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Growning Blueberries in a Zinc Container
Trial-and-Error
Posts: 19
in Fruit & veg
Has anybody got experience or ideas about growing blueberries in a zinc water tank? I've got three blueberry plants I'm considering to plant in an empty tank each, but have the following concerns:
- Will the ericaceous compost with its low pH cause zinc ions to be released from the tanks?
- If they do, will the zinc harm the plants or compete with micronutrients (especially other metals) for absorption into the plant?
- Should the above not be a problem, how many holes do I need to drill into the bottom (?and sides) for adequate drainage but still ensuring the soil keeps moist enough for a long time the way blueberries like it?
Lots of questions, I know! Thank you for any experience you can share or advice you can give.
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PS: Forgot to mention that the dimensions of the tanks are roughly:
Length 60 cm
Width 45 cm
Height 50 cm
A metal tank will always be a bit problematical in summer due to overheating in the sunshine (if we ever get any) so you need to find a way to keep the plants' roots cool. I think it would be a good idea to keep the blueberries in separate containers that can be popped into the zinc tanks or to line the tanks with a layer of compost and thick plastic. As to drainage, the roots might like to be moist but they won't like being in compost that is badly drained so holes drilled every 10 cm should be fine.