How to Acidify Soil for Planting Blueberries

Collect a soil sample from the planting site and place the sample in a plastic bag. Do this in the autumn at the latest, if you're planning to plant the blueberries the following spring. Bring the soil sample to a Cooperative Extension System Office for testing and a determination of the soil’s pH.

Measure the area in which you will plant your blueberry bushes. You will need this measurement to know how much sulfur to apply to acidify the soil.

Break up the soil to the approximate depth you will be planting the blueberries. Measure out the amount of garden sulfur needed to lower the pH of the soil to between 4.5 and 5.5. The label on the package will indicate how much you should use per square foot.

Water the sulfur gently with a garden hose or sprinkler. Take in a new soil sample for testing in the spring, before you plant the blueberries. You might need even more sulfur or some peat moss if the soil is still too alkaline.