Well, I wanted to start growing some odds and ends on the side of the house, there is good sun exposure there 8+ hours/day. There is everbearing strawberry (Allstar?), blueberries (Northland, Bluecrop, Elliot), a bush cucumber, some Romaine Lettuce, a couple Beefsteak tomatoes, Latham Raspberry, and a couple Zucchini plants.
This is the first year I have tried this, I set up much of it in April, I want to go get some lumber and build a 3-section raised bed Strawberry patch, and a second raised garden bed, both 4 ft. x 8 ft. I also want to build a 2ft. x 8 ft. raised bed for the Raspberries.
I’ve done a lot of reading, brainstorming, planning, etc., and writing down odds and ends as I go, so am learning.
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nice garden I love container growing 🙂 I have some everbearing raspberry I just got but this FLA sun is beating them down pretty hard 🙂
Thanks, I've really enjoyed having that stuff out there. I just finished the 2 raised beds today, so I plan to use them in the future, and I still have the pots to grow more things. The Zucchini seem to be suffering in the pots, drying out too much, I do water, and they do produce, but they look pretty wasted. I hope you get some good raspberries, I eventually would like some too.
what soil did you end up using for the raspberry, I am getting ready to plant mine in a raised bed as well.
@blackboy424 You've seen the raspberry box video too, right? From what I remember, I used some bags of compost, top soil, peat moss and maybe potting soil, and just mixed them in together. Then I sprinkled some soil sulfur granules and mixed them it. Not as much as the blueberries' soil, though.
I've read that raspberries like somewhat acidic soil, I have a pH meter too, and used it for the blueberries. I'd have to find a reference for the raspberry pH, so don't dump in too much sulfur.
@blackboy424 also the peat moss is slightly acidic, and you could even use pine mulch (which I did), or even pine needles. The soil sulfur granules are pretty easy to add, though. Hey, hope it goes well for you, and that you have healthy plants.
@lycheesack sorry for the delay. I am new to this and have been learning as I go. I used the soil mix recommended by Dave Wilson Nursery, "blueberries in containers." They have a youtube vid too. You mix 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 pine bark, 1/3 potting soil on a tarp, and you add a handful of sulfur. I asked at the greenhouse for the sulfur. it lowers the pH. I also got a pH meter from the hardware store to test. The mulch on top is pine bark. It is slightly acidic to help the pH.
@lycheesack I want to put them in the ground this spring. Also you can buy some organic acidic fertilizer. the acidic ones are for azaleas and rhododendrons. I am wondering about rain water too, I think the hose water after a while raises the pH in the pots, so will have to keep learning. I also made a 3-ring binder to put info about different plants in, for reference. I hope we get more BB's this year, and I have to be careful to not over-water them. Hope that helps.
50% peat, 25% sand, 25% compost. Mix and test PH. If PH is 3.5 – 6 then is ok, if PH if not right then use additives. Use mulch on top. Feed every year with plant food, cover with bird nets. Dont overwater but make sure ground under the mulch is not bone dry. A little water often is better than gallons once in a while. Too much water will kill them, too little will kill them, PH wrong will kill them. Some people get lucky and just stick them in the ground and they do good. Stick with bluecrop…
I actually just planted the 4 bushes in the ground a bit over a week ago. I noticed some soil compaction after being in the pots nearly a year. I think the pots got hot and dry in the full sun, hopefully the ground now will be better for them. I have a couple bluecrop, an Elliot and Northcrop so at least 2 varieties. they are getting blue so hopefully can eat soon.
You did the right thing, pots are not very good for blueberry plants because their roots like alot of room horizontally and soil compaction damages their roots badly. Bluecrop berries dont get fully sweet untill they are very ripe so take care not to pull the off too early or they can be abit sour.
Get rid of your lawn and you don't need containers any more!