae plants will keep the soil ph low themselves with their dropped leaves in a self compost making process. Geraniums also produce their own compost with their own leaves that fall under them that eventually get slightly too acidic for their own good. Ericaceae plants however enjoy their own acidity.

Yep, that's what I'd do. Have 2 Blueberry containers, maybe 2 different varieties. They'd probably even help each other's pollination once they get going too.

 

[ninnymary]

Marshall, adding another container is not going to happen. I already have 5 blueberries in either wine barrels or containers that size. I have already invested in 5 different blueberries, purchased potting soil initially, and have now replaced it with purchased rhododendron soil. I know I have spent easily over $100. I'll check to see when I should fertilize again and then wait to see what happens next spring.

I eat blueberries daily and spend $4.99 for a 6oz. package. That's $240 a year! Probably more. I was hoping to be able to grow them. If not, I think I'll just buy then when in season or on sale and freeze enough to last me almost a year.

Can I plant any veggie in this 6.6 ph soil? I'm all ready planning ahead.

Mary

 

[journey11]

Most veggies will be fine with that. Here's a pH chart for veggies...

The soil acidifier will act pretty quickly, so I'd go ahead and apply it and try to save them. I know I paid about $20 a piece for my blueberries, plus the soil in your containers, so you have a lot invested there.

 

[897tgigvib]

I didn't know you had more than one already Mary. Sorry 'bout that...