babsagain

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.

Growing blueberries

Christopher2

I now have 5 poppy plants in a large terracotta bowl filled with acid compost and sunk into the garden where it gets morning sun and some afternoon shade.  They have been there two years now and apart from applying rainwater when the weather is dry I just leave them to get on with it.  2 of the plants are several years old and were tranplanted from another, smaller pot which just stood on the garden.  I had lots of flowers this year and have left the seedheads to drop where they will.  If any seedlings pop up I will pot them on.  I have never managed to grow them  from seed myself.  Happy planting.

acidanthera

I bought 40 acidenthera bulbs at Cardiff flower show in April.  When I checked on growing conditions and saw they were not fully hardy, I split them up between six large plastic pots and sank them into the ground.  They have all flowered prolifically, despite the rain here in Wales.  I am thinking of growing tulips this way as I am always slicing them up when trying to put summer plants in.

Back to the acidanthera - they are not much like other gladioli as their flowers are well separated but they are tall and beautiful and shine out even on dull days.  Don't give up, Josie4, but do try feeding the bulbs after they have flowered to help them 'stock up' for next year.

Growing blueberries

Many thanks for your answer.  I do actually grow blue poppies this way and they have been alright for the last couple of years, so - trench planting with pots it is!

Growing blueberries

I thought that might be a danger.  I want to move them because they are taking up space on a large concrete area that I want to use for a shed.  When I first had them I built a smallish fruit cage but the plants have grown quite tall and I hoped, by sinking them into the ground, I could carry on using the fruit cage. (We have lots of hungry blackbirds who aren't averse to raiding the bushes!).  I suppose I could sink the pots into the ground, still surrounding them with ericaceous compost, and just keep an eye on them.  Many thanks for taking the trouble to answer.

Barbara J

Growing blueberries

I have several blueberry bushes growing in pots of ericaceous soil.  I am thinking of digging a trench in the garden and filling it with this kind of compost in an effort to give them a proper 'home'.  Has anyone tried this before? - and does it work?.  Any comment would be welcomed.

Barbara J.

Growing blueberries

Growing blueberries