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
For jams, jellies, syrups and more:
www.jellygal.com
1-877-265-6856 (Toll Free)
1-218-831-7018 (My Cell)
[NAFEX] Starting a Blueberry Patch,
Jim Fruth, 05/01/2009