Fertiliser for Blueberries

[Trac]

Hello,
Recently potted some blueberries in containers filled with ericicuous compst.
Was wondering if and when I should start feeding them with fertiliser and what fertiliser I should use?
Should I start feeding them when the leaves emerge (i expect soon) and feed with an ericaceous fertilier?
Do I fertilise once a month during the growing season or should I feed around about end of April then wait until June?
Would bone meal be a good fertiliser as I’ve read it is acidic?
Or should I go for a fertiliser used for azeleas, camellia, rohddendrum?
Much thanks!

[Jungle Jane]

You can get ericaceous fertiliser in granular form I think it lasts six months but I can’t remember,I haven’t used it since I bought it accidentally forget to fertilise things. The compost has a certain amount of feed in it to give the plants a good start.

[jackarmy]

I bought some the other day Trac, i found mine in yvale cost about 4 pound i think.
It was by baby bio i think in a cardboard box type thing and in granule form as Jane says. simply mix it up and feed every two weeks i think it said, ill clarify when i come back down from the gh later.

[jackarmy]

I bought some the other day Trac, i found mine in yvale cost about 4 pound i think.
It was by baby bio i think in a cardboard box type thing and in granule form as Jane says. simply mix it up and feed every two weeks i think it said, ill clarify when i come back down from the gh later.

Nope, miracle grow .

[Trac]

Much thanks jane and jack - this is really helpful
could I ask, the bare roots have just been planted in pots, 2 years old, should I hold off feeding them for a while.....

[KevinM67]

Hi Trac - welcome to the Vine.
Spring time is the normal time to give plants a little boost, however - I would check the instructions/directions on the back of the packet for when and how much to feed.

Also, don't overfeed, I nearly killed my blueberries a few years ago by adding too much feed to the watering can.

Plus, it would do no harm to replace the top couple of inches of compost with some new ericaceous compost.

[devonuk]

Bone meal is full of calcium and therefore unlikely to be acidic. It also isn't particularly balanced, good for P but not for N and K. I would stick to a specially formulated feed for ericaceous plants. Check what's in your compost though, it probably has fertilizer already in it so you shouldn't need to add anything at all for the first couple of months.

[Trac]

Much thanks Kevin – really useful information as I know Blues are very specific with their requirements.
Great idea replacing a couple of inches of new ericacious compost – this really is a smart idea so thanks very much .
I’m also watering with rainwater only and have mulched top with pine bark chippings.

[Trac]

Thanks Devon ref clarification on bonemeal – useful information too.
I will check if the compost I used had feed in it – I expect it did but I don’t think if checking.
I know some composts have 2 month feed incorporated.
Thanks very much for the information.

[Losos]

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Nope, miracle grow .

Yep that's the one I use also. Just given them a feed and intend to do the same every week unless I forget of course haha.

[Hatty3]

Trac I mulched mine with a thick layer of pine needles last autumn and they’re looking amazing! I’m hoping for a lot of fruit this year. X

[Trac]

nitrogen for blueberries

Hello, just to follow up on some ideas here.....

Ive read that bluberries thrive when fed with regular doses of nitrogen such as rotted manure. However I am led to believe that feed with liquiod ericicuous fertilizer is best. Would anyone know if I should/should not add some manure to my potted blueberries alongside feeding with ericicuos liquid fertilizer?

Many thanks!

[It never rains..it pours]

I feed mine with ericaceios fertilizer and add a little iron sulphate & sulphur early season to keep ph down.They seem to happy enough. Not tried manure as not keen surface applying it, only digging in, as seem to get so many weeds surface applied. Apply seaweed on surface but havent for blueberries as concerned re salt, they are quite susceptible to salinity

[cheops]

Don’t do what I did last week. Three potted blueberry plants arrived and I had three large tubs filled with eracicious compost waiting for them. With this hot span of weather we are experiencing I thought I should mulch all around them. I have a black dustbin filled last year with grass cuttings and water - lid on till this spring. It stinks but as a rule of thumb that means it’s good fertiliser. I siphon off the water and add some to a watering can with more water and happily liquid feed container plants etc. Well I put the rotted grass dripping with ‘juice’ all round the blueberry plants thinking what a great mulch this will be. By nightfall that day most of the blueberry leaves were turning brown but limp [not shrivelled like a dead plant’. The next day all the leaves were brown though the leaves were still soft to the touch. I reckon I’ve killed the plants though a small part of me hopes the plants will shed these brown leaves and sprout new shoots. To save you saying it i’ll say it —I’m an idiot’. An idiot with less money in my wallet and little chance of tasting home grown blueberries in the foreseeable future.