Preparing Soil - Blueberries

HappyEarth starts with ...
Hey everyone - I have successfully grown four different varieties of blueberries in pots over the last couple of years. I made up a potting mix using an azalea potting mix (to get an acid soil) and mixing that with coco-peat and organic matter. Well now its time to plant them in the ground!!! So .. I was wondering what other people do to prepare their soil for these acid loving fruit plants?

Ive heard of people buying peat moss (not very sustainable), mulching with pine needles and coffee grounds. Anyone have any good suggestions or ideas??

Roshan Fernando says...
Dear Sir/ Madam,

In Sri Lanka we manufacture and export “COCO PEAT” products (coconut pith) in various types to suit all needs of agricultural and nursery industry as well as animal sanitary use too in the world.

This beneficial substrate can be used as a substitute for “PEAT MOSS “ too.

Our products Category is subscribed in the website for further details.

If you are interested in our products . Pls search our website www.srilankancocopeat.com
& contact us.

I here with sending you the “E-mail broacher “ for your earliest convenience.

Your prompt & positive reply are very much appreciated.

Thanks & regards,

Mr. Roshan Fernando. (MD)

ASHANI FIBRE PRODUCTS (PVT) LTD,
THARANA,
MADAMPE (NW)
SRI LANKA.
Tel : +94 773978700
Fax : +94 322248461

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1

Anonymous says...
Can you tell us what the pH of COCOPEAT is ?

amanda says...
Hi HappyEarth - I use a pine bark mulch around my citrus trees. I have alkaline soil and find this really helps with the long-term control of the alkalinity. The cow poo I get is quite alkaline - maybe pH test 1st. It becomes acidic as it ages tho'. I might try the over-ripe citrus fruit trick on them too! (an ironic solution - but if it works...!?)

amanda says...
happy earth - just looked at your web-site (I'm green with envy....!) - just a quick question - does the banna grass set any seed? I have heard of this stuff b4 and am interested in it as a wind break - but we have a shocking problem with african fountain grass here (a Penniseteum spp - not sure how spelt..) as well as a few others and I am always wary of introducing anything else to the mix..

tecko says...
From my experience (or rather observation), having grown 2 blueberry plants for the past (one year only), I think they do thrive in mult-mix and cow manure. One of my plants was planted in a half wine barrel loaded with multi-mix (from Waldeck's) and recently added with cow manure (also Waldeck's)- and this one has grown taller, is more bushy and has more branches and leaves. The other one that is planted on the ground (no multi-mix or cow manure) but NPK fed has not grown much taller, has only a few branches or leaves. My simple inference is that mult-mix and cow manure do impact on the productivity of this plant. However, I must add, that the one planted on the ground also has to share its ground space with some other plants.

amanda says...
Thanks HappyEarth! Your web-site has been quite inspiring for me - as our block was just a paddock 3 yrs ago. I can appreciate your hard work. We are lucky to have one of the few 'arid' zone permaculturalists residing in town (Julie Firth). I plan on getting her up here one day! Hope your garden survived the recent floods ok.

Dekka says...
Here is a link you might want to visit before growing Bana Grass.
http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&state=&s=&ibra=all&card=G23

amanda says...
Thanks for link Dekka - not sure if it's same but that fact that u n julie have both alerted me makes me think I might just stick to my native acacias - they grow 3m in 2yrs and they belong here. I'm a bit neurotic about being the one to introduce the next 'rabbit'/'fox'/'gorse' or whatever!!

amanda says...
Ta dekka - I actually spent most of this weekend burning off our resident Penniset' - african fountain grass (as did both my neighbours on their 30 acres) It's hard to watch all that biomass go up in smoke - but there's nothing else for it - it's a totally (ob)noxious weed!
I have tried almost everything but it's root system is massive and full of corms that go dormant when u stress the plant. I'm slowly winning the war tho'

Julie says...
(Wish we had an edit button!) What acacias are you growing amanda? 3m in two years is pretty good.
When I move to Chidlow, eventually, I will need to plant a kangaroo-proof barrier, as we will not be allowed to have fences.
I was thinking of one of the prickly acacias - not native to WA, can't remember the name right now.

Julie says...
Yup, email is fine - but others might be interested as well, so putting it here sounds OK too.

Brad says...
Digging up this old topic as a warning to others. When I potted up my blueberries I had bulk potting mix which i tried to acidify. The pH was 5.5 but within months has risen to near 7!

I incorporated peat, coffee and lemon bits and mulched with pine needles. My best guess is that the organic acidic components broke down into neutral components in the soil quite quickly. (I knew lemon needed regular topping up but am surprised how high the pH got when my supply ran out.)

Time to add some Iron Sulphate which will get it back down and hang around longer.

PS don't bother with vinegar - that will be very acidic for a very short time

Jim says...
Hi, I would just like to offer a little advice learned in my growing of Blueberries.
I have found that the most valuable Mulch/Growing medium is undoubtedly one of AGED PINEBARK.
My last berries were picked this AM 16/3/'10.
I have bushes around 1.6m tall which bear very well. They are mulched each year with Aged Pinebark with occasional doses of Seasol. Pruning of Old Wood seems essential for heavy cropping but this should be done with care.
Cheers and happy growimg, Jim.

Mary says...
Hi Jim,
May I know the name of the blueberries you grew and how old are they? I just bought two plants and plan to grow them in pots.

Chris says...
Good suggestions Anon. Coco peat contains nothing in the way nutrients.

yry says...
Where did you learn of coco peats high salt content? ; somehow I doubt it as it would be an utter failure commercially if it were so.

roborthudson says...
Agree with starling - Coco peat is one of the best organic soil for any type of garden plants and vegetable growth. It has a great capacity to hold more water for a longer period of time and provide required ingredients for proper plant growth.

Coco peat maintains soil pH well and keep plants green and healthy.

To know more details about the benefits of using coco peat Click Here.

Pictures - Click to enlarge
View Image Picture: 1

amanda says...
Odd..I use the fine coir - and lots of it - every time I plant a tree here..(about 50 of them now - including more sensitive plants than blueberries)..and there are no signs of high sodium problems...??

It's also from Bunnings...but I never buy with the one/s with any additives...

Where there problems in the early days with treatments that they did to the coir (in the US..?) to satisfy some regulations...

It's also used in hydroponics/soil less growing.

I love it - it's a great soil conditioner and is far more resistant to degradation by fertiliser salts than wood based conditioners...plus it has the increased CEC and water holding capacity - and the worms love it too...
I use it as bedding material for my worms also.

I wonder which brand is the culprit - maybe a complaint to Bunno's is needed..

amanda says...
oops - missed that little "r" in there! Yes - I avoid that brand also to be honest...cheap n nasty.
What a great idea those Rooterpots are!? Makes life very easy - haven't seen them b4...can u choose the growing medium to put inside them then Brendan..?

Julie says...
I have been using Earth Choice detergents for years, for dishes and laundry. No sodium, and seems to be no phosphates.

Julie says...
My Misty blueberry, which I've had for a year,has quite a lot of fruit considering it has no pollinator (well, one. but it flowered much, much later, so doesn't count).

The leaves are definitely showing iron deficiency, so I gave it iron sulphate 10-11 days ago. Is it too soon to expect to see results? No change so far, but don't want to add more and maybe overdo it.

kim says...
Hi Julie

While waiting for someone more knowledgeable to help with your query, I will say that I do vaguely remember reading somewhere that if you don't notice any improvement after 3-4 wks, then do another application. This is what I did with my jaboticabas. After 3 weeks and not noticing any changes, I did a second application and it was another 4 weeks or so before I noticed greener leaves.