Growing Blueberries

I created this sheet as a brief guide to growing blueberries. This is not a complete guide, but a rundown of key things to look for or do, to try and raise blueberries in almost all areas. For more precise instructions and often variety selections for your area, search the internet for (blueberries university [your state]), almost all universities have good instructions for your area.

Blueberries need an acidic soil in the pH range of 4.8 to 5.2, so soil preparation and conditioning are very important. In the ground, planting in a raised bed or a berm has produced better plants and higher yields, than just in flat ground. Use ferti-lome Sphagnum Peat Moss or NG Organic Garden Soil to mix with the soil. Both have peat moss and are slightly acidic, this will help hold the moisture and acidifiers you add later. In a large pot or a Smart Pot use ferti-lome Sphagnum Peat Moss or ferti-lome Ultimate Potting Mix.

Blueberries don’t create many root hairs, so mulching and controlling moisture is very important.  Increasing microbial action in the soil, will build those symbiotic relationships that will help the plants regulate nutrients and moisture. You can do that with the addition of NG Humic Granules or Liquid. These applications should be done early in the year, every year, but separate from the addition of sulfur or acidifiers, by a week or so.

To acidify the soil, start in the early spring or late fall adding HY Soil Sulfur to the soil, lightly work it in, after 10 to 14 day do a pH test and add more, until you get the soil into the optimum range. Applying a bunch at one time gains you nothing, small amounts at a time are best. After the plants are established, try not to disturb the roots, apply ferti-lome Soil Acidifier, mix 2 TBS per gallon and simply pour around the plant.

Finally fertilizing, Blueberries can only use the ammonium form of Nitrogen for food. So, using other fertilizers can be a waste of time and money. The preferred fertilizer is HY Ammonium Sulfate. This will feed the Blueberries as well as acidify the soil, to help maintain that acidic pH.  Be careful not to overuse the Ammonium Sulfate, it can drop the pH too low. More is NOT better.

Lastly, DO NOT USE ALUMINUM SULFATE, it will become toxic to Blueberries after only 2 or 3 applications causing death.