Blueberry PH problem?

Can you recommend a reliable–if one exists–soil PH meter that doesn’t cost an arm or a leg? If you can, please do so. My BB plants are struggling, and witnessing it saddens me. I will also read recommendations for the ones whose price exacts an extremity.

Thank you

That is a pH problem! Why don't you just mix a large bag of peat moss all around the planting hole area and then put a bag of pine bark or pine mulch on top. That will both acidify and also retain moisture which I imagine is part of the problem.

The State Agriculture Extension people or the Arizona Master Gardeners will tell you where to take your dirt samples (for accurate testing). In NC it was free - I tested 10 or 12 zip-lock bags of dirt. All were between 5.2 and 5.5 pH)

Blue berries do like to be watered, are you able to thoroughly water them several times a week?

pb’,
I thank you for responding, but your response raises more questions:

If I don’t know the soil’s PH now, how do I know that I need to acidify?

If I do need to acidify, how do I know when to stop?

Why do you suspect a moisture retention problem?

What does Arizona have to do with my BB problem in SW Arkansas?

Moisture, Arizona–maybe you’re confusing “AZ” and “AR”. If so, don’t feel bad about it; I’ve seen postal workers make the same slip. If not, I am asking you to accept my apology.

Personally, I prefer the ole-timey state abbrs.

You might contact your County Extentsion or Master Gardeners (or if you don't have one, then Dept of Agriculture or Agricultural college). They ought to be able to tell you whether or not pH can be a problem in your area, and where to get soil testing done. Good advice for AK, AL, AR, or AZ. Blueberries are picky about pH, and I don't think they like clay either. pbyrley advice will help with both, and won't hurt even if that isn't the problem.

Yeah, sorry I mixed AZ for AR. I am an East coast guy. As pollengarden said, you can go to the extension service (for your state) or talk to the Master Gardeners for your area for very pertinent information. Very nice people too.

I am no blueberry expert BUT all the stuff I read talked about acidfying your soil - I never saw anyone saying their soil was too acid for blueberries (of course, they wouldn't do well in muriatic acid).

Basically, using peat or pine mulch would be good soil additions for your blueberries. It's not going to harm them.

Here is a pic of my rabbiteye blueberries. That was taken in 2012 - there were many more berries this year.

Pb’,
That’s a good lookin’ bush, a 10 or knockin’ on the door. That’s the way I want mine to look, but I have a long way to go. I don’t want to hurry it; I just started last winter, Rabbit Eyes, six different cultivars. I’m narrowing the problem down. Woe is me, it’s lookin’ more and more like tender error.

I agree. I probably do need to acidify, but I think that I’m probably below base now; there are lots of big, native pines in the locale. I’m thinking of applying some wettable sulfur and I don’t want to overdo it.

I think that to a gardener, especially a blueberry tender, a reliable PH meter would be handier than a fresh sweat rag.

Acidifier chemicals can get things too acidic - so you do need a soil test or pH meter if you are going to use one. Peat moss just happens to be the pH blueberries like, and won't take them any lower that that, so it is fairly goof proof.
Here in alkaline dry Colorado, we plant blueberries directly into peat bales - no soil. We supplement with occasional liquid fertilizer.

sulfur is a great acidifier as well as aluminun sulfate.