Ericacious feed but alkaline compost?

[UneAstuce]

I've just realised why my gentians are struggling - I didn't realise they were acid loving! So I have transplanted them from one pot to another.

I don't have any ericacious compost though, so it's the normal multi purpose compost again, but I found some ericacious plant feed in the shed and have given them an acid feed. If I do this regularly should it be enough, or do I really need to go and buy a bag of ericacious compost? Would rather not because I don't have any other acid loving plants.

Is your multipurpose compost actually alkaline rather than neutral?

One mechanism by which acid-loving plants struggle is that they are unable to absorb the iron in the soil. Have you considered chelated iron?

Ah, I think it's probably neutral not sure - generally it's recycled from other pots. Not sure about chelated but if I go out to buy that, then I may as well get ericacious!

Your ericaceous plant food will probably contain sequestered (ie chelated) iron anyway, though more might be needed eventually.

Ok so sounds like I can leave them in the normal compost as long as I continue giving ericacious feed

@UneAstuce

Ah, I think it's probably neutral not sure - generally it's recycled from other pots. Not sure about chelated but if I go out to buy that, then I may as well get ericacious!

I was thinking that but didn’t like to say it.

You can always mix the remains with ordinary compost a bit at a time. It won’t upset anything but lime lovers