dyzzypyxxy said:
Have you had your soil tested to determine the pH (acidity) factor? .
Elaine, in the other thread Makanudo said: "I just checked and they said PH there in the soil is above 8 and the soil is rich in phosphor"
The thread "Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra); Pannonian Basin, central Europe" in
Plant ID forum
Makanudo, does this pH also apply to where the blueberries are planted? If so, you're going to be trying to drop the soil pH by around 3 points on the pH scale. That's a lot when you consider that the scale is logarithmic and each point is ten times different from the next one. Two points apart would be a hundred times more alkaline or acidic depending which way you are going on the scale, and three points is a thousand times different. So a pH of 5 (blueberries prefer a pH of 4.5 to 5.5) is a thousand times more acidic than a pH of 8.
I don't wish to be pessimistic but that may be difficult and not practical to do. Compost pH can range from around pH 6 to 8 which isn't going to get the soil down to the pH you need. Not all peat products are equally low in pH so here we always use Canadian sphagnum peat moss (3.5 to 4.5) for plants that like acidic soil. Check for the analysis on the bag if you're going that route.
Elemental sulfur is the usual way to lower soil pH but the amount to use depends on whether your soil is sand, loam or clay. Aluminum sulfate also lowers pH but I've also read that in high amounts it maybe be toxic to blueberries. Iron sulfate also decreases soil pH but I expect it to be more expensive than sulfur, you'd need to use more. These are not quick fixes.
Was your soil test done by a laboratory? If you have access to agricultural advice and testing your best bet would be to ask them what you can do because they will be familiar with your soil type and how likely it is that you would be able to adjust the soil for blueberries.
