My lingonberries have been in a shady acidic garden for a few years. I was hoping to have a great ground cover, but that has never happened. I have to constantly weed the tiny plants, since they are not forming a mat. I find that the plants grow very slowly. Also some varieties have shown more vigor and fruit compared to others. My advice would be to have patience. Perhaps you can you add an acidic mulch such as pine needles which will also help retain moisture.

Cheers!

Corn Gluten may help reduce weeds. Its not a killer, but a weed germination deterrant.

If you are watering with local tap water that contains lime, you will not be able to maintain the acidic soil pH that these plants need. We grow blueberries here, in our yard, and have had problems from watering during the summer drought.

The use of iron sulfate will break down slowly and also provide acid to the soil.

so, since it is next to the house, by chance did i not water it enough? as much rain as we have gotten, i didn't think there was a need.

To my knowledge rainwater does not contain lime, and will not raise soil pH. Our tap water, supplied by the city of Madison, does contain lime, and when I used it to water our blueberry shrubs, last summer, during the drought, the soil pH did go up, resulting in sad looking blueberry shrubs this spring. I have since applied ammonium sulfate to each shrub, and they're looking better. I will apply sulfur this fall, and maybe next year they will be back to normal.

Holly Tone is also very good fertilizer as it also contains the necesary acidifier of iron sulfate. There have been a few unfavorable posts about aluminium sulfate being used around blueberries. Its much faster acting, but disipates quicker.

holly tone. hmmmmm. i am going to have to check that out. i have also been wanting to plant hollies. thanks.

Holly Tone is a nice balanced fertilizer and has a strong 'organic' smell. I use it all around my blueberry bushes twic a year. Its made by Espoma I believe.

applied a compost tea to them today. we'll see...of course, d rolled his eyes. "they're dead" i said, you never know, the roots may still be good.