Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Blueberry planting alternatives

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>
  • To: "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Blueberry planting alternatives
  • Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 12:30:39 -0700

Lee,

 

This has been interesting and informative!  Thanks. 

 

Stephen Sadler, Ph.D.

USDA 9, AHS heat zone 8,

Sacramento CA - Mediterranean climate


From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of lee reich
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 8:00 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Blueberry planting alternatives

 

Lon, mycorrhizae are wonderful plant-fungi symbiosises benefitting plants in many ways, but let's not start ascribing benefits to them that don't exist. You might "personally feel" that mycorrhizae allow your blueberries to tolerate higher pH's but that remains to be proven scientifically. Could you cite any studies that show mycorrhizae causing permanent pH changes. (I don't recall any.)

 

Also, while "regular supplies of organic matter" might create nice conditions for mycorrhiza (such as moister soil), contrary to what you wrote, mycorrhizae do not feed on dead organic matter -- your leaves, for instance. It's totally possible for this association to thrive in soils lacking any organic matter. When I was researching mycorrhizae as part of my studies with Cornell, I grew innoculum on the roots of leeks planted in pure montmorillonite clay chips.

 

There are a number of reasons your blueberries may not be suffering in your pH 6 ("at least") soil. First of all, pH 6 is high for blueberries, but not super high. Secondly, adding abundant organic matter to any soil ameliorates to some degree the effects of pH. Thirdly, adding organic matter itself acidifies the soil. The effect is temporary, but you evidently keep adding organic matter. And finally, there's always the possibility of inaccurate pH measurement or soil sampling.

 

So I seriously doubt whether mycorrhizae are responsible for your blueberries apparent tolerance to high pH. Furthermore, it's doubtful whether your innoculating them had any benefit. I also did some studies when I worked for the USDA on blueberries and mycorrhizae. In my experiments, the mycorrhizal innoculum was so ubiquitous that even uninnoculated plants became mycorrhizal. This may not be true everywhere, but probably is so in North America and many other places.

 

In summary, appreciate mycorrhizae, but don't waste money buying them; add plenty of organic matter to your soil to keep your plants happy; if the soil is not in the preferred pH 4-5 range for blueberries, add sulfur.

 

 

Lee Reich, PhD

 

Books by Lee Reich:

Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden

A Northeast Gardener's Year

The Pruning Book

Weedless Gardening

 



 

On Oct 14, 2005, at 8:01 PM, Lon J. Rombough wrote:



Vaccinium arboreum, aka "Farkleberry" (and others) is the one that was used.

I should add that I have highbush blueberries that have never had any acidifying amendments and I KNOW the soil PH is at least 6 or so here. I personally feel that the big reason for that is that the plants are well colonized by mycorrhizal fungi specific for blueberries. There are a number of species that have been studied that can acidify soils quite effectively, but a good regular supply of organic matter seems to be needed. I think that's why the use of leaves is so beneficial - they feed the fungi and it keeps the soil at the right pH in the immediate area.

-Lon Rombough

Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.

On Oct 14, 2005, at 2:09 PM, Richard Moyer wrote:

 

Certain blueberry (Vaccinium) species are tolerant of heavy soils and higher pH. Do not remember who, but some NAFEXers and/or Southern Fruit Fellowhip folks are growing blueberries grafted onto these native rootstocks, avoiding soil amendment issues. Anyone remember who's doing this, where published before, and/or the native rootstock(s) used?

_______________________________________________

nafex mailing list

 

**YOU MUST BE SUBSCRIBED TO POST!**

All other messages are discarded.

No exceptions.

----

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the bottom of this page (also can be used to change other email options):

 

File attachments are NOT stripped by this list

TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM COMPUTER VIRUSES!

Please do not send binary files.

Use plain text ONLY in emails!

 

Message archives are here:

 

NAFEX web site: http://www.nafex.org/

 

 




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page