My blueberry leaves were turning a light green, showing their veins.
The blueberries were fed cottonmeal and given a thick mulch of old
sawdust. I decided to give the plants a (half) dose of Miracid three
weeks ago, and the bushes have responded with a deep green color and
loaded with berries. Wow! The change was amazing. I was a bit leary
of fertilizing the bushes due to damaging the delicate root system
they have, but now I now better. Perhaps the sawdust drew up all the
nitrogen, I don't know.

Phisherman wrote in message . ..
My blueberry leaves were turning a light green, showing their veins.
The blueberries were fed cottonmeal and given a thick mulch of old
sawdust. I decided to give the plants a (half) dose of Miracid three
weeks ago, and the bushes have responded with a deep green color and
loaded with berries. Wow! The change was amazing. I was a bit leary
of fertilizing the bushes due to damaging the delicate root system
they have, but now I now better. Perhaps the sawdust drew up all the
nitrogen, I don't know.

TEST THE SOIL pH

Sawdust will do that. And be careful that it's not treated-wood sawdust.
While cottonseed meal is a good source of nitrogen, it's fairly slowrelease
and very low compared to what the sawdust can soak up. I'm not positive
about this but I know I read it somewhere, that blueberries are plants that
cannot distribute fertilizer to the whole plant if applied only to one side
whether foliar or root feeding. And if you have a good mulch on them,
ammonium nitrate is a good nitrogen source and not too strong (if used
properly -1/4 to 1/2 cup per plant I believe depending on size). Blueberries
are wonderful stuff.
Gary

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
My blueberry leaves were turning a light green, showing their veins.
The blueberries were fed cottonmeal and given a thick mulch of old
sawdust. I decided to give the plants a (half) dose of Miracid three
weeks ago, and the bushes have responded with a deep green color and
loaded with berries. Wow! The change was amazing. I was a bit leary
of fertilizing the bushes due to damaging the delicate root system
they have, but now I now better. Perhaps the sawdust drew up all the
nitrogen, I don't know.

On 16 Jul 2003 15:38:57 -0700, (Beecrofter) wrote:

Phisherman wrote in message . ..
My blueberry leaves were turning a light green, showing their veins.
The blueberries were fed cottonmeal and given a thick mulch of old
sawdust. I decided to give the plants a (half) dose of Miracid three
weeks ago, and the bushes have responded with a deep green color and
loaded with berries. Wow! The change was amazing. I was a bit leary
of fertilizing the bushes due to damaging the delicate root system
they have, but now I now better. Perhaps the sawdust drew up all the
nitrogen, I don't know.

TEST THE SOIL pH


It is acidic, like my entire property. I have dumped 500 pounds of
lime over my lawn over the past 10 years and it still shows a pH
ranging from 5.8 to 6.3. I'm thinking about using compost instead of
the old sawdust, but old sawdust on blueberry bushes is what many
books recommend.

Could try using pine needles as a mulch. I put pine needles on my mom's and my
blueberries every year and both of us have had pretty good results. I also
Miracid them once or twice a year in the spring. My soil was kinda neutral to
start with now it is on the acidic side, where it should be for blueberries.

Marty

On 7/16/2003 7:32 PM, V_coerulea wrote:
Sawdust will do that. And be careful that it's not treated-wood sawdust.
While cottonseed meal is a good source of nitrogen, it's fairly slowrelease
and very low compared to what the sawdust can soak up. I'm not positive
about this but I know I read it somewhere, that blueberries are plants that
cannot distribute fertilizer to the whole plant if applied only to one side
whether foliar or root feeding. And if you have a good mulch on them,
ammonium nitrate is a good nitrogen source and not too strong (if used
properly -1/4 to 1/2 cup per plant I believe depending on size). Blueberries
are wonderful stuff.
Gary

"Phisherman" wrote in message
...

My blueberry leaves were turning a light green, showing their veins.
The blueberries were fed cottonmeal and given a thick mulch of old
sawdust. I decided to give the plants a (half) dose of Miracid three
weeks ago, and the bushes have responded with a deep green color and
loaded with berries. Wow! The change was amazing. I was a bit leary
of fertilizing the bushes due to damaging the delicate root system
they have, but now I now better. Perhaps the sawdust drew up all the
nitrogen, I don't know.

Phisherman wrote in message . ..
On 16 Jul 2003 15:38:57 -0700, (Beecrofter) wrote:

Phisherman wrote in message . ..
My blueberry leaves were turning a light green, showing their veins.
The blueberries were fed cottonmeal and given a thick mulch of old
sawdust. I decided to give the plants a (half) dose of Miracid three
weeks ago, and the bushes have responded with a deep green color and
loaded with berries. Wow! The change was amazing. I was a bit leary
of fertilizing the bushes due to damaging the delicate root system
they have, but now I now better. Perhaps the sawdust drew up all the
nitrogen, I don't know.

TEST THE SOIL pH


It is acidic, like my entire property. I have dumped 500 pounds of
lime over my lawn over the past 10 years and it still shows a pH
ranging from 5.8 to 6.3. I'm thinking about using compost instead of
the old sawdust, but old sawdust on blueberry bushes is what many
books recommend.

5.8-6.3 is too alkaline for blueberries. you may run into the same problem again.