I want to be successful at growing blueberries

[AJfromElmiraNY]

Also blueberries are so diverse

There is one type of wild blueberry growing here. It is a low bush with tiny, low-acid berries. Nothing I’m really interested in growing. When my soil tested neutral to slightly alkaline, I went and tested the soil where these blueberries are growing. The soil pH is the same. That was partly what got me thinking that neutral pH might be OK for cultivated blueberries, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

As I was writing this I started thinking those wild blueberries, while thriving in neutral soil, might perform even better in acidic soil. Hmmm. … that might be an interesting experiment.

[Drew51]

The soil pH is the same. That was partly what got me thinking that neutral pH might be OK for cultivated blueberries, but it doesn’t seem to be the case.

Dig down in your soil a foot deep, test it there, bet it’s acidic.

[AJfromElmiraNY]

I always dig down at least 6" or more. I’ll retest when I go dig up a plant this spring.

[Drew51]

Alan did the same thing and discovered the soil was acidic down a bit, but basic or neutral on top. Why I suggested it. AS he too could not figure it out. From NY too.

[mamuang]

Hi Dan,

“I use peat moss + 15-15-15 fertilizer + micronized sulfer + tap water in raised planters or half wine barrels.”

May I ask the ratio of the fertilizer and micronized sulfer you added to your peat moss, please?

I am contemplating about growing blueberries again, in pots, of course, Will try to get it right this time as my neutral soil (even with pure peat planting and acidic fertilizer) and high ph tap water did not work with my in-ground blueberry plants the last time.

[Auburn]

Dig down in your soil a foot deep, test it there, bet it’s acidic.

I will be testing my soil at a foot deep. Thanks for the tip.

[Drew51]

Most of the root mass is right there, they are shallow rooted plants. So if the soil is good there, you’re good. I get more accurate readings in the damper, deeper soil too.

[kokopelli5A]

I have DE in my container mix for blueberries. It didn’t seem to affect them. I actually bathed a few grains in my 3.5% Sulfuric acid solution that I use to acidify my tap water for the blueberries.
I noticed no fizzing or anything like that.
The stuff might be pretty alkaline, but it’s pretty inert, which I guess is the whole point of DE.

As to the container mix itself, I based it off a Youtube video recommended by Hoosiermom. About 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 bark, as fine as I could find in a bag and 1/3 compost that I had specially prepped by steady additions of Sulfur and a little iron sulfate all through the summer before. I put heavily screened compost (along with the DE) up top, Run of the heap compost in the middle, and the heavier sticks on the bottom. My compost consists of woodchips broken down with Urea or Ammonium Sulfate. So, if, as someone suggested, high-nitrate animal manure -based compost is a problem, that would explain why it wasn’t for me.

I’m not saying it was great. It worked. It’s hard to judge the overall fertility in something homemade like that, and I was a little slow to add N during the year. Also, treating my tapwater to the area rainfall Ph of 6 was insufficient., Had to take it down to 4.5.

[Drew51]

DE is somewhat basic, but not enough to matter. I use DE, peat and pine bark fines as my mix. I killed a couple adding sulfur as the mix is naturally low in pH. I increased it using tap water. So I have run the full gambit from soil too basic for blueberries to soil too acidic. Bottom line for me is if you don’t have a good way to measure pH you’re screwed. If my pots get a little acidic now I water a few times with tap water and re-check. If pH is a little high I use fertilizer with Ammonium sulfate like jack’s classic, or Holly-tone (sulfur is in it not AS). If the pH is low but they need food I use a urea based fertilizer like Miracle grow acid fertilizer.
If you use AS or sulfur in a container that has acidic soil, you better make sure it doesn’t become too acidic it’s easy to do, been there done that.

