My blueberries need help

[aqh88]

Ok got a new soil test kit with the little powder capsules you mix in with a set amount of soil and water. The ph tested 6.5 and everything else was beyond the surplus or good level except nitrogen. Oddly enough it came up zero. I'm thinking I did something wrong unless someone can explain why composted horse manure would have zero nitrogen. The blueberry sunshine is perfectly happy in it's new soil but the other blueberries aren't so happy. One had all red leaves that started to curl but now looks to have a bit of new green growth and the other has spotty leaves with some turning red. Hopefully they can recover again.

[opabinia51]

Horse manure shouldn't have a nitrogen percentage of zero. There is a general NPK value for Horse Manure in the organic forum under NPK values.

[grandpasrose]

Opa is right, if you have manure in your soil, it shouldn't read zero for nitrogen. Even so, it is probably low, which might explain the red leaves. To get some more nitrogen into your soil, you could try doing an alfalfa tea. To make this, add 4 cups of alfalfa pellets or meal to 5 gallons of water. Let it sit for about a week, stirring every once in a while. Then water your blueberries with it. You could also mix some alfalfa in around your bushes and let that do the job, although it will be slower to get the nitrogen through to your bush that way. The tea is faster because it breaks it down for you.
As far as PH goes, 6.5 is just a little below neutral (slightly acidic). Ideally it should be one or two points lower. I would add more amendments to bring your PH down to between 4.5 and 5.2.
I think you've done alot to make your blueberries happy, and the sight of a little green on the one shows that you've made some progress.
Just keep tweaking things till you've got it right and they will perform beautifully for you!
Keep us informed - and let us know what you do with all the blueberries!

Val

[Denny]

I see a lot of conflicting information. Let me add to it or make it simpler with one word "Starbucks" I have seen blueberries grown in Coffee grounds and nothing else. They do great with mulch each year and a few more grounds. Starbucks has lots and most are happy to have you take them away. Two places said let us know when you will be by and we will have it packaged up for you. Great people at those coffee shops. I have used Sulfur and peatmoss and they both work as long as you mulch and use little or no fertilizer.

[Arlene]

Save all your coffee grounds and dig them in around the bushes. This is what the nursery told me to do. My blueberries were sweet and nice. I plan to keep dumping the grounds unless we get deep snow.

[Denny]

Use the coffee grounds as a mulch. If you dig them into the soil you must remember Blueberrys have shallow roots.

[Arlene]

Denny, thank you for telling me this. I did not know this. I always use a teaspoon, lol, to spread them around the plant and dig them in a little. I won't dig anymore. Thanks again.