Author Topic: Blue-Berry Bush compost advice please !  (Read 1405 times)

woodypecks

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 601
    • Daisy in the Garden
Blue-Berry Bush compost advice please !
« on: April 25, 2020, 15:52:04 »
I have a Blue Berry bush that urgently needs re-potting .  It's hard finding ericaceous compost anywhere and when I have it's been way more than I can afford  :BangHead:   So would it  be o.k in multi purpose compost for the time being and is there anything I can do to amend this compost to make it more to my Blue berry's liking ?   :wave: Debbie   :coffee2:
« Last Edit: April 25, 2020, 15:55:50 by woodypecks »
Trespassers will be composted !

Tee Gee

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,926
  • Huddersfield - Light humus rich soil
    • The Gardener's Almanac
Re: Blue-Berry Bush compost advice please !
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2020, 16:33:45 »
Did a Google for a recipe and his is what I come up with as a substitute for the real thing!

 
Quote
Making Ericaceous Potting Mix

To make a simple potting mix for ericaceous plants, begin with a base of half peat moss.

Mix in 20 percent perlite, 10 percent compost, 10 percent garden soil and 10 percent sand.

If you are concerned about the environmental impacts of using peat moss in your garden, you can use a peat substitute such as coir.

Unfortunately, when it comes to substances with a high acid content, there is no suitable substitute for peat.

Read more at Gardening Know How:

What Is Ericaceous Compost: Information And Plants For Acidic Compost https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/ericaceous-compost-info.htm


Put another way:

To 1 x 2gallon (ca. 9 litres) Bucket of Peat (= 32 pints)

add;

6 pints (3.41 l) Perlite

3 pints (1.7 l) home made garden compost

3 pints (1.7 l) garden soil

3 pints (1.7 l) river/sharp sand

OK that is not mathematically correct in Imperial measure, but if you work in litres, this would read 4/2/2/2/litres respectively  to 10 litres of Peat.

Another potential problem;  is your multi-purpose compost peat based, reduced peat based or peat less based?

If you use peat-based multi-purpose, which will have some lime in it in lieu of peat, it might work.

If you do decide to your multi-purpose compost use 9 litres of it rather than 10 +  4/2/2/2/litres of the other ingredients this might counteract the effect of the lime content!.


Best of Luck

Edit

This might also be a way over your predicament;
https://www.mixleshomeandgarden.co.uk/products/vitax-ericaceous-feed-1l-6ef1

Chempak do a similar product!
« Last Edit: April 25, 2020, 16:37:59 by Tee Gee »

woodypecks

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 601
    • Daisy in the Garden
Re: Blue-Berry Bush compost advice please !
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2020, 16:57:34 »
Thankyou Tee Gee , that is really nice of you to share this information / compost recipe . It 's really interesting . I am not sure if my  bag of compost has peat in it ,I do usually avoid peat . I was only allowed to have one bag of compost delivered from a local Nursery and there was no choice , I am so grateful for it  !   I will go and take a look . Thankyou also for the link for the plant food too  :wave: Debbie  :wave:
Trespassers will be composted !

 

anything
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal