[ian]

Here's the latest on my first go at a fruit and vegetable garden.
Blueberries just put in the ground! all arrived safe from Wexford. 12 of Blue Crop and 12 of Patriot. Attached some photos not much to see yet, should flower in May.

Regards,Ian.

[cooler]

Thanks for the pics. Fair play Ian for making the attempt to grow these. I often thought about it, but was put off by all I read about soil types and special feeding programmes. There was a question asked on Irishgardeners recently about blueberry feeding timing and feeding type. It was never dreally answered, maybe you know how as you are now growing them.
ps. found that post http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1181

[ian]

Hi Cooler,
I just gave a boost of fish blood and bone meal a handful on every root ball as they went into place. They are in acidic mountain soil so its just a booster. After a week I threw on a couple of handfuls of pelletted chicken manure around the stem of each and raked lightly over it. Also would feed when they flower and when berries come on. They really are being mollycoddled, we'll see if it pays off.
Regards, Ian.

[danmac]

I have just two blueberry plants altogether, one of Bluecrop and one of Patriot variety, both of which I put in last November. I carved out a pair of 6 foot beds around mine because I had to remove a good bit of the topsoil where they were being planted. This topsoil was basically just blue-ish grey clay, which was sitting on top of the soil after being brought up by mechanical digging work that was done when our house was built. I had a feeling that although grass was growing on the clay topsoil, it seemed unlikely that it would suit the blueberry plants, as it didn't seem very acidic or organic in content. So I replaced the clayey material with a mix of farmyard manure and compost and added a bit of sulphate of iron and sulphate of ammonia to help the acidity. I have also given a small amount of sulphate of potash and just a handful of 7-6-17 to the plants. So far they seem to be doing ok I think. I might also give them some rhododenron fertiliser and anothe r bit of ericaceous compost in the next month.
Anyway here is how they look at present, it anyone spots something wrong, please let me know as I am just winging this at present and have no previous practice with blueberries. Oh and I forgot to take a picture, I have a similar but smaller bed made for a cranberry plant which is also now starting to show new leaf growth and possibly some flower buds.
My Bluecrop on the left and Patriot on the right (sorry about the poor contrast between plants and background):

[ian]

Hi danmac, they look fine and healthy, keep doing what you're doing, better state than mine all the flower buds burnt off despite installing wind protection, think it was frost this time, though they are supposed to be hardy ?
Regards, ian.