Blue berry bush

[Binkalette]

We bought our house last spring, and I got a blue berry bush that was about 18" tall and planted it on a south/east corner of the house where it gets lots of sun. Lots. Our house is brand new so there's no tree's in the yard to offer any shade yet. Our soil is clay. Last year the bush didn't do a whole lot. It didn't grow much at all, but did flower and produced two blueberries. Towards the end of the year I learned that I needed to make the soil there more acidic, and with the advice of some people from a different gardening forum, I began watering it with a vinegar/water solution.

It looks like it's made it through the winter. There are little buds on it that are just about to open. But I know I didn't do anything right when I planted it last year.. What can I do to help it out this year? (short of digging it up and re-planting). Thanks!

[Kisal]

I'm not sure about in your area, but out here, we mulch them this time of year with rotted sawdust. You might give your nearest Extension service office a call. They should be in the white pages of your phone book, possibly under the county listings.

[johnnytomatoseed]

We are both from similar climates and have similar problems to over come. Clay soil. A fellow forum person said they had seen blue berries in Arkansas growing successfully in clay.
I planted mine ( after many failures ) in raised beds with all the traditional soils amendments. They did better. However , I noticed they were alive but not thriving. I drillid holes in the sides of the 2 by 12 s. I t looks like they are doing better. I think that the water was being held inside the raised bed because it was not draining fast enough. I hope I am right and I will let you know.
A large blueberry plantation owner told me it takes 7 years from planting to a nice size crop. Remember we are talking about northern high bush varieties.\ When I was gowing them in sandy soil about 5 miles from here that is about how long it took.\
Back to clay. Plants need oxegen to the roots to grow and I think waterlogged crowns and roots rotted from no oxegen. john