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["Jim Fruth" <jimfruth@charter.net>]

   In my early years I worked at nurseries in several different nurseries 
and we were told that we should tell customers that they can grow 
blueberries under pine trees or to stir pine needles into the soil and use 
them as mulch.  That happened before I began testing acidity in pine needles 
and learned that "Pine needles are acid" is an old wive's tale, a crock of 
bull.
   At one point in time, I lowered the pH 7.4 soil near several pine trees. 
I wanted to plant Lingonberries.  When the pH stabilized around 5.0, the 
pine trees started dying.
   Apparently, nursery people haven't learned because I keep hearing 
complaints from people who followed those directions and their plants died.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN  56472
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