I'd like to try blueberries this year but my garden in zone 7 isn't acidic enough. I was thinking of trying the low growing varieties in pots.Any advice as to varieties and planting mediums would really be appreciated.Thanks

I planted some in pots in the fall, and I used 1/3 peat moss (that is acidic), 1/3 compost and 1/3 shredded bark mulch (the finest shred I could find), and I mulched the plants with pine needles (also acidic). You can add a sulphur product to acidify the soil (I used aluminium sulphate, but after using it, realised that I don't even know if it is organic??) I got this potting mix from a google search

http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/promotion/bluecontainer.html

He uses a potting soil for acid loving plants instead of compost though.

In zone 7 I think the rabbiteye varieties work best, more tolerant of warmer climates. I am zone 6, and planted highbush varieties, we have a cooler winter over here. But double check that...I am not certain of your area. I found a local grower that sold 1 or 2 year old plants for under $5 each:

http://www.simmonsplantfarm.com/index_files/Page1719.htm

They mention the rabbiteye varieties to be for the "upper south"...is that your zone?

thanks for the info.I don't think I'm the south. I'm on long island, ny. What do you think of north country or north blue? I am so itchy to get into the dirt. Can't wait for spring to break.

I'd also like you to look over another blue fruited shrub: amelancher (June berry) I'm sure you can many offerings on the web to eyeball.

Amelancher does not need acidic soil to grow well and set fruit.

Ok, I think I need to look at a zone map again, somehow I thought zone 7 to be below me, zone 6...I'm in Arkansas...Long Island is way north of me...?
North country and north blue, are these some of the low growing varieties you mentioned? I'm not familiar with these, but this is actually my first year with blueberries too, so it's all experimental at this point. The internet has been a wealth of information though!

I'm not sure if you can still order and pot blueberries now...if so it would probably be better to get them in as soon as possible before the leaves start coming in and they are still dormant....so your itching to get into the dirt can start now!!! Have you got containers yet? Mine are in 1/2 barrels, I think they will look really cool when they start growing.

Good luck

Don't forget Long Island is surrounded by water (Atlantic Ocean to the south, Long Island Sound to the north) which moderates temperature extremes.

I'm in the north-eastern Connecticut and borderline 5/6.

Just out of curiosity Playtime, where on L.I. are you? I lived in Huntington from 1959 to '75.

I'm in zone 7, but in VA. I grow blueberries. I've never had my soil tested (I know, I'm bad!) but my blueberries are growing fine. I do have very good, fertile soil, though. DH drinks coffee every now and then and I take the leftover coffee and coffee grinds and dump them around the blueberry bushes. They like that. I know there are some other things you can give them, but I can't remember. Just thought I'd let you know.

i live in massapequa

Sunshine Blue were especially developed for alkaline soils in low chill areas. They bear heavily for me here in Southern California, where blueberries aren't supposed to grow.

http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/715018c0a554020088...0749901!OpenDocument

OR

http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/nursery/v-shighbush.html

Oh, and I use EBStone organic planting compost or Sequoia redwood compost if I don't have enough of my own to use, mixed with sand and perlite

Peat moss. I just dug the hole and planted them in peat moss. A friend with alkaline soil just stuck his in the ground many years ago and they do fine.

I don't have a lot to add...except that this topic reminded me that my husband mowed down one of my three small highbush blueberries last fall! After the leaves had fallen - and the weren't "high" yet. I thought he knew where they were!

But bit my lip about saying anything. Usually I mow the lawn, so the fact that he did it I was happy about, and telling him about won't un-mow the bush. It was about 2 1/2 feet tall...albeit spindly and leafless...I was still surprised to find it GONE. Well, a two-inch nub.

There are now tall orange flags on the spots. Wanting to see this spring if the poor thing puts out some new growth.

*sniff*

Cat, I feel for you. My poor husband has inadvertantly killed more plants than I care to remember or discuss, but I'm sure that he is as clueless in the garden as I am behind an electronic soundboard. ugh. Fortunately, he knows NOW not to touch anything without asking me first if I know what "it" is. Usually, "it" is either expensive or rare or both, and that's why he doesn't recognize it.

I have lost a sweet olive, a native azalea and all of this year's narcissus to my mowing DH I am now contemplating buying the little orange flags on metal poles to CLEARLY signify to him these plants are OFF LIMITS! (isn't that going to be an attractive addition to the landscape). I narrowly rescued my two newly planted blueberries this past fall And here I was foolish enough to think disease and pests would be the only things I had to worry about.