Cheapest Method to Acidify Soil for Blueberries

Season

• Plant blueberries in the right site and season for best growing. Choose a site with full all-day sunshine, quick drainage, good air circulation and 5 to 7 feet of space for each bush, and plant blueberries in mid-spring. The bushes don't thrive in shade or standing water, regardless of soil quality.

Soil Amendments

• Amend blueberry soil two to three weeks before planting to give it time to settle in. Dig into the top 10 to 12 inches of natural soil and add 10 to 12 inches of an acidic amendment for nutrition, drainage and soil quality. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension recommends rotted sawdust, organic compost or pre-moistened peat moss as acidic amendments. The Ohio State University Extension adds other inexpensive materials such as wood chips, homemade leaf mold and humus.

Fertilizer and Maintenance

• Blueberries do best with balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer in small, controlled feedings. They also thrive with fertilizer for acid-loving plants such as rhododendron or azalea. Give each bush half of the manufacturer-recommended rate four weeks after planting, then apply the other half of the feeding four to six weeks later. Follow this schedule every year, with early-spring and early-summer feedings. Maintain consistent moisture with 2 inches of water every week, and always water the bushes immediately after feedings. Don't get fertilizer granules on the bushes, as the granules burn plant foliage.

Mulch

• Maintain long-term soil protection and acidification with the right mulch. As organic mulch breaks down, its nutrients drain into the soil to nurture plant roots and soil quality. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension recommends using 4 to 6 inches of sawdust, wood chips, shavings, pine needles, bark or composted leaves for blueberry bush mulch.