Making ericaceous soil?

  • 5 Replies
  • 4094 Views
*

sarah1983jane

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Near Hexham, Northumberland
  • 123
Making ericaceous soil?
« on: April 23, 2011, 08:10 »
Hi All
I should be moving house in 5 weeks and am planning the garden (ignoring the fact the whole house needs work!).

There is a huge bed cut out the lawn that has some very said looking  rhododendron, azelia, chamelion type plants that have curled up leaves etc. I have a load of fruit bushes ready to move in that would also benefit from ericaceous conditions but its such a big area I cant really afford to buy bags and bags of ericaceous compost.

Is there a way of making your own? My gran said something about putting nails in the soil - sounds dangerous to me!

Any ideas?
Thanks

*

katiekate

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Location: bristol
  • 60
Re: Making ericaceous soil?
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2011, 08:27 »

You could try incorporating pine needles into it, they are naturally acidic.

Only really useful if you know someone willing to let you shovel up under their trees though!
 

*

JayG

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: South West Sheffield
  • 16720
Re: Making ericaceous soil?
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2011, 08:42 »
I'd buy a cheap pH testing kit first to find out what (if anything) you're up against.

If you can temporarily suspend any environmental concerns ( :blush:) peat is good to incorporate or top dress with, and I believe powdered sulphur and/or ammonium sulphate can also be used to lower pH (but you'd need to research how to do it as my blueberries seem to do quite well in my soil which isn't actually as acidic as it's "supposed" to be.)
Sow your seeds, plant your plants. What's the difference? A couple of weeks or more when answering possible queries!

One of the best things about being an orang-utan is the fact that you don't lose your good looks as you get older

*

gillie

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: Oxfordshire. On top of the Chilterns
  • 884
Re: Making ericaceous soil?
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2011, 08:59 »
If the rhododendrons are sad it may be that the soil is not acid enough or that the conditions are too dry.  (What do you  mean by a 'chamelion type' plant?)

What fruit bushes do you have?  Only blueberries require ericaceous soil.

By putting nails in the soil I think your grandmother is thinking of adding ferrous salts which increase the acidity.  You can buy ferrous sulphate in a bag - nicer to handle than rusty nails.

*

sarah1983jane

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Near Hexham, Northumberland
  • 123
Re: Making ericaceous soil?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2011, 21:17 »
Thanks guys.
I cant wait to get into the new houses garden and test the soil properly.
I have blueberries, rasps, strawberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants - I thought they all prefered ericaceous soil... my mistake.
I live not too far from Kielder forest - a huge pine forest, might have to take a few buckets for pine needles next time I am up there.

Loads of helpful ideas and advice

Thanks

*

Yorkie

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: North Yorkshire
  • 26324
Re: Making ericaceous soil?
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 21:36 »
Whenever this has been mentioned on Gardeners' Question Time, the universal response has that if you don't have acid soil, you will struggle to ever make it consistently good enough for plants to be happy long-term; and that you should seek to grow other types of plants, and keep the ericaceous ones for containers.
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...



xx
Ericaceous soil and organisms.

Started by Pitufo on Grow Your Own

7 Replies
2616 Views
Last post July 19, 2017, 20:21
by Pitufo
xx
Ericaceous

Started by mdjlucan on Grow Your Own

2 Replies
555 Views
Last post November 22, 2020, 20:09
by mdjlucan
xx
Ericaceous compost

Started by Adie J on Grow Your Own

3 Replies
2408 Views
Last post October 04, 2011, 16:09
by crh75
xx
Ericaceous Compost

Started by Benandbill on Grow Your Own

4 Replies
2680 Views
Last post April 25, 2011, 17:50
by Munchkin
 

Page created in 0.328 seconds with 36 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |