Small, healthy and super delicious - blueberries are a delicious addition to cakes, muffins and other baked goods, but also taste great on their own as a small snack. While blueberries are rarely seen in home gardens, they are particularly easy to care for and are definitely worth growing. Regular watering of the plants is important for a good and generous harvest, but not sufficient. In addition to water, most fruit and vegetable plants also need sufficient nutrients in the form of the right fertilizer for optimal growth. However, blueberries have special requirements and so that the bushes produce delicious fruit, we will explain to you below how to fertilize blueberries.
When to fertilize blueberries?
As ericaceous plants, blueberries have special requirements that we should definitely take into account when fertilizing. In addition to choosing the right fertilizer for blueberries, the right time also plays a very important role in ensuring a productive harvest. Fertilization is very much related to the right soil and in order for the plants to absorb the nutrients optimally, the soil must have a certain acidity. Blueberries like acidic soil with a pH between 4 and 5. If this is exceeded, the plants suffer from a lack of nutrients, which could ruin our entire harvest.
Blueberries are typically fertilized three times a year. The first fertilizer application is recommended in spring between March and April - this promotes the growth of the young shoots. Shortly before budding, you can fertilize the blueberries again. If the first fruits appear in May, it would be advisable to provide the blueberries with fertilizer again. The third fertilization takes place in autumn during the harvest - but not too late, otherwise the frost hardiness will be jeopardized.
How to fertilize blueberries? – How to do it right
If you want a good harvest, you should of course know how to fertilize blueberries. Like all other ericaceous plants, blueberries do not tolerate compost. Even with younger plants and sandy soil, you should use less fertilizer - too much of it can cause quite a bit of damage to the plants.
It is particularly important that the roots below the surface are not injured and that we provide the blueberries with plenty of water after fertilization. Alternatively, you can dissolve the fertilizer in the irrigation water beforehand. It is better to fertilize potted plants with a liquid fertilizer, whereby you fertilize the plants twice a week before and after flowering and later only once a week.
Fertilize blueberries naturally
If you don't want to use chemical fertilizers from the store, you can fertilize the blueberries naturally. For example, leaves, grass clippings, needle litter and chopped pieces of bark are perfect for this - all things that every gardener probably has available in the garden. However, you should avoid pure compost because it contains nutrients that blueberries don't tolerate well. To stimulate growth and provide the plants with sufficient nitrogen, add a handful of horn shavings to the top layer of soil when planting.
Fertilize blueberries minerally with blue grain
Blue grain is a universal fertilizer and rich in nutrients that most plants in the garden need. As a complete fertilizer, Blaukorn contains phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, which are essential for the healthy growth of blueberries. To prevent damage to the plants, make sure that the fertilizer does not have too high a concentration of salts and always use the recommended amount on the packaging. The better alternative would be to fertilize the blueberries naturally.
Fertilize blueberries with coffee grounds?
Yes, coffee grounds are an excellent natural fertilizer for blueberries. Coffee has a pH of around 5 and is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, which are important for the healthy growth of blueberries. So instead of throwing away the coffee grounds, you can incorporate them around the plants 3-4 times in the spring. To make a liquid fertilizer, mix the coffee grounds with a little water and spray the blueberries with it.
Also read:Planting blueberries: When and how to grow them correctly for a bountiful harvest!
Dried banana peels as fertilizer for blueberries
Never throw away the banana peels! You actually candried banana peelsUse as fertilizer for blueberries. For good berry development and a good harvest, blueberries need calcium and phosphorus and banana peels contain lots of them. To use banana peels as fertilizer, cut them into small pieces and allow them to dry completely for 2-3 days. Then chop in a food processor or with a rolling pin and incorporate into the base.
Fertilize blueberries with vinegar?
To stimulate plant growth, you could also fertilize blueberries with vinegar. If your soil has a pH that is too high, vinegar can improve the soil conditions. Depending on the pH value, around 0.70 milliliters of vinegar are mixed with 1 liter of water. However, keep in mind that liberal use of vinegar as fertilizer is prohibited by law. So use the home remedy sparingly and occasionally.
How to fertilize blueberries in a pot?
In contrast to plants grown outdoors, blueberries in pots need to be fertilized a little more often. The reason for this is that the nutrients in the planter are flushed out more quickly and, due to the limited space, fewer nutrients are stored in the soil.
Also interesting:Pruning Blueberries: When and How to Prune Your Blueberry Bush for a Bountiful Harvest!
