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I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
4 posters
Page 1 of 1
I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
This is going to be my 1st try at using sfg. I feel from what i read that this is an excellent way to grow vegetables, but when using it for fruit bushes I have a couple questions?
1. does it pay to go with a deeper bed, like 12"
2. how do I mix in new compost, since I'm not going to be pulling the plants out?
3. if there is any other suggestions that anyone could give a 1st time gardener.
1. does it pay to go with a deeper bed, like 12"
2. how do I mix in new compost, since I'm not going to be pulling the plants out?
3. if there is any other suggestions that anyone could give a 1st time gardener.
gusseyboy- Posts : 4
Join date : 2012-01-18
Location : Warwick, ny 60mi NW NYC
Re: I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
I started some dwarf blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries last year. While I used MM (MM = Mel's Mix, you'll see that a lot here!), I put them all in large pots rather than a SFG box.
Let's see what some of the more experienced SFGardeners say, but I would imagine that the bush berries you're interested in are either too big for SFG or at least big enough that it would make more sense to use a pot and save your box space for other crops. If you really want to do it in a box, Mel doesn't provide square requirements for those in the ANSFG book, but I'd say a raspberry cane would probably need at least one square and a dwarf blueberry at least two, probably four at full size in a 6" bed. Even at 12" I would have to believe a blueberry would need more than one square.
As far as compost, you'd just sprinkle some on the surface of the soil...your MM should settle enough that there will be room for that.
That's all I got...hopefully someone else has actually done this and can give you their experiences!
Let's see what some of the more experienced SFGardeners say, but I would imagine that the bush berries you're interested in are either too big for SFG or at least big enough that it would make more sense to use a pot and save your box space for other crops. If you really want to do it in a box, Mel doesn't provide square requirements for those in the ANSFG book, but I'd say a raspberry cane would probably need at least one square and a dwarf blueberry at least two, probably four at full size in a 6" bed. Even at 12" I would have to believe a blueberry would need more than one square.
As far as compost, you'd just sprinkle some on the surface of the soil...your MM should settle enough that there will be room for that.
That's all I got...hopefully someone else has actually done this and can give you their experiences!
gusseyboy- Posts : 4
Join date : 2012-01-18
Location : Warwick, ny 60mi NW NYC
Re: I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
gussyboy
Sorry I have no knowledge of growing berries in Mel's Mix, though I do have a cherry tree in a huge pot of Mel's Mix. I just put compost on top of the MM.
If you roots are not too close to the surface, you could "scratch in" some new compost on the top, but there will be some nutrients soaking into the lower levels of your Mel's Mix just from watering, even if you just put the compost on top of the MM.
Sorry I have no knowledge of growing berries in Mel's Mix, though I do have a cherry tree in a huge pot of Mel's Mix. I just put compost on top of the MM.
If you roots are not too close to the surface, you could "scratch in" some new compost on the top, but there will be some nutrients soaking into the lower levels of your Mel's Mix just from watering, even if you just put the compost on top of the MM.
Furbalsmom- Posts : 3141
Join date : 2010-06-10
Age : 77
Location : Coastal Oregon, Zone 9a, Heat Zone 2 :(
Re: I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
Furbalsmom wrote: gussyboy...snip....If you roots are not too close to the surface, you could "scratch in" some new compost on the top, but there will be some nutrients soaking into the lower levels of your Mel's Mix just from watering, even if you just put the compost on top of the MM.
I should go in and read the original post but can I just say; Don't "scratch in" on blueberries. Their roots grow in a mat near the surface.
I grow about 6 different blues in pots of MM. You are fine putting just an inch of compost on top of your growing medium. If you want to add a tablespoon of organic fertilizer (I occasionally use an organic rhododendron fertilizer, they have the same needs) and THEN cover that with a inch or so of finished compost....no scratching anything in. Some of my peeps are careful to not burry the "crown" but I am not, the bush does not seem to be sensitive to that the way strawberries are.
Don’t know if you asked this or not BUT I only grow annuals in my boxes. Anything that lives longer than a year (berries, rhubarb, asparagus, trees) gets its own pot or mini box of MM.
Debs.....all jazzed about Lincoln's birthday!
Re: I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
By the way.....ALWAYS follow FBmom's advice on everything else, she is amazing. I just felt a sudden rush of mother hen......wait, hens scratch...scratch that, ...momma-bear protection for the root mat of blues.
Welcome to the board!
Debs....who also has a tub of mixed raspberries in a huge pot of MM. Now that I think about it there is also a Merion berry and a Logan berry wintering in pots of MM but those grow so well in the PNW that I hope to find dirt homes for them after spring is officially here.....anyone want either of those?
Welcome to the board!
Debs....who also has a tub of mixed raspberries in a huge pot of MM. Now that I think about it there is also a Merion berry and a Logan berry wintering in pots of MM but those grow so well in the PNW that I hope to find dirt homes for them after spring is officially here.....anyone want either of those?
Re: I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
LavenderDebs wrote:but can I just say; Don't "scratch in" on blueberries. Their roots grow in a mat near the surface.
Thank you "momma bear" for saving gussyboys blueberries. I would feel really bad if I caused damage to those root mats near the surface.
Furbalsmom- Posts : 3141
Join date : 2010-06-10
Age : 77
Location : Coastal Oregon, Zone 9a, Heat Zone 2 :(
Re: I was wondering about blueberrys, blackberrys, raspberrys, & huckleberrys
thanks, alot to everyone posting in with suggestions!
gusseyboy- Posts : 4
Join date : 2012-01-18
Location : Warwick, ny 60mi NW NYC
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