All soil needs to be high quality to support the plants and flowers that you grow in your garden or yard. Ericaceous soil is no different – perfect for lime hating plants, it can support a variety of greenery and is on the list of most gardeners looking for more variety. If you are on the hunt for quality ericaceous soil, this is your guide to finding the best buys, understanding what you are looking for when shopping, and choosing where to purchase your soil and other gardening essentials.
Firstly, what is ericaceous soil? It is an acidic soil that is used to grow plants and flowers that do not grow well in lime. It should look like a rich, dark, black soil and should also have high organic content. The pH will indicate the balance of the soil and will tell you what kinds of plants you can grow in it. If you want to know what types of plants and flowers you can grow in ericaceous soil, there are two ways of knowing:
- Learn about some of the plants that commonly grow well in ericaceous soil. Some of the plants you may want to think about growing are Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azalesa, Pieris and Acers.
- Look for signs of lime-induced chlorosis. Some of the early signs are generally yellowing of leaves and a lack of flowers. Over time, the plants’ condition will deteriorate and they usually eventually die. If plants are showing these signs, they are probably in the wrong type of soil, though there could be other issues as well.
So how do you know where to buy your ericaceous soil from if you need some more? Garden centres and nurseries that promote good plant care are always a good option that can really pay off for you. If you want to know more about their specific soil and where it comes from, speak to a member of staff. If online, check if they have a good customer service team on hand to help over the phone – another marker of a quality, reliable service. Some things to look for are:
- Knowledge – can they tell you about ericaceous soil and do you feel confident in their experience?
- Testing – the pH level of any soil type should always be tested carefully to ensure it is accurate. Make sure this has been done with any ericaceous soil that you buy. The soil should be checked for fertility, textural classification and its pH levels.
- Storage – soil should be suitable stored and should not have been there for too long. After all, you need to know that it has all of the right nutrients.
- Checks for diseases – make sure that the soil has been checked and is disease free, and that there is no contamination from pesticides.
- Organic content – make sure that the ericaceous soil you are thinking of buying has high organic content.
- Sustainability – this is something that is becoming increasingly important to gardeners. Check where your soil has been sourced from and if it is sustainable.