How to Get the Soil Just Right for Growing Blueberries

Blueberries are fairly easy to grow, but soil preparation to critical to your success in growing blueberries. Getting the soil right for blueberries is well worth the effort because these plants will supply you with blueberries for years and the plants themselves are attractive and ornamental.

The soil for your blueberry plants must be in the pH range of 4.5 – 5.2 for the plants to successfully produce blueberries. If your soil is not within this range, you will need to make some adjustments so that your soil is prepared for growing blueberries.
Prepare your soil ahead of planting your blueberry plants.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Test your soil's pH level. If the soil is at a pH level of 4.5 - 5.2, the soil is right for planting blueberries. If it is above 5.2 and no more than 7.0, you will need to provide a mix that is right for planting.

2. A good mix is made up of 40% sphagnum peat moss(dampened),10% loam, and 50% pumice or material to promote drainage. The sphagnum moss has a lower pH and will, therefore, contribute to lowering the pH level of your soil to the range of 4.5 – 5.2 needed for the blueberry plants to produce berries. If your soil is not within this range, you will need to assure that the pH level is adjusted to the proper level. This is not just for healthy plants. The blueberry plants need this acidity to make blueberries.

3. Before you get into testing and adjusting your soil to the proper pH for blueberries, you may want to stop and first think about planting your blueberry plants in raised beds where you can put in soil mixed at the proper levels. An alternative worth considering is planting your blueberries in containers.

4. Provide soil that is aerated and can hold water. However, blueberries require good drainage so as not to sit in soaked soil.

5. Rather than trying to adjust soil that has a pH level of more than 7.0, take the alternative approach and plant your blueberry plants in containers or raised beds. Don't think about adjusting the acidity that much more because any more adjustment just isn't good for your blueberries. These options allow you to customize the mix of your soil.

6. This concern for acidity will come up again in your choice of fertilizer for your blueberries as they need acidity -or lower pH levels.

7. Water is another important consideration. If you reach into the soil, down about six inches, about one foot from the plant, the soil should feel damp (not soggy). One inch or water per week is about right, but that will vary with your conditions.

8. Go after weeds to enable the roots to take a healthy hold. Mulching the base of your plants will help in keeping moisture available for your blueberry plants.

9. Fertilize your blueberry plants with an acid fertilizer such when you see the burgeoning bud growth in the spring season. Apply the acid fertiizer in growing season and then at the end of summer before the onset of the autumn season.

Tips & Warnings

• It is better to water your plants longer for 3 or 4 days per week than it is to give them a slight watering every day.
• Look for Organic Fertilizers for Acid Loving Plants (6-4-4)
• Do you grow azaleas? Blueberry plants like the same type of soil and locations.
• Mulch for winter protection and trim back any branches that may hold onto clumps of heavy snow that make lead to breakage.
• Soil that is too high in pH for short periods will hamper growth. Soil that is a pH level that is too high for long periods may kill your plants.

[craighiter]

on 6/15/2009 Southern High bush plants differ fron Rabbiteyes in their intolerance to high ph levels. Modifying ph levels can be tricky business. I have found the best way to modify ph levels is the use of a liquid iron/sulpher solution. It will lower the ph gradually and your leaves will start to turn green when the ph hits the right level, and your berries will actually be sweeter. Using a solid sulpher alone is very tricky indeed. Just when you think you have not added enough and you need to add more, the ph will drop like a rock. If the ph is to low it will kill the plant quickly. The University of Florida is a leader in the development of the Southern Highbush and their agriculture web site has an abundance of info on raising the Southern Highbush. Good Luck!!

[scootervb]

on 5/17/2009 I just bought a 'Southern Highbush Blueberry' about two weeks ago. It looks to be about 2 years old, and has plenty of berries starting. Ive kept it in the pot and soil it came in, thinking I would not have to worry about the soil. It looked great.The last couple of days I have noticed the outer-most leaves are turning yellow. I've tested the soil and the pH level is 6. My question is, can i adjust the ph level while the berries are on the tree, or do i have to wait until Fall? Will I have to adjust the ph level frequently? Is this normal? thanks