Best Overall
Coast of Maine Organic Acid-Loving Planting Soil
Runner-Up
Espoma Organic African Violet Premium Potting Mix
Best Bang for the Buck
Miracle-Gro Performance Organics All Purpose Mix
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Though blueberry plants ( Vaccinium spp . ) can be grown in most role of the United States , the right soil for blueberries is essential . count on the motley , they can prosper inUSDA zona 3 through 10 — if they have suitable caution .
With so many types of stain available , it can be difficult to narrow down down the options . To aid make the hunt easier , we choose the follow soil mixes based on their character formulas , versatility , and note value . Our darling is theorganic commixture from Coast of Maine , which is specifically formulated for Elvis - sleep together plant and does not require an acidifier .
Keep reading to search our selection for the unspoiled territory for blueberry and find out about several fundamental features to consider when shopping .
Soil for Blueberries ComparisonChart
Our Top Picks
Knowing more about blueberry bush care and the plant ’s land requirement can help narrow down the vast soil choice usable in garden centers and online . After extensive enquiry , we ’ve gathered the chase as some of the best options when planting blueberries in a garden .
This gravid 20 - quart bag of plant soil from Coast of Maine is an excellent and low-cost option for blueberry growers . It ’s crafted for plants that ask acidic soil to thrive , include rhododendrons , azaleas , fern , hollies , hydrangeas , strawberry , and blueberries . This is a versatile normal that ’s just as worthy for container horticulture as it is for inground planting .
The mixture includes natural ingredient like compost , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree bark , and peat moss , which serve to both take down the soil ’s pH level and bring macronutrients and micronutrients .
Get the Coast of Maine dirt for blueberries atAmazon .
While African violets and blueberry bush plants may seem to have minuscule in common , they actually share very like soil prerequisite . Even though few soil mixes on the food market are contrive specifically for blueberry , there are plenty made for African violets that thrive in a territory pH of 6.0 to 7.0 . This potting mixture from Espoma is best for function in containers and raised beds and includes perlite , which helps create a perfect balance of aeration and moisture retention .
The rule contains between 35 and 45 percentage sphagnum moss peat moss and admit limestone , which chip in to elevating soil sourness and is idealistic for both blueberry plant and African violets .
Get the Espoma soil for blueberry atAmazon .
Not all gardeners are seeking to purchase land that ’s exclusively for blueberry plant life , and many prefer a more versatile option that can work for a variety of outdoor plant varieties . This inground stain mixture from Miracle - Gro is design for flowers , herbs , and vegetables , and is also suited for blueberries . While it ’s sell as an inground soil , it can also be used in raised bed or container planters , furthering its versatility .
The major downside is that , unlike all of the other recommendations on our list , this mixture is not specifically formulated for Elvis - loving plants , so a pH modifier will be necessary in order for blueberries to thrive .
Photo: The Home Depot
Get the Miracle - Gro land for blueberries atAmazon .
Best Acidic Soil
Dr. Earth Organic and Natural Acid Lovers Planting Mi
Dr. Earth ’s Organic and Natural Acid Lovers planting mix is crafted to create perfect soil conditions for plant that necessitate acid soil . fit in to the manufacturer , it ’s ideal for blueberries , evergreen plant , hydrangeas , hollies , gardenias , ferns , tropic plant , and shadowiness plants . This soil mixture is formulated to maintain a pH of 5.5 , which is at the top of the idealistic pH range for blueberry bush .
The formula is completely natural , organic , and genetically alter organism ( GMO)-free , and Dr. Earth is committed to sustainable resourcefulness direction practices .
Get the Dr. Earth land for blueberries atAmazonorDr . Earth .
Photo: The Home Depot Photo: homedepot.com
Best Acidifier
Jobe’s Organics Soil Acidifier
This soil acidifier from Jobe ’s Organics stand out from the other products on our lean because it ’s not a potting soil . It ’s a specialty product that ’s formulated to lower a land ’s pH level , boosting dirt acidulousness and urinate it idealistic for back breaker - bang plants like blueberry and hydrangeas . sulphur is the central factor when it add up to altering the grunge ’s pH , and this mixture has a guaranteed 30 percent sulfur formula .
It comes in an easy - pour dish and should be employ when initially planting seedling and reapplied two to three clock time per year . Since only a duet of tablespoons are needed each time , the 6 - pound sterling bag can last a long fourth dimension .
Get the Jobe ’s Organics grime for blueberries atAmazon .
Photo: Amazon
Best for Raised Beds
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil
This organic potting soil includes ingredients for pH adjustment , nutrition , and drainage . It ’s designed for optimum aeration , which make it ideal for blueberry that need well - drain soil since they demand to be water frequently .
The expression is instinctive and constitutional , moderate alimental ingredients like bat guano , earthworm casting , and crab meal . Its pH is adjusted to between 6.3 to 6.8 , which is an idealistic ambit for nutrient assimilation but is n’t quite acidic enough for blueberry , meaning additional pH modifier will probably be necessary . It comes in a 12 - dry quart , 1.5 - cubic - foot , 3 - three-dimensional - groundwork , 27 - cubic - foot , or 55 - three-dimensional - foot bag and is ideal for both indoor and outdoor container plant .
Get the FoxFarm filth for blueberry atAmazon(12 quarts ) orThe Home Depot(40 pounds ) .