[danchappell]

May I ask the ratio of the fertilizer and micronized sulfer you added to your peat moss

I didn’t make precise measurements. I would guess 2 to 3 cups of sulfur and a handful of fertilizer mixed into 3 cubic feet of peat moss. The sulfur was obtained directly from an agricultural chemical plant in Bakersfield. Farmers use it by the ton on central valley fields. It is unlike the little pellets that I have seen marketed to home gardeners. Rather than pellets it is finely ground into a form more closely resembling fine wheat or corn flower for rapid action.

BTW, In my earlier post I mislabeled the plant in the picture as Misty. I have corrected to Sunshine Blue.

[TurkeyCreekTrees]

I finally had time to watch the video that Steve333 linked to above. Pretty much answers all the questions one would have for growing in a peat bale. Thanks for the link Steve333!

[mamuang]

Thanks, Dan. I have micronized sulfur. It sounds similar to what you described.

[JoeReal]

One thing you should not forget if you are irrigating or watering your plants. Check the pH of the water! You may need to add some hydroponic acidifier if your water is alkaline.

[kokopelli5A]

I’m thinking the acidified water is absolutely key, for those of us who depend on tap water for blueberries.

I had to choose between my specially acidified compost and the acidified water, I would choose the acidified water hands down. Despite the heavy addition of peat moss, bark fines and acidified compost, my berries suffered until I took the water down below Ph 6.0.

[mamuang]

Joe,
My water is very high ph. That’s why after 5 years of growing bb in ground, I got tired of battling so I gave up two years ago.

[mamuang]

Koko,
I’m with you. Planted in pure peat moss, added sulfur, fertizer with acidic fertilizer, etc. the only thing I negleced to do was adjusted ph of my town water. That what led me to giving bb up.

After two years hiatus, I may get back to grow them again. This time in pots and with low ph water.

[mrtexas]

Rainwater or acidified water is a must for acid loving plants. Don’t plant next to a concrete or brick foundation either. City water is usually 8+ pH so the water doesn’t eat up city water pipes… When I was growing miracle fruit I watered with rainwater or acidified rainwater. I used to add 1 tablespoon of 74% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons of rainwater to get a 4-5 pH and they loved it.

[Bradybb]

I’m growing Blueberry plants,mostly in nursery pots and some grow bags,with only one now,a Bountiful Blue,in the ground.
Mine are acidified with Sulfuric acid,by way of an EZ-FLO and drip system that waters 30-40 bushes. Brady

[kokopelli5A]

Acidifying the water is surprisingly easy if you only have a few pots. I got a quart bottle of " liquid fire" sulfuric acid pipe cleaner at the Ace hardware store.

Then I mixed about 30-40ml into a half filled (with water) glass 1.7L liquor jug. 40ML is a plastic Solo cup about up to the point where the indentation at the bottom ends. I was careful to mix the acid into the water not vice versa, wearing eye protection. I carefully filled the empty cup with water a couple of times and emptied it into the jug to rinse the cup.

Fill the reminder of the jar with water, give it a couple of shakes and you are done. The resulting mix is a little stronger than pickling vinegar. Not exactly benign, but not life-threatening either.

Test the PH in a bucket of water after mixing in a couple of capfuls from the liquor bottle. (20 ML apiece). For me, that came out to 6. Not good enough. Two more, and I’m down to 4.5.

Four capfuls, 80ML, treats a Home Depo bucket for me. Two buckets a week in my very dry climate, and I have a 10 week supply. Not bad, and it’s easier than it sounds.

PS. Don’t use nitric acid in the misguided assumption that it provides helpful N. It makes Nitrate, which blueberries hate.

Pps. I wouldn’t think of using this on my actual plumbing. Just stuff I eat.

[Cafeaulait]

Can you use something like vinegar or lemon juice in irrigation water? I don’t need my water to acidify the soil, but I probably should see if it’s too alkaline itself to be adding. I’d rather not have to work with the really strong acids if I can use something safer (to skin, etc, in case I’m clumsy).

(Also, a few days after doing my science experiment in high school my pants nearly fell off in school! Fortunately it was on the drive home that they fell into pieces. That was from hydrochloric acid, I think, or sulfuric, one )