#Ericaceous

You CAN grow what you want… I have always LOVED Rhododendron and dreamt of having one in my garden but I never had the right soil! Did you know that you can create the perfect soil for your acid loving plants by adding the right compost. You might have heard of or seen Ericaceous compost but not really known what it is! Well it’s the magic ingredient for acid loving plants. When I added my Rhododendron to the garden we dug a big hole, filled it with ericaceous compost and then annually I mulch it with it as well! I have researched that if you’re wanting to change the colour of a hydrangea from pink to blue then adding the compost will help with that too 🙌🏼. @growmoorbettergrowing kindly gifted me this one to try for its annual mulch! Follow me @lookinsidemygarden for: 🌸 Daily gardening on stories 🌱Beginner gardener tips 🪴 Grow alongs ✨ Garden transformations 💬 Weekly Live Garden chat 💕Life, laughs and community #mygarden#growyourown#instagardeners#kitchengarden#gardener#gardenlife#smallgarden#gardening#mygarden#trending#trendingreel#ericaceous#rhodendron#howto#gardentips#growing#mulch#inmygardennow #gardensofinstagram#growyourown#nature#gardenersworld#gardensofinstagram#instagardeners#gardenlife#britishgarden

We’re lucky to have a Board Director with such an enthusiasm for the Ericaceous, as Will certainly does. Some of you might remember this Agapetes as a previous contender in our Rare Plant Rumble, the March bracket that pits rare plants against each other in a contest for Coolest Plant. That will be coming up soon! #agapetes #coolplants #ericaceae #ericaceaefamily #agapetesrubrobracteata #vaccinium #plants #vietnameseplants #plantsofvietnam

🌿 Ericaceous growing made simple! Some of our favourite flowering plants – rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and yummy blueberries – known as ericaceous plants, love acidic soil (pH 5–6). Plant them in the wrong soil and even adding ericaceous compost to the garden won’t save them – leaves yellow, buds fail, and the plant struggles. 💡 The trick? Grow them in large containers with specially formulated peat free ericaceous compost. I also feed them during flowering with an ericaceous feed, often sold in pink labelled bottles or containers as a liquid or granules. Feeding container plants the right nutrients will really help achieve flower power! I also feed & water in summer when next year’s buds are forming. If possible use rain water as that’s what acidic plants prefer. Healthy plant happy blooms! 🌸 #gardening #containergardening

Turning Pink Hydrangea Blue 🤩💙 I love having a potted Blue Hydrangea and to ensure I keep it blue I use Vitax Hydrangea Colourant. I give my Blue Hydrangea a boost of this every two months during the growing season. To have a Blue Hydrangea it needs to be in ericaceous compost and acidic soil, however sometimes it’s just not enough to keep it a strong blue so a boost of this granular feed will maintain the desired Blueness. If you would like to buy a Vitax Hydrangea Colourant then go to www.thompson-morgan.com @thompsonmorgan1855 and use my promo key code TMTAWTOM12 for 12% off when you spend over £20. You’ll need to spend over £20 so why not add a young Hydrangea, some summer bedding plugs, bulbs and bare roots to your basket. #hydrangea #hydrangeas #hydrangealove #hydrangeaseason #hydrangeaflower #hydrangeamacrophylla #hydrangeapaniculata #hydrangeasaremyfavorite #hydrangeasofinstagram #hydrangeabouquet #gardener #garden #gardening #flowers #flower #plants #gardens #gardendesign #gardenersofinstagram #gardeningtips #mygarden #gardensofinstagram #gardenlove #gardeners #instagarden #gardenwithtom #hydrangeaflowers #bluehydrangeas💙 #bluehydrangea #bluehydreangeas

