Growing blueberries

I have several blueberry bushes growing in pots of acid soil.  I am considering growing them as follows - dig a suitably sized trench; line with either fabric weed control material (which is porous) or plastic sheeting pierced to allow drainage; and filled with ericaceous soil.  I am not sure if the porous fabric would lead to a 'leeching-out' of the acidic qualities of the new soil.  Has anyone any experience of this method?  Any comments or advice would be much appreciated.

I'm not sure you need all that preparation.  I grew mine in pots before planting them out for easier care and watering.

My soil is alkaline but fertile.  I dug large holes - 70cms square and deep, filled them with ericaceous compost and transferred mine from pots to the ground.   In spring they get a top dressing of ericaceous feed and this year I've given them a mulch of chipped bark. 

Given the damage suffered last winter and in a late spring frost which lead to dead branches and frozen blooms, they will be getting a frame of windbreak fabric to protect them this winter and spring. 

I  have done the same as above. bought in pots of the correct compost and planted out into bigger hole (in very heavy and wet clay I might add) filled with ericaceous compost and left to get on with it. I top dress once a year with the same compost and even in the pond that is my garden this year they have fared well. They are tucked into my least windy corner and managed to give me a reasonable crop in their first year. I am planting new ones out in a more exposed site so will also be giving them a bit of a windbreak to help them along. Green netting for cheapness and if late frosts are expected some fleece also I think.

Christopher2 wrote (see)

Many of us responded to a post few weeks back about blueberries. Mine are grown in ericaceous soil, not compost, and plunged in the ground. I have 4 plants and had huge crop. Get different varieties...see Dorset blueberry nursery site. There were many replies to the earlier post. See if you can find them

Not difficult to find-google is your friend Christopher2

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/problem-solving/growing-blueberries/5189.html

and it was babsagain-again who started that thread

So not that thread in my link?

Did you post on another one?

Then can you check your history in "your settings" and perhaps post the link?

Christopher2 wrote (see)

Thanks sotongeoff. That's useful to kmow

Erm -what is useful to know exactly??

I have 2 early ripening blueberries, and now the leaves have turned a beautiful red and are beginning to fall off. They are in pots. Is now a good time to take them out and plant them in the ground. I haven't gotten many berries off them, and I feel that if they were out of the pots they would do better. Do I dress them with anything to protect them for the winter. I have always just let them fend for themselves before now.

See my post above and yes, now is a good time.  If you've had few fruits it's probably down to blooms being frozenby a spring frost or it being too cold for the pollinators to be flying about. 

I had that problem this year so am goint to try putting a fleece covered frame around them but open on the south side and above in order to reduce frost problems, winter wind damage and allow access for pollinators.