Ericaceous compost tips

N

Ns950641

Active Member
Just started a bunch of blueberry bushes this year. they're off to a great start with the soil I mixed, however instead of ericaceous compost i used Coast of Maine acidic soil mix in its place. While this might be a good short term solution it is to costly to have it shipped consistently for the number of plants i have so i need to learn to make my own. needing advice on what to add assuming everything else is the same as normal composting so far the only ingredients i know of are:
Browns:
peat moss
pine wood shavings (poultry bedding)
saw dust
Greens:
citrus peels (lemon, lime, oranges)
onions (chopped)

as you can see not much diversity in that list and not sure on the pine mulch/shavings in compost since they lose their acidity as they decompose so while good for the soil mix would it be ok for the compost?
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Why do you need to do all of that?

I only have two bushes but I just mixed elemental soil into the ground when I planted mine and some more a couple years later. The only thing I do is give them a little fertilizer in the spring and cover them with pine needles for mulch. They've been doing great. In fact just today I just edged up their spot, added a little fertilizer, and about 4 inches of pine needle mulch that I raked up from under the trees in the back. All they need is water until next year.




They seem to like what I'm doing. This is last year.

 
cannabineer

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
Ns950641 said:
Just started a bunch of blueberry bushes this year. they're off to a great start with the soil I mixed, however instead of ericaceous compost i used Coast of Maine acidic soil mix in its place. While this might be a good short term solution it is to costly to have it shipped consistently for the number of plants i have so i need to learn to make my own. needing advice on what to add assuming everything else is the same as normal composting so far the only ingredients i know of are:
Browns:
peat moss
pine wood shavings (poultry bedding)
saw dust
Greens:
citrus peels (lemon, lime, oranges)
onions (chopped)

as you can see not much diversity in that list and not sure on the pine mulch/shavings in compost since they lose their acidity as they decompose so while good for the soil mix would it be ok for the compost?
Click to expand...
Can you find a local stable? My best compost was mostly whinny plop. And since I helped them remove mass, it was free.
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
I had to look up ericaceous compost and stumbled upon some information about companion planting with cranberries or lingonberries since they stay low to the ground and like the same acidic soil as blueberries. Now I'm looking at plants online. I also learned a ton about ericaceous compost.

Good luck with your berries.
 
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