Not sure which hydrangea’s right for your garden? 
Here’s a quick guide to the three main types we’re often asked about 🌸 🌿 Mophead
Big, rounded flowerheads that love partial shade. If your soil’s more alkaline, you’ll get pink tones - but switch to ericaceous compost or feed if you’re after blue. 🌿 Lacecap
Delicate, flat flowers with smaller blooms in the centre. Similar to mopheads in where they grow best - and also change colour with soil type. 🌿 Paniculata
Taller, more upright varieties with cone-shaped flowers. Often white, but many change to pink or even red. These are a bit more sun-tolerant and do well in most soils (even clay!). Pop in if you’re not sure which will suit your space best - we’re always happy to chat plants 🌸 #gardening #gardencentre #hydrangeas #plantadvice #ukgardencentre #ukgardening

I got this blueberry plant for £3 from B&M last year and now summer mornings look like this 🫐 This is just in a pot on my patio (top tip: they like acidic soil so pot up with Ericaceous compost) With how spenny berries are in the supermarkets it’s deffo worth investing in a berry bush if you have the space. This is one instance where the gardening girl math actually ADDS UP. They’re also perennial so will come back every year 🪴🌱

Looking to change the colours on your Pink Mophead Hydrangea, here are my top tips! 1. Add a mulch in Spring The mulch needs to be primarily pine needles and conifer bark. As you can see, it changed mine to shades of lilac/pale blue. 2. Plant into Ericaceous Compost The pH is low enough to give your hydrangea enough acidity to turn blue 3. Sulphate of Iron/ Sequestered Iron This is 100% effective and is ideal for any acid loving plant like Hydrangea Just remember, none of the above are permanent fixes for your soil as all will eventually lean back to slightly neutral or alkaline soil. Use regularly for any long-term effect. Also, it must be noted that only the macrophylla or Mophead varieties change colour!! #ahernnurseries #bringingyourgardentolife #hydrangea #acidlovingplants #irishgarden #gardencentre

Want to grow a spectacular Acer on your patio? Dissectum varieties are ideal for pots, here are my 5 simple steps to grow your own! 1. Use ericaceous compost (acidic). 2. Use crocks to keep the drainage hole clear. 3. Gently tease the roots out of the root ball. 4. Set the compost an inch below the rim for watering. 5. Water deeply when the surface looks dry. #PottedPlants #ContainerGarden #JapanesMaples #gardeningtips #growyourown

Blueberries need acidic soil so use ericaceous compost. Ask at a garden centre if you are not sure. Remember to water blueberries with rainwater as tap water can be slighlty alkaline. Enjoy your blueberries 😍 #fruitgrowingforbeginners #gardeningforbeginners #growyourown #growblueberries #blueberries #simonakeroyd

🌸 Thinking of growing a magnolia in a pot? Here’s the quick guide: • Choose a compact variety (like stellata or Susan) • Use a large pot + acidic (ericaceous) compost • Keep in sun or partial shade, sheltered from wind • Water regularly—don’t let it dry out • Feed in spring + summer • Protect from frost in winter (wrap the pot or move to shelter) ✨ Low effort, high reward spring blooms! Did you know the leaves and petals are also edible! How crazy is that!!! #beginnergardener #containergardening #plantsforpots #gardeningtips

A simple way to Feed your Camellia plant... 1 Bag of Ericaceous for Spil 2. Open Ericaceous Soil 3 Spread soil under Camellia 4 Keep compost away from stem of Camellia 5. Admire your job done! It's better if you weed under the plant before you mulch Follow for more tips and tricks.. Lynda Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm ##gardencentrelimerick #rockbartongardenclub MomsWhoGarden #BusyMomHacks #NoGreenThumbNeeded #MomsWhoGarden #momhacks #regenballyhoura

Plant of the Week 🌸 Camellias! Our Camellias are just coming into flower and they are absolutely stunning right now! 😍🌸 Super reliable and easy to grow - just plant in ericaceous compost and avoid that early morning sun and they'll reward you year after year 🌿☀️ And wait until you see our brand new 'Three Sisters' -3 different colours in one pot! 🩷🤍❤️ These are flying out the door so don't hang around! Pop in today before they are gone! 🛍️💚 #Fernhill #FernhillGardenCentre #FlowerOfTheWeek #Camellias #ThreeSisters 🌸🌿