Blueberry plants are fairly easy to grow, making them a great choice for both inexperienced and avid gardeners. But, for the biggest and juiciest blueberries, fertilising is key – and two household items can help
Blueberry plants are easy to grow, making them perfect for gardeners of all levels. But if you’re after plump, juicy berries, using the right fertilisers at the right time is key.
The experts say to give your blueberry plants a boost in early spring, with a possible repeat dose in early summer and early autumn. There are plenty of fruit-specific fertilisers out there, but you can also go down the natural route.
One keen gardener took to blog site Steemit to share their secret to supercharging their blueberry bushes using Epsom salt and a special type of vinegar.
Writing as joedunn, they revealed how they planted some blueberry bushes years ago, which did okay in the first year.
But when spring rolled around, the leaves looked more yellow than green, and the fruit was underwhelming.
Despite trying grass clippings and manure around the roots, “this did not help”, reports the Express.
Some online digging later, they discovered blueberry plants crave magnesium and that Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) could be just what they needed.
The blogger admitted: “This sounded strange, though, and so unfortunately we did not try using Epsom salts on our plants. They eventually died.”
A year later, the gardening enthusiast invested in new blueberry bushes, carefully planting them in a mixture of good soil and peat moss. Initially, they thrived, but by the second year, the same issue recurred.
Determined to save these new bushes, the gardener tried a different approach: “We mixed one tablespoon of Epsom salts and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in two gallons of water and watered the plants.”
The results were remarkable, with the gardener noting: “Within two days, they were greening up nicely, looking much healthier, and the blueberries were tastier.”
To provide a long-term magnesium boost, the gardener sprinkled a few tablespoons of Epsom salts around the base of each plant. This proved to be a winning formula, as the blueberry bushes began to flourish, producing an abundance of fruit.
This natural method has also been endorsed by gardening experts at Angi, who recommend using Epsom salt to address magnesium deficiencies in blueberry plants. They suggest: “You can use Epsom salt if your blueberries need magnesium. This method can help revive blueberry plants and encourage them to green up.”
Their advice is to mix one tablespoon of Epsom salts and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with two gallons of water, applying the solution to the base of the blueberry plants.