How and what to properly feed blueberries in spring, summer and autumn, care, watering and processing of bushes

How to feed blueberries

Like any garden crop, blueberries need good nutrition for stable and high-quality fruiting. A peculiarity of growing this plant is its need for acidic and moist soils. If you plant blueberries in ordinary soil with a neutral or weak acidity level, such as loam or sandy loam, then they will develop poorly and produce a meager harvest.

The best option for this plant is planting it in peat substrates mixed with pine litter and sand in a ratio of 5:4:1. However, simply planting a shrub in acidic soil is not enough. In the process of growth and development, it needs to organize regular feeding with special means to maintain the required acidity level (3.4–4 pH). Good fruiting of a crop depends on the quality of the soil, in particular, on the presence in it of a certain set of mineral components and chemicals.

Important! To determine the acidity level of the soil, it is recommended to purchase special testers - litmus papers that show the degree of acidity
due to color changes.
Since the soil, even within the same area, has a different composition, it is recommended to artificially introduce the required elements into it. It should be noted that an acidic environment is not needed by blueberries themselves, but by a specific fungus - ericoid mycorrhiza, which lives on the root processes of the plant and helps them absorb nutrients from the soil.

To feed the crop, mineral products based on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are used, and in rare cases, organic ones. To increase the acidity of the soil, the tree trunk circle is additionally mulched with coniferous tree needles, pine sawdust, and rotted bark. Any drug is applied in doses, since not only a deficiency of nutrients can harm the bush, but also their excess. It is very important to observe how the plant reacts to this or that fertilizing, and, if necessary, adjust the scheme and dosage of fertilizer application.

Nitrogen baits

Nitrogen is extremely important for berries; the substance is considered essential when feeding blueberries. Fertilizer is applied in early spring, when the buds begin to swell. Ammonium sulfate is best suited for this, as it contains the required amount of sulfur, which acidifies the soil.

Blueberries grow well and bear fruit abundantly only in an acidic substrate. For normal development, you need to maintain pH within 4–5.

Types of fertilizers

To understand what fertilizers to use to feed blueberries, you need to know how a particular element affects the condition of the plant. There are 3 main groups of nutrients: organic, mineral and complex. Let us consider in detail the action of each of them.

Mineral fertilizers

For blueberry bushes, it is preferable to use mineral products based on nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The former are used in the initial stage of the growing season, since they are responsible for the growth of the green mass of the plant and the formation of berries on the shoots. To increase the immunity of blueberries and their fruiting, it is advisable to feed them with phosphorus agents. Potassium fertilizers can increase the crop's resistance to pests, diseases, drought and cold.

Important! Not all mineral fertilizers are suitable for blueberries. To feed it, it is strictly forbidden to use chlorine-containing and nitrate-containing preparations.

Nitrogen fertilizers

Nitrogen-containing agents are one of the main ones for feeding blueberries, since they are responsible for the growth of the bush and the formation of berries. With a nitrogen deficiency, the plant slows down its full development, the green mass turns yellow and dries out, the fruits become smaller and thinner. It is recommended to apply these preparations extremely carefully, making sure that they do not get on the foliage.

In diluted form, nitrogen fertilizers are poured under the bush at a distance of at least 15 cm from the trunk. The granules are carefully scattered at some distance from the bush. Typically, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, ammophos and urea are used to feed blueberries.

When to feed: timing and technology

Fertilizing blueberries is carried out according to the scheme; you need to know what type of fertilizer can be used at a certain period of the year. The plant prefers an acidic type of soil, which is also important to consider when choosing fertilizer.

in spring

The first application of fertilizers should be carried out immediately after the snow melts or at the end of March. During this period, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. If a complex type of fertilizer is used, it is necessary to give preference to substances that contain nitrogen.

