Growing Blueberries — why acid soil matters

Blueberries are delicious, attractive and great for wildlife — but they’re fussy about soil. They’ll reward you with the best crops when planted into acid, well-drained, organic soil.

Key points

• pH: Aim for an acid soil (roughly pH 4.5–5.5). If your soil is neutral or alkaline, grow blueberries in raised beds or pots filled with ericaceous (acid) compost and plenty of leaf-mould. GardenAdvice notes that blueberries “require acidic soil” and should be planted in ericaceous compost where soils are not acidic.
• Planting: Space bushes ~1–1.2 m apart, use a planting hole filled with a mix of native soil + ericaceous compost + well-rotted manure, and mulch with leaf-mould to keep roots cool and acidic.
• Mulch & feed: Maintain a 5–8 cm mulch layer of ericaceous material each year and avoid alkaline mulches (eg spent mushroom compost) around blueberries. GardenAdvice’s acid-loving plant notes are a useful reference.

Want an easy how-to for planning fruit & veg? See GardenAdvice’s fruit & veg guide: https://gardenadvice.co.uk/blog/grow-your-own-fruit-veg/