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Can you acidify tapwater?

Julia1983Julia1983 ShropshirePosts: 139
in Plants
I've got some blueberries in ericacaceous compost in tubs. Unfortunately because we are in rented accommodation I can't put a waterbutt in... so I have been watering with tap water but I know this is not ideal. This might be crazy but could you,  for example, pop a capful of vinegar in to acidify the water?  Or am I better off continuing as I am and replacing the compost next year?  🤔
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  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 46,095
    No it won't work.
    You'll need to get a large container for collecting rainwater. A plastic dustbin or similar would do, or just buckets and basins .  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 8,502
    As fg says above it wont work.
    Making water more acidic won't remove the hardness that's caused by calcium and the like.
    Reverse Osmosis water would do the trick, but it's very wasteful - 1 gallon of RO would use between 3-5 gallons of water.
    I feed mine with Miracle Grow Azalea feed once a month

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Julia1983Julia1983 ShropshirePosts: 139
    Thanks both, thought it sounded too simplistic  :D 
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 46,095
    We're fortunate up here as our tapwater is soft, although we also don't have to water stuff very often either  ;)

    You'll just have to swap to strawberries @Julia1983, or move north.... :D
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Julia1983Julia1983 ShropshirePosts: 139
     :D  I've got strawberries too so at least I might get a decent crop there!  I'll have to try and get a few rain buckets on the go  :)
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 11,336
    A cheap umbrella, opened upside down with a hole made near the centre placed over a bucket and weighed-down with a couple of bricks would catch a lot more than an open bucket.  Or anything similar made out of what you have available (eg plastic sheet, old compost bags etc. and a few bits of wood, fashioned into something which will catch rain over a wider area and channel it into a bucket.)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 46,095
    Get you @BobTheGardener - with your  'fashioned into something'  :D

    You're right - a bigger area will work really well, and no one will be going anywhere when it's raining so there should be plenty of brollies going to waste  ;)
    Good luck anyway @Julia1983 :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 11,336
    Entirely Geoff Hamilton's fault!  May he rest in peace. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 46,095
    Indeed so @BobTheGardener. What a gem he was  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 SomersetPosts: 9,218
    It would be good if the BBC re-ran all his programmes for us while in lockdown.
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