In summer

The next application of fertilizing is carried out in July, for this purpose potassium type fertilizers are used. In August, a mineral complex containing potassium and magnesium is introduced. This is necessary to improve the taste of the berries. Fertilizing is carried out during watering of the crop.

in autumn

Autumn fertilizing should be carried out after harvesting. This type of feeding is necessary so that the plant can survive the winter and actively begin to develop in the spring. Phosphorus and sulfur-potassium fertilizers are used.

Is it possible to feed blueberries with fertilizer for conifers?

When adding any nutrients to blueberry bushes, experts recommend following the “do no harm” rule. The plant is very demanding on dosages, so both a deficiency of fertilizers and an excess of them can lead to negative consequences.

The best environment for blueberry growth is acidic, so all means for feeding the bush should be aimed at maintaining a comfortable microclimate. For this purpose, you can use preparations intended for coniferous plants. The fact is that the root system of most coniferous crops, like blueberries, lives in symbiosis with the mycorrhiza fungus, which feels comfortable at an acidity pH of 4.5–6.0.

Granular products intended for conifers are applied to blueberries several times a season. The granules are used dry or dissolved with water, according to the instructions, and poured under the bushes.

Preferred method and rules for fertilizing blueberries

All summer residents and gardeners know at least 2 main methods of feeding plants. Root, when nutrients are delivered directly to the root system with watering. And foliar, carried out by spraying the green part of plants. If we are talking about how and with what to fertilize blueberries, then the root method comes first; this is how it will be possible to deliver the maximum amount of nutrients to the plant.

In order for the process of feeding the dove to go according to plan and not cause more harm than good, the following rules should be followed:

Before each application of fertilizers, about an hour before, it is worth watering each bush with clean, cool water in its normal volume. The procedure will protect the rather delicate root system of the plant from burns.
All types of fertilizers cannot be poured directly onto the trunk of the plant; apply them into a groove within a radius of 15-20 cm.
Do not hold events during the day, in hot or even sunny weather. As with watering, it is best to fertilize in the morning or evening.

How to water blueberries

Along with fertilizing, gardeners practice watering blueberries with special solutions to acidify the soil.

Among the folk remedies, the following are especially popular:

Lemon solution. Squeeze juice from 2-3 lemons and mix with 10 liters of water.
Infusion of sour herbs. Finely chop the leaves and stems of sorrel, sorrel, rhubarb, add hot water and leave to infuse for 2-3 days. Pour the solution under the root.

Did you know? Blueberries have a noticeable rejuvenating effect - due to the presence of a large number of antioxidants, the plant can slow down the aging process of the skin.

Watering with acidic solutions is carried out once every 2–4 weeks, starting from April and ending in September.

Also used to acidify the soil:

apple cider vinegar - 100 g of the drug per 10 liters of water;
electrolyte or sulfuric acid solution - 10 ml per 10 liters of liquid.

The best types of fertilizers, their dosages and proportions

In order to properly apply fertilizer, it is necessary to accurately calculate the proportions and select the type of fertilizer. The type of feeding will depend on the problem that needs to be solved and the time of year when the nutritional components are applied.

Nitrogen

Preparations containing nitrogen are necessary for the active growth of the plant, so fertilizing must be done in early spring. Also, the absence of this type of nutritional components can lead to the absence of buds on the bushes. The lack of nitrogen leads to incomplete ripening of the crop and poor taste.

Electrolyte

Blueberries are a plant that prefers an acidic type of soil. Therefore, the electrolyte is used for additional acidification of the nutrient layer, as it contains sulfuric acid. To acidify with an electrolyte, you must perform the following algorithm:

mix electrolyte 50 grams in 10 liters of water;
leave for 1-2 hours, then water the bushes;
At least 5 liters of solution are used for each bush.

During the watering process, it is necessary to avoid contact with the bush and leaves to reduce the risk of burns. The solution is poured from the bush at least 30 cm.

Important. It is necessary to mix the solution using an electrolyte in a plastic container to prevent possible oxidation of the metal.

