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If you’re new to gardening, choosing which compost suits your plants best may be confusing. Alpines are particularly tricky to grow because they originally grew on mountains, so their requirements differ from most similar plants. So, can you use ericaceous compost on alpines?
You can use ericaceous compost for alpines, as long as you ensure the soil is free draining and infertile.
Follow the article to learn more about the best soil for alpines and what compost you should use.
Can You Use Ericaceous Compost for Alpines?
Ericaceous compost is acidic due to its low pH, so it’s usually the chosen compost for acid-loving plants like berries.
Since alpines initially grow in mountain soil, they’re used to the acidity, and they actually thrive in it. So, you can use ericaceous compost for them comfortably, as long as you fulfill the rest of their growth requirements.
When the mountain soil is in a place with frequent rainfall, it becomes even more acidic because of the dissolved minerals.
The mountainous conditions may be odd for most plants, but alpines are pretty hardy.
What Is the Best Soil for Alpines?
To know what soil is best for alpines, you’ll need to revisit their original growth conditions. These plants initially grow in mountainous areas, which is why they’re hardy and drought-tolerant.
Anyway, mountainous soil is often not prepared well for plants. It’s mostly made up of rocks with some organic matter, courtesy of the plants dying around.
What we gather from that is that the soil is free-draining and infertile. So, if you want to grow alpines, you’ll have to duplicate these conditions.
To do that, you’ll need to ensure they have well-draining soil. Alpine hates nothing more than water logging, and it could cause root rot. So, aim at a type of soil that doesn’t keep the roots wet for a long time after watering.
Stay away from clay soil, and ensure your soil has enough coarse grit sand for free draining.
How to Make Compost for Your Alpines
If you want to keep things budget friendly and make your own compost, it’s wise to learn about what alpines prefer.
To make compost at home, start with a loamy base. Loam can’t be used on its own, especially if you’re growing your alpines in pots because it’s a bit too dense. So, it’d cause the soil to get compacted, blocking the water and harming the plant in the process.
With loam, you can add any peat-free compost you want. Any compost based on wood waste or organic matter will work because alpines mostly grow amid all kinds of waste on mountains.
An ideal ericaceous compost would contain 10% garden soil, 10% sand, and 10% compost. The rest can be whatever materials you have available. If you don’t want to use peat moss for environmental purposes, you can replace it with coir or something.
Care Tips for Alpines Plants
Growing plants is no easy feat, especially if you’re growing a plant you have never grown. Compost isn’t the only factor you need to think of when growing alpines.
To avoid making mistakes that could kill the plant, check these care tips:
- Alpines can thrive in sand beds, especially those that originate in dry climates.
- If you grow your alpines in a sand bed, make sure the sand is neither too fine nor too coarse. Too fine sand will retain water, and too coarse sand will let the water drain too quickly without allowing the roots to feed first.
- Clay pots are better for alpines because they keep the roots cool. Plus, they keep the roots from retaining water because they regularly absorb the water and let it out. Try to opt for clay instead of plastic whenever you can.
- Along with compost, try to add gravel mulch to your alpines. Since they originally grow in the mountains, they’re used to gravel and are more comfortable growing in it than in bare soil.
- If your plant grows vigorously, you can prune it after it flowers. However, alpines mostly don’t need pruning because they stay compact throughout their lifespan.
- If your alpine is newly planted, don’t forget to give it plenty of water. Newly established roots often cause the compost to dry out fast, so they need plenty of water to compensate for that.
Common Alpine Pests to Keep an Eye Out For
Any soil-grown plant is susceptible to pests, and alpines are no different. So when you’re preparing the soil and compost, keep an eye out for these pests. It’s also wise to learn how to deter them, so you can keep a clean plant bed.
- Snails: snails love to feed on the fleshy parts of alpines. If they’re common in your area or garden, adding mulch on top of the soil is better to keep them away. Alternatively, you can place the plant in a raised position to keep snails from reaching it.
- Vine weevils: vine weevils are common pests for potted plants and do the most damage during autumn. Signs of vine weevils include leaves eaten off the edges and slow or hindered growth.
- Ants: if you’re an avid gardener, you’re probably no strangers to ants
. These pesky pests mostly infest plants low to the ground and usually target free-draining soil. You can deter them by using sand in your soil mixture.
Final Thoughts
While growing alpines can be a bit tricky because of their odd growth conditions, they’re actually easy to grow because they’re hardy. They can handle most conditions you throw their way.
To answer your question, yes, you can use ericaceous compost for alpines. They’re used to the acidic mountain soil, so they won’t mind it.
However, you need to ensure their soil is infertile and free draining. These plants don’t respond well to waterlogged roots, so you’ll want to keep an eye out for that.
Sources
- https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/ericaceous-compost-info.htm
- https://www.gardenbenches.com/blog/different-soil-types/
- https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/for-places/sandy-soils
- https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/alpines/growing-guide
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/loam-good-for-104913.html