Photo: Amazon
Or, DIY Your Own Soil for Blueberries
While there are plenty of commercially produced brands of soil on the marketplace , it ’s also possible to create a homemade potting mix that ’s idealistic for blueberry bush bushes .
First , get down with element that will avail secure the right-hand pH balance for blueberries . A radical of peat moss or coir is ideal for produce acid dirt . Compost or aged manure will also aid add extra nutrient and mineral that blueberry plants need to fly high .
Next , mix in some perlite to improve aeration and drain . Perlite is specially of import if users hold out in an area with sonorous clay ground because it will make the compost more light and downy so that roots can produce freely and easy absorb water .
Photo: The Home Depot
Last , usea dirt meter to examine the pH of the soilto secure that it ’s within the optimal range for blueberry .
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Chose the Best Soil for Blueberries
We explored more than 20 soil options and weigh a bit ofpractical considerationsbefore nominate our good word . We prioritized organic formulations and innate element . Some popular potting stain option , likeMiracle - Gro Potting Mix , include some ingredients that can negatively bear upon the environment . Because these case of product do not adjoin our sustainability guideline , we do n’t recommend them .
In addition to being environmentally favorable , all of the products on the inclination had to meet blueberry bush gardeners ’ needs for drain , acidity , and value .
What to Consider When Choosing Soil for Blueberries
While it ’s easy to assume that all works soils offer similar functioning , a issue of factors affect their functionality and appropriateness for unlike plant . Keep reading to learn about several of the most of import lineament to study when choose the best soil for blueberry bushes .
Drainage and Moisture
Blueberry bushes have shallow antecedent arrangement , so they need to be watered frequently to forestall the grease from becoming dry . Because of this , they need well - draining loamy soil that also retains moisture well .
weigh adding a bed of mulch to the grease to aid in moisture retention . If inadequate drain ormoistureis cause blueberry plants to run out , debate moving them to a produce layer or container where the soil is more easily controlled . Check on the plants regularly , andwater themif the top inch of soil is ironical to the touch .
pH Level
One of the most important factor when choosing soil for blueberry bush is the pH level . Blueberries do best in acidulent filth with a pH of between 4.5 and 5.5 . Before planting blueberry bush scrub , check the soil ’s pH level to see if it needs to be raised or take down . Gardenerscan bestow sulfur to the dirt to increase sourness . blueberry bush have shallow roots , so only the top 6 to 12 inch ask to be train .
Since the grime in the United States is n’t naturally acidulent , filth that includes a pH modifier gene may be necessary . Choose asoil blendthat include peat moss or sphagnum moss because they both exercise to increase a soil ’s sourness floor . Coconut coir is an ingredient that dissemble as an eco - favorable option since moss - harvest home practices are not considered to be sustainable . While choosing the correct soil portmanteau for acid - loving plants is key , it will still ordinarily be necessary to supply a grime modifier in club to achieve the ideal pH grade for blueberries .
Organic Matter
Blueberries typically do best if their soil contains constituent subject that provides both macronutrients and micronutrient . Some big options include oak leaves and fir or pine bark , all of which acidify the ground while provide essential nutrients .
While some soil blend include constitutive topic that helps with fecundation , gardeners can also supplementwith adedicated fertilizer . Blueberry plants should be fecundate during their blooming season , and fertilizing stops in late summertime in club to discourage further blooms before wintertime comes . For optimal results , choose a fertiliser with a balanced atomic number 7 - P - potassium ( NPK ) ratio of 10 - 10 - 10 or similar .
FAQs
While you now get laid more about choosing the best industrial plant dirt for blueberry plants , you might still want more information about how to grow blueberry , how to deal for a blueberry bush , and how to expend the grease . Here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about blueberry industrial plant soil .
Q. How do I prepare the soil for blueberries?
Before plant blueberries , test your stain ’s pH level using a home test kit . Ensure the grease has an acidity floor of between 4.5 and 4.8 by bestow atomic number 16 as need . It ’s unspoiled to carry on totest the soilthroughout the year to ensure it rest within the ideal range .
Q. What is the best soil acidifier to use for blueberries?
Most soil in the United States is not ideal for blueberry bush , so a high-pitched - quality soil acidifier containing sulfur likeJobe ’s Organics Soil Acidifiercan assistant . It ’s also important to test the soil ’s pH scale after using a land acidifier to make indisputable it ’s at the optimal acidic level for blueberry bush .
Q. What is the best mulch for blueberries?
Pine needles , wood chips , or bark mulch are thebest mulch optionsfor blueberry bush plants due to their low pH.
Q. Where should I plant blueberry bushes?
plant life blueberry bush bushes in an area that welcome full sun , unless you exist in a particularly warm climate where they appreciate a little good afternoon shade .
Q. What type of blueberry plant is best for my area?
Choose a character of blueberry plant base on your USDA hardiness zona . Lowbush varieties are hardy to Zones 3 to 6 , half - meridian change can flourish in Zones 3 to 5 , highbush blueberry do well in Zones 4 to 7 , and rabbiteye blueberry bush are best grown in Zones 7 to 10 .
Q. How do I protect blueberry plants from birds and other animals?
Since birds and other animals are attracted to blueberries , consider installingbird nettingover your plants for protect them .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raised bed , or an in - land plot out back — and select the right plant for your territory and region .
Photo: Dr. Earth
Photo: Amazon
Photo: Amazon
