Blueberries

Need to know the best time to plant?

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter

paulw60
KG Regular
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:32 pm
Location: pevensey bay ,east sussex

Well, have another go at Blueberries, so far we have lost 5 plants over 4 years! we put them in pots in ericacous compost in a fruit cage. We grew them perfect in our old house in Woking, but am struggling here in pevensey bay, east sussex. We are about 500 yards from beach but just inland and protected from sea spray etc by other bungalows, it does get very windy though. What am I doing wrong?
thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, but it was somebody with a torch bring more work!!
Westi
KG Regular
Posts: 5908
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:46 pm
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Has thanked: 671 times
Been thanked: 238 times

I'd love to advise but although I don't loose plants the fruit is sparse, small & not worth fighting the birds for. I have 3 which were supposed to fruit at different times to give a longer harvest but one never has so wondering if these need a partner & I got duped, even though the limited research I did said no?

If yours did well previously then it might be the new environment, but the blueberry farm closest to me is totally exposed & fairly windy. Maybe they don't like being potted, the farm have there's in the soil, well most anyway. Maybe you need to experiment with making your own ericaceous compost or mixing bought with yours as they might need it even more acid than bog standard bought compost?

I don't like them enough to bother but it could pay you to look on a Canadian site for hints & tips as they grow them extremely successfully.
Westi
paulw60
KG Regular
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:32 pm
Location: pevensey bay ,east sussex

thank you, have tried in soil, but died!
thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, but it was somebody with a torch bring more work!!
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5574
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 129 times

My son lives not far from you in Stone Cross and the water is quite hard, you aren't watering them with tap water are you?
Breq
KG Regular
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2019 6:54 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 23 times

Hiya!

I never had luck with blueberries in pots, I think they dried out too much (lazy) I since dug a large trench lined with pavers and filled with erecaeceous compost - growing well for decades and lots of fruit. But I do agree with Geoff - they really like rainwater and not tapwater. I also mulch mine with pine needles (Christmas tree!).

I grew up in New England where they grow wild and they are often found in the barrens just past the the beaches, so the wind and cold should not bother them. But make sure they get plenty of rainwater, and acid friendly mulches and feed. And check your pot - maybe they need a larger one? (sorry, clutching at straws).
paulw60
KG Regular
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:32 pm
Location: pevensey bay ,east sussex

Geoff wrote:My son lives not far from you in Stone Cross and the water is quite hard, you aren't watering them with tap water are you?

Hi,
no I have 5 250 ltr water butts and use it on all the veg
thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, but it was somebody with a torch bring more work!!
User avatar
Primrose
KG Regular
Posts: 8054
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
Location: Bucks.
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 281 times

Paul. I know the Pevensey Bay Area well and wonder if there is just too much salt spray in the air for the plants to thrive, as well as possibly hard tap water. I love blueberries but have never grown any as i've known too many people have poor success with them. It seems wise to treat all the catalogue claims for good cropping with a pinch of salt unless you already have proof of good survival and cropping in your local vicinity.
paulw60
KG Regular
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:32 pm
Location: pevensey bay ,east sussex

Primrose wrote:Paul. I know the Pevensey Bay Area well and wonder if there is just too much salt spray in the air for the plants to thrive, as well as possibly hard tap water. I love blueberries but have never grown any as i've known too many people have poor success with them. It seems wise to treat all the catalogue claims for good cropping with a pinch of salt unless you already have proof of good survival and cropping in your local vicinity.

Thank you,
we are quite exposed to wind, being only 500 yards from beach, so the salty air could be the problem.
thought there was light at the end of the tunnel, but it was somebody with a torch bring more work!!
User avatar
Janet K. Sullivan
KG Regular
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:55 am
Location: Bangladesh

I think you have soil problem!
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic