It’s definitely worth it. But there are certain rules to follow when fertilising blueberries with peat

Blueberries love acidic soil. Of course, they don’t grow just anywhere in the forest. We mainly find them where conditions are ideal – that is, in places with acidic soil. Canadian blueberries, which can be grown at home, have similar requirements. That’s precisely why it’s worth fertilising these acid-loving plants with peat. Even a task as seemingly simple as this has its own rules. What are they? We’ll reveal that to you in the following lines.

Blueberries are acid-loving plants. What does that mean?

The fact that Canadian blueberries are acid-loving plants means they thrive in acidic soils with a pH ranging from 4.0 to 5.5. Peat provides a fairly acidic substrate, which blueberries certainly deserve. They’ll simply thrive in it. However, there are more reasons to use peat.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Why peat, specifically?

Apart from the pH mentioned above, which is optimal for blueberries, peat offers several other advantages. For example, its ability to retain water. At the same time, it allows for the necessary air circulation in the soil, which is ideal. Canadian blueberries require a well-drained substrate that is, at the same time, moist. Another major advantage of peat is that it contains a large amount of organic matter. This provides the plants with the necessary nutrients. We mustn’t forget the trace elements, which blueberries definitely need.

Tip: Naughty birds. How to protect Canadian blueberries?

How should peat be applied?

First and foremost, any weeds should be removed. Next, spread a layer of peat around the plants. The layer should be approximately 5 to 7 cm thick. The peat should then be thoroughly watered. We dug a relatively shallow hole around each plant and filled it with peat. This undoubtedly helped the blueberries this year; they were literally laden with fruit. Adding peat in this way should be repeated at least once every 3 months. We added the peat in the spring. However, this can be done at any time of year, except whilst the plants are bearing fruit.

Sources: Author, Meta

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán