Homestead mailing list

[Mark Stutzman <mark AT transvantage.com>]

Gene-

I'm just starting out with some blueberries myself.  The guy who has a 
garden show on the local NPR station recommends top-dressing them with a 
few inches of peat moss in spring and fall, rather than planting in pure 
peat.

I'm lucky enough that one of the  local municipalities collects 
residents' fall leaves, composts them, and makes the compost available 
for free, so everything in my garden gets fertilized with that.  When I 
planted the blueberries, I mixed half-and-half compost and our heavy 
clay soil, with a little bit of peat mixed in, and then 2 inches of peat 
on top.

This is only the second year I've had these plants, but they all look 
healthy, and one (the Tophat, which is a dwarf variety) is producing 
berries already.  My theory is that planting in pure peat starves the 
plants of nutrients, but top dressing will acidify the soil a little bit 
with every rain/watering.

-mark

On 6/18/2012 8:50 PM, Gene GeRue wrote:
> On Jun 17, 2012, at 3:58 PM, Gloria M wrote:
>
> > I'm not Lisa, but I'm here (lurk infrequently to see if anyone posted
> > anything). I raise blueberries - have for several years and am getting
> > fruit now. I have mine planted where they get half day sun and they seem
> > pretty happy. I amended the soil with peat at planting and added acidifier
> > even though my soil is on the acid side. So far, so good. I'd be happy to
> > try to help you figure out what's wrong if you'd like.
> Hi, Gloria M. How long have you been here? Sorry if I should remember you. 
> Please remind, or tell us where you are and what you do in the homestead 
> realm.
>
> What and how often do you feed your blueberries?
>
> Gene
>
> > On Sun, Jun 17, 2012 at 2:52 PM, Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Lisa Perry, you still here?
> > >
> > > With substantially-home-produced goodies, we just consumed a fine meal.
> > > For accoustical ambience I selected Scott's album, 8 Miles to Perryville.
> > > Which of course reminded me of you. Which reminded me of your substantial
> > > blueberry experience. I am very close to throwing up my hands and admitting
> > > apple and blueberry production failure, due partly to more items on my menu
> > > than time to enjoy them--the inevitable time challenges, the environmental
> > > conditions here in this part of the Ozarks, and the knowledge that we can
> > > buy good, organically grown fruit at somewhat reasonable prices.
> > >
> > > As I move through geezerhoodism, I am more and more skeptical of the
> > > proclamations of food producers. So, yeah, I ever more prefer to grow my
> > > own.
> > >
> > > We have thus far this year gorged on strawberries, cherries, and now
> > > boysenberries. The blue fruit did not make it. But before I give up on
> > > blueberries, I solicit you advice.
> > >
> > > Gene GeRue
> > > www.ruralize.com
> > _______________________________________________
> > Homestead list and subscription:
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
> > Change your homestead list member options:
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/genegerue%40ruralize.com
> > View the archives at:
> > https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead
> _______________________________________________
> Homestead list and subscription:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
> Change your homestead list member options:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/mark%40transvantage.com
> View the archives at:
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead