Just had a thought about my berries!

the ericaceous will be fine,plus a ltttle bonemeal, i would nt overdo things to much, you want to promote a strong healthy plant and fruit production, so not sulphate of ammonia, you dont need to feed every time you water of course, as there is goodness in the compost which the plants will draw on.

 

Could be wrong, but I was under the impression that bonemeal contained calcium, which is not good for lime haters.
Something I read years ago, not sure if its true or not, but I've never used bonemeal on ericaceous plants since.

 

Makes sense to me. Pete - surely if bonemeal is made from bone, it MUST have calcium in it!

 

Your right Pete - just heard some advise to avoid bone meal and use hoof and horn instead.

 

Thankyou for the replies.

I find names like sulphate of ammonia and sulphate of potash a bit daunting .

But one of the things I love about gardening is there's always more to learn!

 

mmmmm ok its a few year since i did my organic chemistry at agricultural college, but the gist of it is that Ca++ calcium ions in lime [calcium carbonate] are very active little beggars, and actively seek out negativity in clay soils,,,,,, bonemeal has got calcium phosphate amongst others and is not very active.
im open to a more scientific argument

 

ericaseous will be fine

 

Chemistry is not my subject, as I say I just remember reading it somewhere.
I would suppose on a naturally acid soil it would have minimum effect, but on my neutral to slightly alkaline soil I tend to not use it on the erecacious plants that I struggle to grow.