My blueberry plants are in pots with 5-1-1 (pine bark-peat-perlite) soil-less media. They have been fed with low strength ammonium sulfate in city water adjusted pH with battery acid (city water here has a pH of 8.6 with lots of bicarbonates). Constant acidification of water has, however, caused the media pH to drop under 4. I have been trying to revert the pH with plain city water and current media pH has been around 4.5-5.0. Lately, I have been observing some sort of nutrients deficiency (don't know what micronutrient deficiency causes this) indications on some of my bb plants.
I really haven't been able to find any suitable fertilizer for blueberry in my area. All the big box stores and one single local nursery in the entire town sell acidic fertilizer for azalea that contains either potassium chloride or nitrate nitrogen, which are not safe for blueberries. I thought lacking of complete fertilizer (other than just the nitrogen) is to be blamed. I turned the problem to one of the well experienced blueberry grower in the forum and I have been advised to start over with new plants as low pH causes roots stop growing, media usually water logs and plant never recovers even if repotted, they are most likely at their terminal stage before collapsing.
Has anyone faced this kind of situation? Anyone has solution/suggestion to rescue these plants?
I really haven't been able to find any suitable fertilizer for blueberry in my area. All the big box stores and one single local nursery in the entire town sell acidic fertilizer for azalea that contains either potassium chloride or nitrate nitrogen, which are not safe for blueberries. I thought lacking of complete fertilizer (other than just the nitrogen) is to be blamed. I turned the problem to one of the well experienced blueberry grower in the forum and I have been advised to start over with new plants as low pH causes roots stop growing, media usually water logs and plant never recovers even if repotted, they are most likely at their terminal stage before collapsing.
Has anyone faced this kind of situation? Anyone has solution/suggestion to rescue these plants?
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