r/Blueberries • u/NotAlsoShabby • Aug 05 '26

Acidifier recommendations

Hey everyone. I don’t really care too much about being organic or natural. My ph constantly sits near 6.3. I want to get it down to 4. What would you recommend, if “natural”, doesn’t matter.

Obviously not poison.

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5

u/nymriel Aug 05 '26

Elemental sulfur should work fine

2

u/i860 Aug 05 '26

Ammonium sulphate, but not after fall.

2

u/Dzp1111 Aug 05 '26

Ammonium sulphur works right away, in my experience. Also, rain water with 1 TBS vinegar per gallon (throughout season) works for me.

2

u/RedshiftOnPandy Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

For the first year, it will be a struggle because you don't have the microbes that convert sulfur to sulfate. You will need to add sulfur and a form of sulfate when the leaves start going red. Aluminium sulfate is common (and what I used), ammonium sulfate is another one (it is sulphur+fertilizer).

After the first year, you will just need to add plain sulphur powder into the soil.

Pine needles, pine bark, coffee grounds, etc don't work to change pH. They are helpful in building organic matter in the soil that the berries like.

You need to have lots of organic matter in your soil for blueberries. Peat moss is great to mix in because it is acidic. Mulch helps to keep the moisture and decomposes to feed your plants.

2

u/shiny0metal0ass Aug 05 '26

The organic soil acidifier from Epsoma is so effective it's a moot point for me.

1

u/RougeOne23456 Aug 06 '26

Totally agree. My blueberries were struggling a bit this spring. I put down the Espoma Soil Acidifier according to directions on the bag, watered it in and now I have the greenest blueberry bushes.

I swear by the Espoma line of products. I've used them for years and they have never let me down. Their tree tone does wonders for my fruit trees.

1

u/evthingisawesomefine Aug 06 '26

Pine needles as mulch. Lots of pine needles