How to Make Soil More Acidic for Blueberry Bushes

Plant blueberry bushes in late winter, when the ground dries, but amend the soil two to three months before planting. Fall amendments give the soil time to settle and sulfur time to dissolve, for ideal planting in spring.

Choose quick-draining sites with full sunshine and good air circulation, and give each blueberry bush 4 to 6 feet of space in the row. Blueberry bushes won't bloom or produce fruit in shady or crowded conditions, and they rot in standing water.

Prepare a 2-foot-square plot for each blueberry bush. Till the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, and add 3 to 4 inches of organic compost and peat moss. The organic amendments add nutrition and light acidity to the soil, and improve soil texture and moisture retention. Peat moss provides more acidity than organic compost, though compost provides better soil quality and moisture retention.

Turn granular sulfur into the top 4 inches of soil at a rate of 2 to 3 lbs. per 100 square feet. Sulfur drives the pH down. Mix the sulfur well, water, and allow the soil to settle for at least three months before you plant.