A very nice relative has bought me 2 blueberry bushes ;D I know that really I need to put them into pots as they need ericacious soil and need to water only with rainwater (at our lottie we have an underground spring that we all use for watering - is that ok? I assume so unless I'm told otherwise). What else do I need to know?
How often and how long do they need watering really well?
Not sure if I should keep them at the lottie or at home - although the lottie has a lockable gate I am slightly worried they might go walkies. Any advice on how to make them stay put gratefully appreciated.
Would it work to put them in terracotta pots, then bury the pots at the lottie? Terracotta is porous, so water would get in and out, and you could fill them with ericaceous compost to keep it acidic. You might be able to cover the rim of the pot with soil/compost so it is completely invisible.
Might also be able to just dig a hole and fill with ericaceous compost.
Good idea with burying the pot. I understand you can also get security steaks which you bury under the plant and the plant is kinda strapped to the ground...... :-\
Regarding watering, I would check where your spring comes from as it could pass through lime or chalk, depending where you are of course, and then you would be reversing the effects of the ericacious compost.
I've got 5 blueberry bushes on the lottie and they are doing well. We were told the soil is acid so that was fine. I tested the soil recently but it turned out to be PH7 and even tho I give them faucet water they seem to have no problem. In the early spring I scratch the soil around the bushes, give them a generous helping of dried cow manure, lots of water and a thick layer of wood chips as a mulch. Of the three types I have, Northland crops the best.