Caring for your blueberries

[dj1701]

Hi Folks,

I have a bunch of blueberry bushes that I have had varying luck with over the years. Year before last the deer got to
the buds and I only got a handful of berries. Last year I was able to keep the deer away. I pruned the bushes just before the snow melted,
and gave them some of this before the ground thawed.

It was the biggest crop I have ever had. The branches were bent to the ground, and I harvested buckets of berries.

I had heard that blueberries don't need much fertilizer? Just wondering what you all do to make your plants better.

Thanks
Dave

 

[JPRambo]

I only have 4 bushes that are around 5 years old on my Georgia property. I have not pruned them yet. I have used the oak leave from the surrounding trees to insulate them during winter. And I used the same 'soil acidifier' on mine the last two years. I picked about a gallon from them last year, I'm hoping to get the same this year.

 

[RalphVa]

I've about a dozen. Best thing I ever did for them was to throw a mix of 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 blood meal, sulfur and sand on each of them last year somewhere about this time or maybe a bit later. Could do the same via sulfur sprinkling and then apply that 10/1 water/urine mix 2 or 3 times. Would be cheaper than buying the blood meal.

Before that, I just threw a couple handfuls of Azalea fertilizer at them. Didn't seem to do much.

I may go ahead and get the blood meal and sand.

Ralph

 

[/pine]

A topic that comes up in most blueberry threads is "how many canes" per bush...most of the experts recommend no more than 5...FWIW...

 

[RalphVa]

About right. Mainly prune out dead or dying and crossing branches.

Ralph

 

[dj1701]

One other thing I forgot.

I have this one bush that blooms, but never produces any berries.

I purchased it at the same time as the others and it had berries when I purchased it. The deer ate all the berries on that plant the first year.
Ever since, (7 years) it does not produce berries. It is the biggest plant I have and is doing great. I prune it just like the others, but nothing? :anyone:

Thanks
Dave

 

[dragoneggs]

As the OP pointed out, an acidifier is the ticket. We throw the ends of fir branches down in the fall partly as a mulch and to add some acidity.

 

[RalphVa]

I mulch with pine needles every fall when they fall enough to collect.

Ralph

 

[RNeumann]

I knew the blueberries likes the low PH. I thought you put your old coffee grounds around the base of the plant.

 

[txdon]

I used peat moss around the base of my blueberry bushes, it has a low PH (acidic).