Can Ericaceous Compost Be Used For Vegetables? 🥔

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If you are thinking of starting a vegetable garden, you need to get the right soil conditions. So, you want to get the right pH levels for your plants to thrive. So, will ericaceous compost be a good pick for growing vegetables?

Many vegetables like the acidic soil conditions provided by ericaceous compost. In most cases, you should be targeting a pH level of between 5.5 to 6.5. Get a mix that is designed for loamy soil and has balanced NPK levels.

Not all vegetables like the same soil conditions. But there are a few common requirements that most will need. Keep reading to learn about how vegetables will fare when grown in acidic soil.

Table of Contents

Ideal pH Level for Vegetables

The first thing to consider is what pH level your vegetables will grow best at. Though it will vary slightly, most will respond well to acidic soils. The reason they prefer mildly acidic soil is because it frees up nutrients like iron and manganese.

While plants won’t die if you plant them in alkaline soils, they will struggle. It can cause them to become stunted. At other times the lack of nutrients will reduce crop yields.

Many vegetables tend to prefer a pH level between 5.5 to 6.5. This applies to most of the popular species including:

Carrots
Cucumber

Garlic
Winter Squash
Sweet Pepper

Kale
Green Pepper

Some vegetables, like potatoes, will prefer more strongly acidic soils. They will need a soil level of between 5.1 to 6 to thrive.

Based on this, ericaceous compost will be a good choice for them. However, it’s best to do a pH test first. This will tell you the starting pH, determining how to bring it into the ideal range. In many cases, mixing in some ericaceous compost will be enough.

But if you have strongly alkaline soils, you might need to take some more drastic action. You might need to add some sphagnum peat moss. Or you can mix in some wood ash. You can even use a small amount of powdered sulfate.

Just be careful about the amount that you are adding. If you add too much there is a chance that you will burn the plants. This can lead to stunted growth. In extreme cases, it can even kill plants.

After you’ve added these to the soil, you’ll need to wait for them to be absorbed. It can take a few weeks before the changes start to become apparent through a pH test.

What Vegetables Don’t Grow in Acidic Soils

Of course, not all vegetables will need low pH levels to thrive. There are a few that like soils that are closer to neutral with a pH of 7. They can even handle something that is slightly alkaline. Here is a list of some vegetables that will thrive in these conditions:

Celery

Asparagus
Beet
Cabbage

Lettuce
Spinach
Cantaloupe

It’s best to do a little research on the vegetables before you plant them out. It shouldn’t be too hard to find what pH level they need.

Creating the Right Soil Conditions

While many vegetables will thrive on ericaceous compost, there are other elements that you need to consider. Let’s look at some of these areas.

Type of Fertilizer

One of the most important things to consider is the type of fertilizer that you are using. This will give your plants the nutrients they need to thrive.

In many cases, a high-quality ericaceous compost will contain several nutrients designed to help your plants thrive. It should be able to last for a few months. Over time, it will leach nutrients into the soil and become a neutral pH. Because of this, you’ll need to get used to re-applying each year.

However, there are a few ways that you can supplement this fertilizer mix. What approach you take will depend on the type of vegetables you are growing, some options to consider include:

Liquid fertilizer. This will provide a quick burst of nutrients. But it will only last for a limited time. This is best to use for leafy vegetables.

High potash. This contains a high level of potassium. It’s best to use it on flowering vegetables.
Long-lasting fertilizer. This will often come in the form of pallets. When you water them, you’ll be releasing nutrients into the soil. Because of this, this fertilizer should last for a few months.

When deciding the best type of fertilizer, it’s important to consider the NPK levels. But you’ll also need to think about the stage of the growth cycle that the plant is in. This can determine the type of fertilizer it will require.

For example, some vegetables need a balanced mix of nutrients early in the growing season. But, as they start to develop, you can add more phosphorous. This allows them to grow bigger roots for an increased yield.

Soil Moisture

The next thing to consider is how the soil retains moisture. Ideally, your soil will be loamy. This will retain water and nutrients, without becoming too muddy after rain. There are a few ways that you can amend the soil to make it loamier, including:

If there is too much clay. Mix in some sand, to break up the particles. If you are growing vegetables in a pot, you can drill a few more drainage holes.

If there is too much sand. It’s a good idea to add more compost or manure. This will also help make the soil more acidic.

Once you have the right type of soil, you’ll need to decide how much water you want to provide. This will vary, depending on the type of vegetable you are growing, so it’s a good idea to do a little research.

Other Tips for Successfully Growing Vegetables

Once you have the right soil, it’s time to put it to use. Here are some of the ways that you can do this to create a thriving vegetable garden.

Consider the Amount of Sunlight Vegetables Receive

One of the most important elements that determine your vegetable crop yield is where you plant it. The ideal conditions will depend on the species, so it pays to do a little research. Some like to be in full sun, others like a little shade.

In many cases, though, you’ll need to plant it in an area that gets around eight hours of direct sunlight. Ideally, the light should be coming from the east, getting the morning sun.

Give Them Some Space

One of the most common issues that amateur vegetable gardeners face is trying to do too much at once. They try to plant multiple species close together. This means that the roots will need to compete for limited nutrients within the soil. As a result, they will have stunted growth and lower yields.

Be Patient and Start Small

Like all skills, gardening has a learning curve. Don’t get discouraged if you have some issues in your first growing season. Over time you’ll learn your lessons and improve. Because of this, it’s a good idea to start with a small garden, focusing on two to three crops. Once you have mastered them, you’ll be able to move on to bigger and better things.

Final Thoughts

Starting a vegetable garden is one of the best ways to lower your environmental impact and save money. At first, it can be a bit of an art. You need to find the right placement for your plants and give them the right amount of water. But, as long as you have the right type of soil, you shouldn’t have too many problems.

Sources

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/vegetables-prefer-acidic-soil-51176.html

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