[always_mowing]

Hi All.

I have a couple of blueberry plants in pots with ericacious compost...my question would be...

i know they don't like tap water, but is there something i could add to tap water to make it ok for them if my waterbutt rain water should ever run-out?...i know it's along shot.! if i'm ever desperate?

Many thanks
Tom.

[Jake]

You could just leave the tap water for 24 hours in a container. Most of the chlorine would evaporate. Still not as good as rainwater though. If you live somewhere where they put flouride in the water then I think this just stays, whatever you do.

[WG.]

If you are in a hard-water area, I think the lime would be a problem.  Maybe you could add  lot of peat to the water & let it steep?

[Growbag]

You could try using the water from a jug filter.  You can buy filters especially for hard water which would remove some of the lime but not the fluoride.  Or use distilled water either purchased or the ice from your freezer (could be expensive).

[laalaa]

oh dear...i wasn't aware of this. glad i've been doing alot of reading tonight!

[ziggywigs]

Jug water doesn't get rid of the lime though if i recall correct...at least mine didn't when i lived in Lincs.

Rainwater is the softest you can get.....what about distilled water is that any good although expensive.

[WG.]

If you have a de-humidifier, use the water from that.

[Trillium]

...or buy/scrounge another water butt if possible. You can never have enough water for plants.
As for tap water, do you know if yours has fluoride?

[richyrich7]

What about a plant food for acid loving plants like miracle gro they do one for azaleas, rhododendrons etc, this would help keep the acidity level of the water up, use tap water for feeding, rain water for general watering.

Think you can get drops for aquariums to higher and lower ph levels may be a bit extreme though.  

[laalaa]

Butt, my butt is empty already, and had no rain in ages!!! all my friends think i'm crazy when i say i wish it would rain.

maybe some spring water? we love blueberries, and this is the first time i've tried to grow them.

laalaa

[Trillium]

Give it whatever water you can asap as blueberries really do need to keep damp feet. And don't expect a harvest this year, they're still setting in roots and top growth. If you see berry buds this year, pick them off. I know, a travesty, but you'll get bigger plants later with loads of berries, well worth the sacrifice, next year. Some tap water for now won't kill the plants, but perpetual tap water won't do them favors either, so hope it rains soon. And do mulch your plants to hold moisture in.  

[Jim T]

Butt, my butt is empty already, and had no rain in ages!!! all my friends think i'm crazy when i say i wish it would rain.

maybe some spring water? we love blueberries, and this is the first time i've tried to grow them.

laalaa

It really is time we had a big downpour. I spent 4 hours this morning - just watering the beds and young fruit trees which were all very thirsty.
We had planted a bluberry tree and it was John ( our noble host) who told me it was ericacious. So while buying the ericacious compost from B&Q, I also bought a bottle of liquid which you add about half a capful per gallon of water ........ it buffers the water to the right acidity.
So this is our answer to the problem of watering the bluberry tree.

PS I will find the name of the stuff and post it tomorrow, Jim

[slow_worm]

Butt, my butt is empty already, and had no rain in ages!!! all my friends think i'm crazy when i say i wish it would rain.

maybe some spring water? we love blueberries, and this is the first time i've tried to grow them.

laalaa

Same here - my mini butt is empty now scrounging from the larger one in front garden!  I am going to get a second butt and connect them somehow!

[purplekat]

I got a couple of blueberries a few weeks ago and on the label it says to add 1tsp (5ml) of vinegar to 2 litres of tap water if no rainwater available.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hey purpleKat, that was my line!!!!! lol  I bought a book today, reduced to £2.99 (1001 ways to use vinegar)  Its brilliant, and it also said a couple of tablespoons of vinegar in your water for all the things like heathers and azaleas and blueberries come into that category.  I also bought some sulphate of iron a couple of weeks ago when I saw it mentioned on the TV to put on this type of plant.