New Blueberry Planting Require One Year Soil Prep

Fresh blueberries a few more weeks away from harvest

Blueberries are the easiest fruit crop to grow. Blueberries have few disease and insect problems. Birds become a significant problem as harvest time approaches, from mid-June through September. Blueberry culture is unique as the ideal soil pH range is 4.8 - 5.2. You should spend a year to lower the soil pH and raise the organic level to 3% and higher before planting blueberries.

Select a sunny location preferably with an east or northern exposure. Reduce the weed population by applying monthly applications of Round-up™ (glyphosate) herbicide over the planned blueberry site from April thru September. Have the soil in the blueberry patch analyzed. Follow the instructions on the soil test report, applying 0.2 lbs of elemental sulfur per 100 square feet for each 0.1 pH unit adjustment.

Sample calculation: you have cleared a strip of 6 feet wide by 16 feet long (approximately 100 square feet) for 3 plants. Your soil test recommends lowering the pH by 12 units (measured in tenths), so multiply .2 pounds sulfur x 12 units. The answer is 2.4 lbs of sulfur per 100 square feet. After 6 months, check the soil pH again to determine if you need add more sulfur.