watering blueberries and other plants

Hi Everyone,
Last year i bought some blueberry plants, (looking forward to more berries this year) what i gather with these plants is that they don't do well with tap water, so last year i collected loads of rainwater and did it that way. Now someone's told me i can use water from my tropical fish tank to water houseplants, and tomatoes etc... apparently the waste in the water is full of nutrients, can anyone tell me whether they think the fish water will benefit the blueberries, or will the fact that it was originally tap water will stand?
Thanks in advance
Gill

[ 10. January 2006, 12:43 PM: Message edited by: samsoph ]

 

Hi Gill

Blueberries are acid lovers and lime haters, thats why tap water is bad...rain water would be ok, I would think the benefits of fish water (if the tank has a good filter) would be neglible but would be better than tap water

If they are in pots you should also re-pot using ericaceous compost and if bedded out give a watering now and again with an acid tonic like iron sequestrene

 

hi Stevew
thanks for comments on water, i will probably give it a go during dry spells.
Re the compost...i do have it in ericacious compost, but did you mean i have to repot to freshen it up every year?
thanks
Gill

 

Hi Gill

No, you can repot just when they need it although top dressing (scraping some of the top compost away and putting fresh on top) is beneficial..... but water with one of the iron tonics now and again

steve

 

Hi Steve,
thanks for the advice, i will put some of the compost on top, i have used plant food for eracious compost, would that be the same thing as iron..or is this something else?
Gill

 

Thats even better, the product i was talking about keeps the soil on the acid side, yours does that and feeds as well

http://www.gardenhealth.com/product_range/plant_food/ericaceous.php

 

Thanks Steve for all your advice...its very much appreciated
Gill