As a bog plant, blueberries cultivated in your own garden need a little support from fertilizers for a rich harvest. Fertilizers from the trade or home remedies can be used here. It is also important to choose the right time for the administration of nutrients so that the fertilizer can support flowering and fruit formation. The following article explains which fertilizers and home remedies are ideal for fertilizing and when is the right time for this.
Fertilize blueberries
time
There isn't just one single time when bilberry plants, also known as blueberries, should be fertilized. Sufficient nutrients should always be provided twice over the growing season. The different times for fertilizing look like this:
- first nutrients when planting
- in subsequent years, first major fertilization in March
- promotes growth of young shoots
- second, smaller fertilization in June
- during fruiting
- serves a bountiful harvest
It is also important to use different nutrients at different times so that the desired goal - growth in spring and fruiting in summer - is achieved. For example, you should refrain from using nitrogen the second time you fertilize in June, because this primarily promotes rapid growth of the shoots, but not fruit formation.
Fertilize minerally
Blaukorn or other long-term fertilizers are often used in kitchen and ornamental gardens. For blueberries, however, these fertilizers contain too high concentrations of salts and often end up over-fertilizing the plants. As a rule, this always leads to damage to the roots, and the plant stops growing and fruiting. The better alternative here is always organic fertilization. In addition, blue grain and co. also harbor the following dangers:
- chemical additives penetrate the soil
- come into contact with the groundwater
- chemical fertilization not good for edible plants
- harvested blueberry fruit may contain chemical additives
- are absorbed by the human body when consumed
Fertilize organically
Naturally
If the blueberries are planted in the first year, then it makes sense to fertilize organically and incorporate the nutrients directly into the soil. This has the advantage of long-term fertilization, which only has to be done once a year. Anyone who owns a garden also has the organic fertilizers available on a regular basis. However, you should avoid pure compost, because it contains other nutrients that the blueberries cannot tolerate. When planting and in the following years in spring, the following natural nutrients should therefore be added to the soil around the plant:
- lawn clippings
- pieces of bark (chopped)
- leaves
- needle litter
It is important that you prepare the bed with the components a month before planting, so that the nutrients can develop properly and the blueberries can absorb them through the roots right from the first day. Because with organic fertilizers, the nutrients have to be broken down before they can be absorbed by the plants.
Commercial organic fertilizer
But what can be used to fertilize blueberries cultivated in a bucket? There is also a solution for this, because the trade also offers organic fertilizers in addition to mineral fertilizers. So if you have cultivated your blueberries on the balcony for lack of a garden, you can also get the organic means from specialist shops. It is important that the nutrients contained are also tailored to the needs of the blueberry plants. These should always contain the following nutrients:
- nitrogen
- sodium
- phosphorus
- no lime additives
If the plant is supplied with organic fertilizer from the trade, then a large fertilization takes place in the spring and a smaller fertilization again in June. This optimally supplies the blueberries with the nutrients they need.
horn meal
Horn meal is also organic, as it comes from the hooves and horns of slaughtered animals. This is also a good alternative for spring fertilization to stimulate plant growth as it contains nitrogen. Ideally, horn meal is only given in conjunction with other fertilizers. The product is available in well-stocked specialist shops.
Coffee grounds as a home remedy
Coffee grounds can also be used as a suitable fertilizer for blueberries. This is also used in spring when planting new or an existing blueberry plant. Because the coffee grounds contain many nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus, which promote the growth of the plant. Depending on how many plants you are cultivating, there should be a sufficient amount. Therefore, the following procedure should be followed for the coffee grounds:
- Collect coffee grounds over the winter
- to do this, allow the used filter to dry
- Pour the completely dry powder into a jar
- do not seal airtight
- use the fertilizer obtained in this way in the spring
- together with the organic fertilizer
- can also be used individually
tip: So that the coffee grounds do not mold over the months in which they are collected, they must be completely dry before you put them in the storage container. For example, the coffee grounds can be dried in the oven at low temperatures or on a running heater.
Mulch over the winter
If you mulch over the soil around the plant in winter, then this not only has a protective effect against frost. In this way, nutrients are released into the soil at the same time, which the blueberries need in spring to sprout well. Mulch usually consists of bark clippings, leaves or pine litter, which should also be added for spring fertilization.
Watch out for lime
Blueberries need an acidic soil environment. You should therefore be careful not to add too much lime. You should therefore definitely avoid commercial fertilizers that have a high lime content. But there are definitely products specifically for blueberries, alternatively for rhododendrons or azaleas that are tailored to the needs of the berries. So you should pay attention to the following when avoiding lime:
- only water with rainwater
- Tap water usually too calcareous
- alternatively only filtered water from the tap
- do not use fertilizers with added lime
- yellow leaves indicate calcareous chlorosis
If you use flower fertilizer, you must check the ingredients so that the fruit does not absorb any substances that are harmful for consumption.
