Blueberry transplanting/propagating

[Travis]

Thanks, have you ever dissolved just plain urea in water? I have a bag of it… I have no idea on rates and I know that can burn if you’re not careful.

[warmwxrules]

I like to use liquid ferts on mine and I agree…I hit them often and have seen no negatives. I’m out of rainwater now so i’ll have to start using my well water again (pH 7.5ish)… Mine looks fantastic this year with lots of big fruit.

[warmwxrules]

Could be something to do with pH … I grow mine in pure peat moss and haven’t had any issues but I try hard to only water with rainwater and use fert for acid loving plants.

[Travis]

Here’s what they look like, not terrible but not lush.

[Drew51]

Thanks, have you ever dissolved just plain urea in water?

No, I use Miracle Gro acid fertilizer which is just urea. I use it when pH is good. It doesn’t really change pH much compared to ammonium. If your soil is good (and it is) urea is fine.
@alan may know as he uses urea and may know dose for blueberries. What do you think Alan?

Here’s what they look like,

OK, just sitting there like that? Probably establishing roots. The cold can cause redness too… They should benefit from being fed.

[Travis]

OK, just sitting there like that?

Yeah, they have improved a little the past few weeks. There was a lot more red on the leaves before. They were in pretty rough shape last year in their old spot.

[alan]

I use urine for my blueberries which give me vigorous growth and heavy crops year after year. For folks using synthetic I recommend Osmocote. I rely on sulfur to get or keep the pH down.

[warmwxrules]

Just thinking here but could one use say a 5 gallon bucket filled with saturated peat moss…drill a drain hole on the bottom (maybe put a piece of hardware cloth down there)…leave some space on top and just run well water thru it and into another container on the bottom to lower pH (my water is over 200ppm on the hardness meter I have pH 7.5 ish)? I ask because I know with aquariums people will add peat moss to filters to lower pH for certain fish (neon tetras/etc)… I watered my blues today using straight hose water.

[Drew51]

I think it would work, but not sure for how long?

[Seamonkey84]

I’ve made peat moss tea for my aquariums, depending on how much you use or let it steep, it should last for several runs. I’d almost recommend getting ph meter or at least a ph indicator that stays in a tote/tub while you make the tea. Sea chem makes a cheap ph alert badge you keep in the water, the center dot changes color with the ph. Only thing is, I’d recommend keeping it wet once you open it and break the seal.

[warmwxrules]

That is the question… I might have to experiment. I’ve got to make an amazon order so maybe i’ll get some pH strips.

[Travis]

I ended up making a 12% urea solution by dissolving granules in water and applying through my drip irrigation system through a Miracle Gro Liquafeed. It seemed to help. They’re starting to really green up compared to what they were.

[Drew51]

Awesome! Good luck with them! I have been eating blueberries daily for about a week now. I mix them with yogurt for breakfast. Plus whatever else I harvested.

[txpanhandle1]

Miracle Gro Liquafeed

hOW DID YOU PLUMB A LIQUAFEED INTO YOUR DRIP SYSTEM?

[aap]

So far, my new blueberry plants are not responding well, wrong kinds?
Don’t know.

[Travis]

Just like this. I also modified one for a 5 gal bucket to hold more fertilizer.

[warmwxrules]

Went thru all my semi hardwood cuttings today… Lots of non takes and a few takes (rootstock). No blueberry cuttings formed any roots or looked to be even in the process of forming roots…so i’ll stick to seed grown and maybe try dormant (winter) cuttings in the early spring. I do feel like everything here is late this year and maybe i should have taken cuttings later–i noticed with some rootstock cuttings that nothing i took early grew any roots, only the mid/late June stuff looks to be growing.

[Drew51]

The only blueberries I seen root were in a misting system. I have one from Brady. Excellent growth, it’s 4th leaf now and produced the last 3 years. This year it’s loaded. A Spartan blueberry.