Topic: Blueberry Problems

[winecap]

Two of my blueberry bushes have produced no flowers this year. They are the two which are oldest and cropped heavily last year. They are all in pots, so I'm guessing the plants have exhausted the soil. Assuming this is the case, what would you use to revamp the soil to make sure they flower next year? Would prefer to use something natural but am wanting to be sure I don't raise the pH at the same time. Thanks for any suggestions.

[chriscross1966]

Well the two obvious choices are an ericaceous compost or the use of an acidifier like flowers of sulphur...

[manicscousers]

We use pine chippings to mulch or mushroom compost and spread coffee grounds. Seems to work for but it's on a raised bed 

[goodlife]

All suggestions already mentions are good...application of ericaceous feed won't go a miss neither..it will help with the acidity of the compost (depending of the feed) and will give boost for the bushes. Make sure the compost is moist when applying feed for blueberries..and water the feed in as blueberries have sensitive roots that are near surface and get damaged easily..half a strength/quantity at the recommended  rate for acid loving plants is plenty, blueberries don't need lots of nutrients.

[ed dibbles]

No fruit on mine this year either. Replacing the top few inches of soil in the pots with fresh and a feed this year me thinks

[chriscross1966]

We use pine chippings to mulch or mushroom compost and spread coffee grounds. Seems to work for but it's on a raised bed 

Surely mushroom compost is quite limey, don't they use chalk as a casing?

[manicscousers]

Sorry, yes. Just looked in my notes, that was the cabbage bed. We do use pine shreddings and coffee though, had a brilliant harvest last year and loads of blossom this year