100% more room . . .

[CJS]

High peoples . . . a happy New Year to you all.

So 2012 looms, been a terrible 2011, all sorts of problems in and out of the garden, nearly gave it all up at one stage . . .

However, a new year, positive thinking, especially as I officially retire at the end of June, (semi retire I think). You may remember I had it in mind to increase the boarder sizes and dig out a bit more lawn . . . unfortunately mine or Hazels health has not improved, so digging a lawn up is not possible. But I know a man who can Tuesday morning he is coming round to tidy up and as much as double??? my available growing area

Part of the re vamp will give me a boarder 4ft x 12ft along the neighbours SW facing 6ft wood fence, thats SW facing my side. My soil is well drained, light sandy. We? . . . he will be digging in plenty of manure.

I had it in mind to put this strip to fruit, 'Espera' gooseberries, may be 'Sunshine Blue' blueberries, Dobbies book says Sunshine Blue is early, nice flower, self pollination and a heavy cropper (dont they all?) It also says it is more tolerant of higher pH soils than other varieties.

Another possibility at the end of the patch is an apple tree, 'Ballerina style?', straight up, not much branch?

Question:

pH, how do check it, and what is high or low pH?

Gooseberries, is Espera a good'un, there is only the 2 of us, would one bush be enough? The same question for blueberries, 1 or 2 bushes? assuming I can get them to grow?

There might be a bit of room, depending on answers to above? If so, any alternative suggestion of fruit, fruit/bush? or, blueberries as non starter, any options, thought of a few raspberry canes, autum or summer type, variety, will they grow in my soil?

Thanks for your patience and answers, CJS

[glallotments]

There are lots of PH testers available on the market which are really simple to use. They come with all the instructions that you need and have a colour chart to which you match your results to determine the Ph of the sample. Neutral PH is 7. Less than 7 is increasingly acidic. Apparently Blueberries Blueberries prefer a soil acidity of between 4.0 and 5.0. with other fruits between 5.5 and 6.5.

[CJS]

Thanks for the reply, had a look on fleBay, they have a few PH testing kits but the majority seem to be a probe and meter, dirt cheap to, sorry for the pun.

Are these probes accurate enough, a wast of money?

Any help on the fruit tree/bush numbers and type questions?

CJS

[CJS]

Digging a little deeper, now have a 'PH meter', looks like my soil is reading 6 on the scale.

Blue berries apparently are a major draw to birds!!! cant be bothered with a fruit cage, ph is a tad high. So it looks like a couple of Gooseberries 'Espera' a Raspberry 'Jone J' and a Boysenberry . . .

Any one got any thoughts on the above, for instance will loads of manure lower the ph at all?

CJS

[Tony Hague]

they have a few PH testing kits but the majority seem to be a probe and meter, dirt cheap to, sorry for the pun.

Are these probes accurate enough, a wast of money?

They are a waste of money.

If you mean the sort with a plastic meter on top of a long metal probe, which needs no battery - I have had two of these, neither worked. My soil read somewhat acid, which I believed for a while - then I tried universal indicator solution which revealed it to be mildly alkaline. So I tried the probe in a paste of lime and water as a test - also acid, according to the meter ! What a load of rubbish.

[CJS]

So I've offended some one?

[Tony Hague]

So I've offended some one?

Do you mean me ? If so, not at all, and sorry to be so gruff. I just meant that the garden pH meters I've had have been rubbish, and I'd recommend checking with a solution type test kit before going far down the road of adding lime; my meter(s) read acid in any type of soil !

[Tony Hague]

Or did you mean because noone has yet answered this message ?

Digging a little deeper, now have a 'PH meter', looks like my soil is reading 6 on the scale.

Blue berries apparently are a major draw to birds!!! cant be bothered with a fruit cage, ph is a tad high. So it looks like a couple of Gooseberries 'Espera' a Raspberry 'Jone J' and a Boysenberry . . .

Any one got any thoughts on the above, for instance will loads of manure lower the ph at all?
CJS

pH 6 is already fairly acid (if the meter is right). Digging in manure will possibly make it more so, decayed organic matter is often slightly acidic form the waste products of decay.

Another way once practiced for lowering pH was to dig in sulphur, but I don't think I'd recommend it.

[Elaine]

Hello CJS. Re the raspberry JoanJ. We have six of these and boy, am I glad we didn't go for twelve, as originally planned! They fruited well in the first year but last year was amazing...I wish I had kept note of how many pounds I picked but it must be in the region of fourteen, as I made three separate batches of jam, using 4lbs of rasps. each. Then we ate quite a lot...and some of them didn't make it home because I couldn't resist them...

I have four gooseberries...a red variety, (might be Whinhams Industry or Leveller, one or the other ) and if you don't intend making lots of jam, two bushes would be enough for you in my humble opinion, as they are prolific fruit bearers. I don't know the one you mentioned and I can't help with the blueberry query...I don't like them at all!
Good luck!

[PLUMPUDDING]

I've not tried Espera gooseberry, but can recommend Pax an almost thornless red dessert variety and Hinonmaki yellow both of which have very good flavour. These provide plenty for jam, wine and desserts.

Summer raspberry Glen Ample is my favourite for flavour and productivity. I've six plants and get more than enough for eating fresh, freezing and jam. I bought two canes of the yellow raspberry last year and they are still establishing, so can't comment on their flavour or productivity yet.

I grow Top Hat blueberry in a pot and Blue Gold and Herbert in the border. I've used ericaceous compost for all three just to make sure they are happy and top dress with more each year. The blueberries are handy just to pick a dishfull for breakfast and keep on producing for several weeks. They are also much tastier than the huge bland ones in the shops. You just have to make sure you keep the roots on the moist side, they aren't happy if you let them dry out.

Don't know whether you like currants, but I find it hard to use them up. I've three black currants and two red currants and just left a lot on the bushes last year, so you only really need one unless you mass produce cordial, wine and jam.