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Heather - Is acid soil a must?
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Posted by amanda1 SE England (My Page) on Sun, Aug 24, 08 at 16:56
Can I plant heather in soil that is not acidic?
My soil is a sandy loam. I don't know the pH, but I would imagine it's neutral or alkaline. The underlying geology of the area is greensand.
Years ago I grew heather in London clay, with just a handful of peat in the planting hole. They lived successfully for years and I can't imagine it was particularly acidic after all that time.
Is it worth a try in my soil?
Also, is there a good substitute for peat?
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Heather - Is acid soil a must?
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- Posted by suemc Northwest (My Page) on
Mon, Aug 25, 08 at 6:30
| Hi Amanda, winter flowering heathers of the Erica carnea type aren't fussy about soil type and come in many colours. E. darleyensis is also lime tolerant. E. cinerea and E. vagans are both lime intolerant. Most Calluna vulgaris varieties of heather require peaty sandy soil but a few are lime tolerant. Hope this helps. |
RE: Heather - Is acid soil a must?
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Hi
My parents lived ina house called Chalk House (it was well named) and they had a fine collection of erica carnea. I remember my father saying that they could not care less about Ph as long as there was plenty of organic matter for them to grow in. |
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