Blueberry Pollinator

[Calusa]

I have a few Southern Highbush Emerald blueberry plants I need to get planted. Do they require another variety to pollinate?

[K-Rimes]

Most blueberries need cross pollination. It doesn't need to be the same type. I see bees hitting mine hard usually and they fly from bush to bush. I have 7 plants and get awesome fruit set.

[CarolinaZone]

Nope, you need a pollinator plant. You just need bees. I have 8 varieties I started off with 3. I have not seen any difference in yields
except when using more irrigation, more fertilizer or having more bees. Bees make all the difference.

[Kevin Jones]

Primarily Bumble Bees here in the Southeastern US...

Kevin

[Calusa]

Not many bumblebees around here but plenty of honey bees thank God.

[Plantinyum]

Here I also have alot of honey bees, never seen them on my blueberries flowers. They may just not have found them yet....

[Grow Tropicals]

You also need to make sure you have the proper PH soil for Blueberries.  They like a lower PH (~4.5) than most soils so you'll likely need to add sulfur and use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.  Because of this, I keep my Blueberries in containers where it's easier to control PH.

[nanewnanew]

Primarily Bumble Bees here in the Southeaster US...

Kevin

I'm in the southwest and the only bees I see on my blueberry plants are bumblebees, and likewise the blueberry plants seem to be the only plant they really like.

[K-Rimes]

You also need to make sure you have the proper PH soil for Blueberries.  They like a lower PH (~4.5) than most soils so you'll likely need to add sulfur and use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.  Because of this, I keep my Blueberries in containers where it's easier to control PH.

It took me a long time to dial in blueberries PH wise. I use 5ml of extremely strong phosphoric acid per 2.5 gallon watering can.

[Plantinyum]

You also need to make sure you have the proper PH soil for Blueberries.  They like a lower PH (~4.5) than most soils so you'll likely need to add sulfur and use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.  Because of this, I keep my Blueberries in containers where it's easier to control PH.

It took me a long time to dial in blueberries PH wise. I use 5ml of extremely strong phosphoric acid per 2.5 gallon watering can.

I wonder if I should buy this too, just found a supplier for it. It says its a 85% concentrate. Will pass it for now since I added sulfur two months ago....

[K-Rimes]

You also need to make sure you have the proper PH soil for Blueberries.  They like a lower PH (~4.5) than most soils so you'll likely need to add sulfur and use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.  Because of this, I keep my Blueberries in containers where it's easier to control PH.

It took me a long time to dial in blueberries PH wise. I use 5ml of extremely strong phosphoric acid per 2.5 gallon watering can.

I wonder if I should buy this too, just found a supplier for it. It says its a 85% concentrate. Will pass it for now since I added sulfur two months ago....

Depends on your water PH. Mine is extremely alkaline at 8.3ph so I use the phosphoric acid every time I water AND top dress with sulfur. It's really hard to get blueberries right when your water is like mine.

[Calusa]

My plants are going into a raised planter filled with a mix of topsoil, soil acidifier and pine bark nuggets. Because I have "city punch" for water I add an ounce or two of white vinegar to every other watering from a 2 gallon can. So far the vinegar/water mix has kept the foliage green and growing pretty strong.

Can someone recommend a fertilizer brand that will help keep the PH low?

[K-Rimes]

My plants are going into a raised planter filled with a mix of topsoil, soil acidifier and pine bark nuggets. Because I have "city punch" for water I add an ounce or two of white vinegar to every other watering from a 2 gallon can. So far the vinegar/water mix has kept the foliage green and growing pretty strong.

Can someone recommend a fertilizer brand that will help keep the PH low?

I found vinegar extremely weak and honestly a pain compared to a few ml in a pipette. I needed at least 3/4 cup to get 2 gallons down to appropriate levels!

[Kevin Jones]

Don't plant them anywhere near concrete because it leaches lime into the soil... not good for Blueberries.

Kevin

[Calusa]

They're going into a raised planter in the middle of the yard.

K-Rimes, where can I get some phosphorus?

[Plantinyum]

 

You also need to make sure you have the proper PH soil for Blueberries.  They like a lower PH (~4.5) than most soils so you'll likely need to add sulfur and use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.  Because of this, I keep my Blueberries in containers where it's easier to control PH.

It took me a long time to dial in blueberries PH wise. I use 5ml of extremely strong phosphoric acid per 2.5 gallon watering can.

I wonder if I should buy this too, just found a supplier for it. It says its a 85% concentrate. Will pass it for now since I added sulfur two months ago....

Depends on your water PH. Mine is extremely alkaline at 8.3ph so I use the phosphoric acid every time I water AND top dress with sulfur. It's really hard to get blueberries right when your water is like mine.

My well water as far as I remember when testing was around 7 and slightly above. Okay ,I will then buy 1 liter of this ,I thought that it could make an reaction with the sulfur in the soil , but if you are using it with sulfur then I should be good too ...

Don't plant them anywhere near concrete because it leaches lime into the soil... not good for Blueberries.

Kevin

when I did my blueberry bed ,I had one side of it that was next to a concrete supporting base. I just placed some nylon and fixed it with the soil, to stop the lime leeching into the bb's medium.