[NAFEX] Out of context
Ginda Fisher
list at ginda.us
Sat Jul 18 09:57:41 EDT 2009
On Jul 18, 2009, at 9:44 AM, Jim Fruth wrote:
> Alan Haigh commented on my blueberry growing article and seems to
> have
> taken statements out of context.
>
> Alan,
> My reason for waiting a year before planting blueberries is to
> make sure
> that the soil is acidified sufficiently. If we plant our
> blueberries before
> the proper pH is attained, it is difficult to continue acidification
> because
> we can't till the soil. It is far easier to acidify soil that has
> no plants
> in it yet.
I took his post to argue that it isn't necessary to till the soil to
spread the acid around, it's good enough to acidify a layer at the top
that the blueberry roots can reach. So there's no need to wait a
year. That matches my experience - I planted blueberries, they were a
little sad, and I added stuff to the top of the soil and they perked
right up, except for one that turned out to have a large rock where it
wanted its roots to be. That was years ago, and they are still doing
well. My experience may not apply to other soil types, though, as I
live on a granite ledge in MAssachusetts, and the natural pH of the
soil is on the acid side.
Ginda
eastern MA, zone 6
More information about the nafex
mailing list