Most cost effective way to make an acid border

Evening all.

I've decided that between my new patio and the lawn, I'm going to make the soil acid and grow blueberries and a few other acid preferring shrubs in there.

We're talking about a patch about 12 ft long, maybe 2ft wide, and maybe 2ft deep.

I haven't tested the existing soil, but I'm guessing its about neutral, being largely clay but never becoming waterlogged.

I have no problem with the idea of digging out the existing soil in that patch and replacing it with ericaceous compost, but obviously that's a lot of compost to buy. I'll do that if that's the best long term option.

Alternatively, I've read that I can add some sort of pellets to the existing soil for exactly this purpose.

Any thoughts?

 

I think you need to raise it up above soil level by about a foot.

I planted camelias and a rhodo, in a raised bed some years ago.
I dug in large amounts of moss peat at the time and sulphur chips.

Trouble is the moss peat dissappears over time, and the bed sinks.

I've applied sequestrene on a few occasions along with more sulphur chips, but its an ongoing thing really.
Just a matter of watching for signs of chlorosis and responding fast.

 

If you can find some pine woodland/forest and can get permission to take some of the fallen pine needles they're excellent for acid loving plants; you want needles that are almost fresh, just starting to break down; essentially 'needle' mould as opposed to leafmould.

Some advice will say that it makes little difference, that although the pH of pine needles (and oak leaves) is around pH 3 when they decompose their pH rises to around 6, BUT I've used them as a mulch many times for camellias, rhodo's and mangnolias and the plants certainly do seem to benefit from it, they've certainly done no harm anyway :thumb:

 

I've got lots of Rhododendrons growing in my borders which have clay soil (which is quite alkaline). I simply mixed lots of ericaceous compost in with the surrounding soil when I planted them out, and they get an ericaceous mulch in spring, plus ericaceous slow release pellets and they are doing well

You could just dig in a few bags of ericaceous compost before planting out.

 

Treat the soil with Flowers of Sulphur.

 

Is that still legal Dai?

Thought they would have banned that under the terrorist laws

You could get oak chippings from a joinery workshop Dave, they often give it away as it costs them to dispose of it.

So acid that I managed to kill off my late potatoes by mulching with fresh chippings

 

Is Flowers of Sulphur banned then Zig? Check here.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx%3Fpid%3D82&sa=U&ei=-_jPTqq-JIGZ8QPw9dDSDw&ved=0CAQQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNGDnd5IYOwMS9M6Keg590mNs55WlA

 

I agree ... a basic ph kit is cheap and will gbve you an indication without having to test (not 100% accurate with a basic kit but better than nothing)

blueberries need a ph of 5.1.... some guys use coffee grounds from starbucks and some use cider vinegar, but you need to check with a ph meter before using anything

agricultural sulphur may work too

I might sound clever, however, this is all new to me and I merely quoting what I have just read on google since reading your post (I'm no expert, but find this thread interesting ... so don't take my word as gospel)

:o

I have worked with a landscaper who bought bags of erroneous compost when we planted acid loving shrubs .... we never spread the compost over the whole bed, and just used it in the planting hole

suppose once the plant establishes, a few feeds of slow release miracle grow erroneous granular fertilizer per year will do the trick?

 

Only curious Dai

 

Keep up Dim, what`s erroneous compost? Do you mean ERICACEOUS compost? l:D:D:D

 

all sounds greek to me (it's the compost that starts with the letter E)

:D

 

Earth?

 

Thanks for all the advice. I've read it all and taken it all on board.

I've got a pH meter somewhere. Probably still in a box in the spare room because over a year on from moving in, I'm ashamed to admit I still haven't unpacked everything

I've come across this:
Ericaceous Compost in Lined Bulk Bag INCLUDES DELIVERY

Seems reasonable enough but I don't think I need 1000 litres.

I also saw this:
https://secure.crocus.co.uk/wheelbarrow/_/wbadditemno.co30000006/

That might be an option.

I've done some measuring and some sums. Planned bed is 5 metres by one metre, and lets say I'm after a depth of 0.3 metres (that's roughly 15x3x1ft in proper money). 5x1x0.3 = 1.5 cubic metres if my maths is any good.

I don't really want to go down the route of replacing all the soil in the intended patch with ericaceous, so might go for the 480 litre (8 x 60 litre bags) option and mix it with the existing soil.

There's been mention in this thread of sulphur and pellets. Does anyone know of a brand name or something because when I googled for it, not much came up.

 

You've spent far too much time on that American forum