Blueberry bushes 5’ tall

[Huskybill]

I’m planting blueberry bushes that grow 5’ tall and 5’ in diameter. What can I feed them?

 

[JTM]

Cottonseed meal or pine straw.

 

[Huskybill]

Thanks I asked this because my other older blueberry bushes don’t seem to be growing into bushes. But there giving lots of fruit.

 

[billb]

I used to buy mine a bag or two of peat every Spring. And acidifying fertilizer.
But to tell ya the truth once they are well established I don't think they need a lot but maybe some extra water. I have a barn downspout draining into a patch of 12 .
And watch for leaf-eaters caterpillars.
I'll cut out an old branch now and then and let a new shoot take its place. Mine are old though. Half of them were transplanted from a berry farm that was being bulldozed over for house lots. In the mid-seventies, LOL.

 

[Huskybill]

The best thing I ever did was to plant blueberries. Blueberry pancakes with fresh maple syrup. Rocks. Next I need to work on the strawberry plants. My apples, peaches, my pears, cherries and plum trees are moving right along. I like white peaches less acidy. For apples it’s the honey crisp great in apple pie.

 

[holeycow]

Feed them poop. Like anything else.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I would be happy if I could get some Huckleberry bushes to grow a foot. I have managed to get some 6" plants to grow in twenty years which is a great accomplishment. Will have to invest in a green house to have a chance. Or I can just go searching through the forest for the beautiful little gems like every one else. Thanks

 

[Mad Professor]

I put rotted manure and a layer of white pine needle mulch. If you need a chemical fertilizer ammonium sulfate is an acidic source of nitrogen.

The other thing is the soil needs to be acidic, ~PH of 4.5. It's best to lower the PH before you put the plants in. Sulfur works good for this it needs to incorporated in the soil for a year before it starts to take effect. I put a small amount of sulfur down every few years under the pine needles I mulch with. You should test the soil to determine how much sulfur to add to get the PH in proper range.

 

[Mad Professor]

@Huskybill.

I see you have not look at the attachments I've posted? Lots of good information there.

I'm in my 50s my parents had blueberries before I was born, I've expanded to ~ 80 bushes. Did research on planting/soil requirements/fertilization.

Most coop extensions are not doing soil testing due Kung Flu. Get a rapitest soil test kit, do N P K and PH, PH is most important. 5.0-4.5 is optimum.

 

[Huskybill]

I have a ph soil test kit somewhere here, great reading info. I’ll print it out. As we get older I may scale down the garden to plant more strawberries and blueberry bushes. Fruit trees too. Thanks.

 

[Mad Professor]

I have a ph soil test kit somewhere here, great reading info. I’ll print it out. As we get older I may scale down the garden to plant more strawberries and blueberry bushes. Fruit trees too. Thanks.

I've got a few more PDFs on blueberries, they are older but tell you how to propagate them from cuttings. It's a little tricky but seems doable.

Also a bunch more of stuff on fruits vegetables in general.

 

[Huskybill]

Again thanks. So much to know.