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I just got soil sample results back from the Extension office for my blueberries. I have two patches, one of which came in "looking good" at 5.0 pH and the other on the low end of what is recommended at 4.2 pH. In the soil recommendations, they didn't recommend lime. I am a bit worried about the 4.2 pH; will my blueberries be OK at that low of a pH?
Last Updated: January 07, 2008
Yes. Blueberries thrive in a highly organic, well-drained soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.2. Most soils can be amended with finely ground sulfur (garden sulfur) or aluminum sulfate to adjust pH to optimum levels. It is important to amend the soil with peat moss and then take a soil test to determine nutrient levels and soil pH. Continue to test the soil for the next several years to make sure that the pH remains in the 4.5 to 5.2 range. On some soils and in instances where the irrigation water pH is high, the soil pH will tend to increase with time.
A soil pH of below 4.5 can lead to nutrient imbalance (toxicity) within the plant. Many micronutrients are only soluble in the ground water when the pH is low and become increasingly soluble as the soil water pH drops.
You may want to look at the following University of Minnesota Extension publication on soil pH modification. It is available online at:
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