TIP: Amend and prepare the top 12 inches of soil. Blueberries have very shallow roots, so amending the soil 12 -18 inches down is not necessary.

Popular Blueberry Plants Varieties for Home Gardens...

Bluecrop - The most popular blueberry for home gardens! Produces heavy yields of sweet, big firm fruit, and bright red fall color.

Sunshine Blue - A dwarf blueberry that is ideal for growing in containers.

Toro - Grows to 4 feet tall and produces firm, sweet berries.

Calculate two blueberry plants for each person in your household!

How to Adjust Your Soil pH for Blueberry Plants

What is soil pH?

Blueberry plants thrive in acid soil that is in the 4.5 - 5.5 range on the pH scale. A soil with a pH lower than 7.0 is an acid soil and one with a pH higher than 7.0 is alkaline. Soil with a pH value of 7.0 is considered to be 'neutral'. Acidity is the measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water, which is held between the soil particles. As hydrogen ions increase in density, the soil pH decreases.

The pH of the soil affects the overall conditions for plant and root growth. Certain nutrients such as zinc and iron are not utilized by the plant if the soil pH is above 7.5.

Soil Preparation for Planting Blueberry Plants

Select a planting site that is in full sun and has good drainage.
Blueberries require consistent irrigation to produce high yields of sweet blueberries, therefore select an area that is adjacent to an irrigation supply.
Before you plant blueberries in a new area, it is important to determine the pH of the soil. Most garden centers have home pH test kits that you can purchase to test your soil.
If your soil tests at 6.0 or below, you will need to incorporate some soil acidifiers prior to planting. The most common are elemental sulfur, pine bark mulch, and peat moss. Incorporate peat moss into the planting hole at a rate of two parts soil to one part peat moss at the time of planting. If you are preparing a large area spread 4 - 6 inches of peat moss down first and then dig into the top 6 -8 inches of soil.
If your soil is 6.0 or above, you may want to consider planting blueberry plants in a raised vegetable garden bed where you can import soil and soil conditions to achieve the desired pH.
Mulch after planting; blueberries do best with a 2-4" mulch over the roots to conserve moisture, prevent weeds and add organic matter. Bark mulch, acid compost, sawdust, grass clippings, etc. all work well. Repeat every other year.

Where to Buy Blueberry Plants Online:

Farm Fresh Living: Oregon based farm that offers twelve varieties of highbush blueberry plants that are container grown .

Stargazer Perennials Farm and Nursery: Large selection of pesticide-free grown blueberry plants.

Hirt's Gardens: Sells low cost blueberry plants online as well as a large selection of inexpensive fruit plants.

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How to Adjust Your Soil pH for Blueberry Plants

What is soil pH?

Soil Preparation for Planting Blueberry Plants