Vinegar and citric acid

To create an acidic environment in the soil, you can also water with vinegar and citric acid. For this, the following proportions are used: dilute 3 teaspoons of acid in 12 liters of water. You can replace citric acid with an acetic solution, half a glass in a bucket of clean water. Water the plant with at least 5 liters per bush.

Colloidal sulfur

The use of this substance allows you not only to get a large harvest, but also to make the soil ideal for growing blueberries. When using colloidal sulfur, it is necessary to distribute 90 grams of the substance over 1 square meter. Residues of sulfur may remain on the surface, but after rain or regular watering the substance dissolves.

Potassium sulfate

The use of potassium sulfate allows you to quickly acidify the soil in which blueberries are planted. It is necessary to dissolve 40 grams per 10 liters of water and water using the root method. Monopotassium phosphate, which contains phosphorus and potassium, can be used. When using such a substance, it is necessary to maintain the proportions of 20 grams per 10 liters of water. Potassium sulfate must be added to the soil once a year to increase productivity.

Phosphorite flour

A special type of drug that is very often used to obtain blueberry crops. The substance is applied directly to the plant area, after which it is watered. 20-30 grams of flour can be used per bush.

Ammonium sulfate

This type of substance is used for additional soil oxidation. The use of ammonium saturates the roots with nitrogen and phosphorus, which has a beneficial effect on crop growth. For use, the substance is dissolved in a proportion of 40 grams per bucket of water.

Microelements

The use of microelements for plants must be done with caution. Since a large number of substances can harm the crop. For the development of the bush it is necessary to add copper, zinc, and iron. You can feed the crop using special complex fertilizers developed for blueberries.

Phosphorus and potassium

Timely application of phosphorus and potassium not only increases the formation of buds and berries, but also protects the plant from diseases. Nutrient components are added once a year; 100 grams of phosphorus and 2-3 grams of potassium are used per bush.

Blueberry processing

In addition to root feeding, treating the bush with special nutrients can improve the condition of blueberries, their fruiting, and accelerate the growth and development of berries. At the beginning of spring, it is allowed to spray the plant with a weakly concentrated nitrogen solution, which will make it possible to stimulate the growth of green mass.

Don’t forget about treating blueberries for parasites and fungal diseases. To protect the crop, it is recommended to carry out professional spraying with special fungicidal (“ Kuprozan ”, “ Topsin M ”) and insecticidal (“ Aktara ”, “ Aktellik ”) preparations twice a season, in spring and autumn. It is important to consider that failure to comply with the required dosages can provoke the development of various diseases.

Several times a season, you can treat the bushes with a solution of succinic acid, which will protect the bush from pests and diseases, and also saturate it with nutritional components.

So, although blueberries are not very demanding in care, when growing they require high-quality, timely, and, most importantly, dosed feeding. Organic products are absolutely not suitable for feeding the crop, but the plant responds well to mineral preparations with abundant fruiting and high quality berries.

Signs of micronutrient deficiency

Based on the condition of the plant and its appearance, even an inexperienced gardener will determine the lack of microelements. There are 7 signs in total:

Low-growing perennial. If the plant was planted two or more years ago, then microelement deficiency can be tracked by the growth of the bush. Slow growth or its complete absence, the appearance of red spots on the leaf is a reason for fertilizing with a nitrogen composition.
Yellowing of the veins or the entire leaf blade indicates low iron levels.
Deformation of the leaf (break, independent change in shape) indicates potassium deficiency. Here preference should be given to potassium compounds containing iron.
When a blue leaf color, uncharacteristic of blueberries, appears, fertilize with a composition containing boron. If the color of the plate and veins are pale greenish or yellow, then sulfur fertilizer is used.
Deformation of young shoots, necrosis of leaf tips - lack of calcium.
The appearance of small yellowish leaves is a lack of zinc. Here it is better to use formulations that contain zinc and calcium, since the lack of two microelements in the initial stage looks the same.
Low level of magnesium - reddish veins appear on the leaves, along which the leaf begins to curl or bend.

See also: Subtleties of rosehip propagation