How to plant taters

[JimWWhite]

Oh, blueberries! Lovely! I am trying to grow them, but my soil, is not right for them. I'm giving them one more year, to start looking good- and then I'm using the land for something else!!
How lucky you are to attract bluebirds with your gourd houses. I love growing those gourds and have had birds nest in them- but I rarely see bluebirds around here...

I believe blueberries require a fairly acidic soil to thrive with a pH level between 4.0 and 5.0 being optimal. Mine's neutral at about 7.0 where these are planted so I really need to add something to it to give them a kick in the behind. We have several other bushes over in front of the house along the porch where I regularly mulch with pine needles and those plants are doing really well. I did mulch inside the 2x2 boxes around each plant you see here with pine bark nuggets. I'll measure it in the spring again to see where it is at that time. Does anyone know of a natural organic way of lowering the pH without using commercial chemicals?

 

[thistlebloom]

Hi jim, peat moss will lower your ph significantly, but it's best done at the time of planting because it takes quite a bit and it should be thoroughly incorporated into your backfill.
Peat is problematic (aside from the issue of harvesting it) because it is so hard to get really moist. Thats why you never want to use it as a top dressing, because once dry, it crusts and the water will just sheet off it. If your bb haven't been in long you could lift them this spring and amend the planting hole.I would recommend doing that , since they are fussy about the soil ph and will decline rapidly if it's not right.
This I know from sad experience
Oh, and the popular feeling that pine needles are acidic just ain't so. I was bummed when I learned this just recently, because I had been adding them to my bb bed thinking I was doing them such a favor.
Another bubble that burst for me in the adding-stuff-to acidify-my-soil subject was learning that coffee grounds don't lower ph either.
I believe you can use elemental sulfur, and I've heard magnesium also, but I need to research that further.
If you find out anything more I would appreciate hearing about it, because I need to help mine along also.
ETA We should probably start a thread on acidifying soil

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know if it si organic or not, but sulphur is one recommended method to acidify the soil.

 

[thistlebloom]

Here's an interesting discussion on using pine needles to lower a soils pH:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg050944526608.html
Ridgerunner ,I think it has to be elemental sulfur.
Also Dr. Earth makes a organic fertilizer for acid loving plants.

 

[JimWWhite]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm going to do some reading and see what I can find on the subject.

 

[LVVCHAP]

I am seriously considering planting potatoes this year. I have never done it and I could use any advice that I get. I need help in choosing what kind. We use a lot of russett but red skins are good for roasting. I live in zone 5. I'd like to plant enough for my family of 5 (three kids 6 and 9 and two adults) and be able to store them. I also need info on how to properly store them. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Sonjab314,
I replied earlier about how I grow potatoes, these are a few pics from today (1.28.11), harvesting. I call it God's refrigerator.

This is the potato bed covered with snow - it is about 24 degrees today.

Next I shovel the snow away and pull back the compost

Remove compost carefully because this is what you find - they are Red Pontiac

Let me know if I can help you

 

[sonjab314]

That is a very neat idea. What temp does your soil get in the summer?

 

[LVVCHAP]

That is a very neat idea. What temp does your soil get in the summer?

I never check soil temps in the summer. When it feels warm enough in the Spring I plant.

 

[sonjab314]

Well I just notices thast we are rated for the same USDA temp zone. I may very well try your method.