Growing Blueberries - Soil Requirements
by John Yazo
Blueberries are a good crop choice to grow in the home garden or as a part of the landscape because they require limited space. Blueberries do have a very specific soil growing requirements. Organic matter, ph level, soil moisture and site location are all very important in growing a healthy, thriving crop.
The soil for growing a successful crop of blueberries should have a high organic matter content. Organic matter is what will increase the water-holding capacity and improve the aeration of soils. The fibrous and shallow root system of blueberry plants are very sensitive to both soil compaction and moisture content. During the growing season, water that stands on the ground for more than a day or two can damage a blueberry plants root system. The organic content of a soil can be increased by simply amending it with compost, bark mulch, or peat moss.Avoid planting in heavy soil conditions that have poor drainage.
Soil moisture content is very important. The ideal soil condition for blueberries is one that has a healthy organic soil structure and a soil that drains well. This type of soil will provide a constant, moderate water supply through the entire growing season, and pose few problems, if any, with standing water and saturated soil conditions.
Even when choosing the ideal site location for growing blueberries, dry seasons will frequently reduce both growth and yields. Drip irrigation and proper mulching will avoid the stress that occur with droughts. Mulching with organic material will also aid in the improvement of the soil structure of your garden, and is a great way to conserve water at the same time.
The most common overlooked requirement for growing a successful crop of blueberries is the soils ph level. The ideal ph level should be between 4.5 and 5.0, testing and monitoring the soil regularly is very important. It is very important to also test the soil for nutrient status and organic matter content. These tests should be performed twice, once before soil preparation and acidification, and again once sulfur and fertilizers have been added.
All the above mentioned requirements for growing a successful blueberry crop can be easily met with standard organic gardening practices. Having a good healthy soil organic soil structure is the key to having a successful garden. Keeping your garden soil supplied with the organics it needs for the vast community of natural life that lives in it to thrive is very important.
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