Blueberries

Hi. I will be planting 24 blueberry bushes in a few weeks. My ph is 7.1 I know that blueberries love acidic soil so I need to do something. What do you recommend? I did buy organic blueberry food that I will be using (from Garden's Alive). Should I apply this when I plant and will this lower my ph enough or should I spread something on the ground now and then till it in? Any suggestions?? Also is there a forum here dedicated just to fruit trees and berries, etc? I couldn't find one. Thanks in advance.

lotsofkids, you may have to grow them in pots. I don't think you will able to add enough amendments to lower your soil that much for very long.

I'm with Len, I'd grow them in pots, it'll be much easier for you all around. Otherwise it's going to be a constant neverending battle with your soil which will be hard on you and probably pretty rough on the blueberries too.

And yes, there is a fruit forum...I believe it's called "Edible Fruits & Nuts" or something along those lines.

A pH that high must be well buffered. Our rainfall in the east tends to be acidic so most soils are naturally acidic. I would agree that it is probably a losing battle to try blueberries in that soil. The soil Acidifiers ( normally an iron sulfur mix) sold by most nurseries/garden centers do an excellent job applied once in a year in marginal soils ( ph of 5 -6) but your pH is way on the high side.

sulfur and sawdust
sulfur and sawdust
sulfur and sawdust

HMMMM. I never thought about growing them in pots. Will they grow full size that way? Do I use regular potting soil? Has anyone out there done this...what were the results? Thanks for all the advice.

Home Depot has some dwarf blueberries that can be grown in pots.

www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100494483&N=10000003+90401+501012

here is a link for growing blueberries in pots. you have to use an acid type potting mix:
http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/promotion/bluecontainer.html

Twenty four plants is a lot of blueberries. Perhaps something along the order raised beds may be better than pots. Blueberries are very shallow rooted, so four to 6 inches of acidic soil would be sufficient depth. Did you have your pH checked by an agronomy lab or did you use one of those home test meters or kits. That is an awfully high pH unless you have been using wood ashes on your plot. As ByndeweedBeth said, sulphur is the primary available soil acidifier. Peat is naturally acidic and will help hold the pH down. Oak leaves and pine straw as mulch also help acidify. By them selves, they probably will not lower the pH enough in a pH 7 soil. so I would suggest adding making an acid soil bed for them. Composted leaves, pinestraw, or sawdust used as an amendment along with peat would be starting points. Be careful of incorporating a lot of raw leaves, pinestraw, or sawdust in the planting soil. These rob nitrogen during decomposition.

I already bought the blueberry plants so I have to go with them. I like the idea of a raised bed. Len123 thanks for the link to that article. Even if I go the raised bed route, I still have to get the right type of soil for it, so do you think I should mix it in the same proportions as that article suggests? Farmerdill I sent away the soil to the OH state ag lab, and that's what they sent back. Are those you're blueberries?? They look so good. Patience is a hard thing!

lotsofkids, here is a good article from the oh ext. service that tells you about growing blueberries in raised beds etc.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1422.html