Last Date to Fertilize Blueberry Bushes

Soil Nutrition

• Blueberry bushes require loose, acidic and rich soil for growth, and so require extensive soil amendments. Use acidic amendments such as peat moss, organic compost, coarse sand and wood chips to prepare the soil for blueberry plantings. These amendments keep the soil loose and retain moisture, and start the blueberries off with rich organic nutrition.

Fertilizer

• The Ohio State University Extension recommends ammonium sulfate and 10-10-10 granular fertilizer for blueberries, while North Carolina State University recommends ammonium nitrate with 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 granular fertilizer. North Carolina State University clarifies that 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 fertilizer is good for general growth, while ammonium nitrate encourages vegetative growth only.

Fertilizer Schedule

• Hold the first blueberry feeding until the week after planting. In the second year and every year after, start feeding blueberries with the appearance of new spring growth. Give each bush 1 tbsp. of fertilizer at the first feeding and every six weeks thereafter in the first year. Graduate to 2 tbsp. in the second year and 1 cup of fertilizer every following year. Stop feeding the plants at midseason. Fertilizer after midseason encourages late summer and fall growth. This new foliage dies in frost and damages the bush.

Other Maintenance

• Blueberries cannot survive on fertilizer alone. Maintain regular compost applications to keep soil loose, moist and nutritious. Water blueberry bushes regularly with 1 to 2 inches of water every week. Always water the bushes after you feed them. North Carolina State University suggests maintaining 3 to 4 inches of acidic mulch such as bark, sawdust, wood ships or straw on the soil to keep blueberry soil moist and warm.