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Blueberries

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From: Fran French
City:
Oak Park, IL
I bought a Jersey blueberry bush. What should I do to plant it?

 
Extension Message
From: James Schuster
Horticulturist and Plant Pathologist (Retired)

schuster@illinois.edu
Being in Oak Park Illinois your soil is alkaline because it formed off limestone bedrock. You need a soil test run immediately by a qualified lab (make sure you pay for a recommendation for blueberries). You will then need to add sulfur based on the soil test recommendations. You will need to regularly retest the soil and adjust the pH based on the soil test. Since your soil is alkaline and blueberries need a pH near 5.0 or lower you will have trouble maintaing a pH that blueberries like. also make sure you can plant in full sun and soil has good drainage. Blueberries in general can get more than ten feet tall and wide.

 
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