North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lee Reich <garden@leereich.com>]

I apply a three inch depth of sawdust or wood shavings every fall after the leaves drop. Some years, I have used leaves or chipped trees. I would not expect any organic material, even peat moss, to have too lasting an effect on increasing acidity. Every few years, or as per a soil test for pH, I add sulfur; pelletized sulfur, which looks like yellow lentils, is inexpensive and easiest to spread because it's not dusty.

I also spread soybean meal each year at the rate of about 2 pounds per 100 square feet.

Lee Reich, PhD

http://leereich.com/

Books by Lee Reich:

The Pruning Book

Weedless Gardening

Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden

A Northeast Gardener's Year

On Jan 27, 2008, at 1:16 PM, Karen Tillou wrote:

i would use sawdust, or wood ash. all the commercial growers in the willamette valley, oregon apply sawdust mulch every year for increasing acidity and adding organic matter.  sand isn't going to do squat.  leaf mulch might help, but it would have to be applied year after year, with minor effect.  a pine/fir needle mulch might do better than oak leaf even.  

peaceful valley farm supply carries "tiger 90" an organic approved sulfur product formulated for lowering pH.  remember sulfur overdoses can be toxic.

karen tillou

oregon city, OR - zone 8a and wet

On Jan 26, 2008, at 8:36 PM, Jerrydana5@aol.com wrote:

I have several blueberry bushes and am going to add several more this spring. I have a ton of natural leaf compost from our yard leaves and can add some peat moss also for organic matter and to help bring ph down.  The soil is rich, but too acid--about 6.5 to 6.8 (probably due to adding a lot of horse manure mixed with horse urine.  I've had the soil tested and it is very rich, but not acid enough for blueberries.  Other plants due well.)  The leaf compost is from maple and oak leaves.  It is well composted.

Which would be better to add to my soil for organic matter and to bring the ph down into the proper range for blueberries?  Peatmoss or leaf compost?  Or both?  Possibly some sand, also?  THe blueberries I have now are doing fair, but not fantastic.  I am adding some sulfur also the bring the ph down.

Jerry in southern Indiana

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