North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[BRosholdt <rosholdt@erols.com>]

Ooops, I live in Virginia, and attempt to avoid the "pot instead of plant" problem all the time. I can't believe I fell for that.  My soil is naturally acidic though heavy, but I had added lime in the spot I wanted to plant, so I thought planting on hills made of peat.sand above the clay would be good.  I'll move them where we have recently been working on the heavy soil, after adding sulfur.  This time, I'll just double dig, then plant (carefully not too deep or in a rut), put our great horse manure and wood chip compost all around, and finish by putting drip hose on top where I can watch it so it doesn't overdo it.  I remember John Clark saying "Don't let them dry out."  Well, live and learn.  Then when they settle in, I'll see if I can get some organic soybean meal.  I did plant one blueberry, Star, in a real nasty place (almost unimproved), on top of  a hill.  So far it is fine.

Thanks so much, gentlemen.

Barbara R.   (Too much studyin', too little experience.)
Z7 Central Virginia (If you don't like the weather in Virginia, just wait)

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Subject:

Re: [NAFEX] Blueberries decline

From:

"Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>

Date:

Sun, 8 Apr 2007 15:10:48 -0700

To:

North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>

The way you did it, you essentially made a big pot, so the roots don't move out of the sand into the clay. Also, whatever water you add has trouble penetrating the interface between the sand and the clay, so the water doesn't move into the surrounding soil well, letting the "soil" in the "pot" swing between soggy and dry all the time. It would have been more effective to plant the berries in the clay directly so they would have a chance to adapt to it, with LOTS of organic matter added as mulch. Soil life would open up channels in the clay with their feeding activities on the organic mulch (compost, leaves, etc) and the mulch would keep the moisture from having wide "swings" between soggy and dry.
-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.
For even more grape lessons, go to http://www.grapeschool.com
For growing supplies and more; http://www.grapegrowersolutions.com

On Apr 8, 2007, at 3:09 PM, BRosholdt wrote:

I planted my blueberries by removing the heavy red clay soil and replacing with sphagnum and sand.  However, they have not been thriving.  They seem to get smaller and poorer every year.  Am I keeping them too wet?  I use a drip hose on them when it is dry.  I've heard one source say Calcium Carbonate would help loosen soil.  I have always put  wood chips on them in the winter and last year added a little sulfur and blood meal, to no avail.  I definitely am not overfertilizing them. Edible Landscaping advised that the northern varieties I was trying to grow (Duke, Patriot, O'Neal, Bluecrop) are more sensitive to the issues we have with soil and climate here in central Virginia, so I have planted a Star and Sunshine to see if they would do better.  Anyone have any other advice?

Barbara R.
Z7a central Virginia

Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Chlorosis blueberries
From: Lee Reich <garden@leereich.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 12:14:26 -0400
To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>

Chlorosis of blueberries is usually due to soil that is insufficiently acidic (pH 4-5 is ideal) or poor drainage. Correct improper pH with sulfur. The amount to use depends on the pH change needed and the soil type, with heaavier soils needing more than lighter soils.

Some fertilizers can also make the soil less acidic. An excellent source of nitrogen that does not make the soil less acidic, does put the nitrogen in a form utilized by blueberries, and costs relatively little is soybean meal (or, more expensive but available in smaller packages, cottonseed meal). Spread it in late fall at the rate of 1-2 pounds per hundred square feet.

Lee Reich, PhD
garden@leereich.com 

Books by Lee Reich:
The Pruning Book
Weedless Gardening
Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden