watering blueberries and peaches.

 

   I put in a peach and some blueberries a year ago. They look like they
are now acclimated and growing well, The Peach (perhaps 2" trunk, 9'
tall) is loaded with small fruit about the size of a nickle. The
Blueberries, perhaps 3' tall. Lot of peat moss in holes, particularly
the blueberries.

   I'm unsure how much water they need. Googling has left me very
confused on this. I'm in 7b, Atlanta, day temps currently in the upper
70's, warmer later, summer will bring some 90's.

   I think I've got a fair idea of how much water cukes and tomatoes
need. But I'm clueless for these. Last year I gave everything the same
amount of water (drip irrigation). I'm thinking this year they will need
more. How do I gauge this? Should I put smaller drippers at the edge of
the root ball? I'm thinking waiting for stress symptoms is not a great
plan and I'd like to not screw this up. Some day, I'd like to learn from
success rather than failure!

Also, when should I thin the fruit on the Peach?

   Jeff

 



I really don't know about peaches, but I'm fairly knowledgeable on the
blueberry front. 90% of blueberry roots occur in the top 8-9 inches of soil,
thus they are quite susceptible to drought. Apply a heavy mulch of organic
(acidic) material (pine needles are great) and water 1-2 inches per week if
nature doesn't supply. They also need a pH of 5.5 (4.8 seems to be optimum)
or lower in order to be able to convert nutrients.

Drip irrigation works quite well. I have about 700 plants and each has a 1
gallon per hour dripper. A deep well pump in the stream pushes water 1200
feet (only 125 foot in rise) up the hill into numerous t's and into about a
mile of 1/2 inch tubing. I use a company in Oregon called Dripworks for all
my irrigation supplies.

I would think peaches are like other fruits, thin them to about 4 inches
after the "June drop".

Hope this helps,
Steve

 



Planted potatoes near my blue berries because they have similar pH
requirements. Now the potatoes are amongst the blueberry bushes for
good, as I can't think how I can harvest them without damaging the
blueberries.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

 



Wish I could help, but the Ag ext service in NC doesn't even recommend
cultivating near blueberry plants. Maybe you could pull up the potato plants
and feel around in the resulting crater?
Good luck,
Steve

 



 Think of the potatoes as a cover crop.  

Got me thinking about spacing and distance and poor soils vs. great.  My
main issue now is Sun and a raised bed encourages heavy planting to me.  
 Guess arable space is crucial along with light etc.  Micro climates and
Hopi  come to mind.  Wandering.

--
   Bill   Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA