From foliage to flowers to fruits, gardeners have several reasons to cultivate blueberries. However, their quality and quantity depend on how one takes care of them.
One thing that affects how they turn out positively is adding compost to your soil. Due to the various types, you may struggle to choose one, especially what’s most suitable for the plant.
For example, do blueberries like mushroom compost? If one was to use it and it is ideal, they would reap many benefits.
On the other hand, using it when inapplicable will destroy the yield or even the plant.
What Compost is Best for Blueberries
Due to its pH levels, mushroom compost isn’t ideal for growing blueberries. However, that doesn’t mean that a gardener can run out of options when looking for compost that suits the plant.
Regardless of the compost you choose, there are important things to remember. They are as follows;
- Blueberries thrive in an acidic environment
- They require plenty of organic matter
- They also need abundant nitrogen
- Equally important, the soil should be excellent at retaining moisture
With these important things in mind, one can’t help but think about a certain type of compost. Compost rich in peat moss.
The compost will ensure that the blueberries remain hydrated, especially the roots, how they like it. Its acidity is also ideal for their survival.
Do Blueberries Like Mushroom Compost?
We have discussed the best compost for blueberries, and now it is time to narrow our focus to a specific type. Do blueberries like mushroom compost?
It is no secret that blueberries fall under the Ericaceae plants family. This family grows well in acidic soil, and blueberries are no exception.
You are most likely wondering how acidic the soil should be. For the plant to thrive, the pH level should be between 4.5 and 5.2.
On the other hand, mushroom compost is alkaline with a relatively high pH value. Therefore, adding it to the soil may do more harm than good when cultivating blueberries.
It may be tempting to consider it since it boosts nitrogen, water retention, and drainage. Despite being great for blueberries, the alkalinity is enough to water down all these benefits.
Can You Use Mushroom Compost on Blueberries?
There is no way of using mushroom compost on blueberries to your advantage. Not even mulching with this compost benefits the plant.
Again, some gardeners have assumed otherwise because of its organic material. Therefore, they mulch using it only to regret it later.
Initially, it serves this purpose, right, one must say. The soil remains cool during summer and warm during winter.
Equally important, moisture retention increases since the soil doesn’t lose it through evaporation. However, the blueberries will start suffering as the soil gets alkaline.
Consequently, the health of the blueberries declines and even deteriorates over time. The foliage quality declines, and neither fruits nor flowers grow as expected.
Failure to solve the issue on time has even dire consequences. Your blueberries will die despite doing everything to grow the plant.
However, the compost may come in handy under certain circumstances. As mentioned earlier, blueberries need a pH value between 4.5 and 5.2.
If the pH value is lower than 4.5, adding mushroom compost reasonably can benefit your blueberries. It will increase the level to a suitable one, thus promoting its growth.
One can’t insist enough on how important it is to maintain the right acidity.
Is Mushroom Compost Good for All Plants
Unfortunately, mushroom compost may not favor all plants. Some of the major contributors are its alkalinity and salinity properties.
It is no secret that mushroom compost has high pH and salt concentrations. Some plants love these conditions, but others will hardly survive under the same circumstances.
For example, some plants may start withering, or their leaves turn yellow-brown due to mushroom compost. After all, it hogs the water, thus leaving none for the plants to absorb.
Regarding alkalinity, acidic-loving plants may suffer, but their counterparts will thrive. That’s because their pH level favors the latter and not the former.
Plants that like Mushroom Compost
Whereas mushroom compost isn’t suitable for blueberries, several plants and flowers will appreciate it. They include the following;
- Sea thrift
- Sea holly
- Prickly pear cactus
- Polemoniums
- Ornamental clovers
- Lilac
- Lavender
- Junipers
- Honeysuckle
- Hibiscus
- Gazania
- Columbine
- Chinese silver grasses
- Butterfly weed
- Aeoniums
- Acacia
- Agapanthus
Besides blueberries, it is also not ideal for growing the following plants;
Vegetables and Fruits that don’t like Mushroom Compost
Fruits and vegetables include the following;
- Rhubarb
- Raspberries
- Radishes
- Peppers
- Juniper
- Gooseberries
- Cranberries
Other Plants that don’t like Mushroom Compost
Avoid using the compost on the following plants too;
- Rhododendrons
- Nasturtium
- Magnolia
- Hydrangeas
- Japanese maple
- Iris
- Holly
- Heather
- Gardenia
- Ferns
- Daffodil
- Camelias
- Begonias
- Aster
- Azaleas
Regardless of whether a plant thrives in mushroom compost, here’s good advice. Avoid using compost in any seedlings or young plants.
After all, mushroom compost contains plenty of nutrients and soluble salts that these plants can’t withstand. So, it is advisable to use them during germination.
It would be sad if a seedling were to take forever to grow. That’s avoidable if you avoid mushroom compost.
Tips for Growing Blueberries
For great blueberries, ensure that you follow these helpful tips
- It is advisable to grow blueberries in the full sun, usually in early spring
- It would be best if you also grew it in acidic soil
- Whereas the plants can self-pollinate, planting more than one blueberry plant will give better results
- You should only introduce fertilizer once blueberries are established, preferably after a year after planting
- Remember that various varieties have different humidity and temperature, but most of them won’t survive if there are drying winds
- Deep water the plant once or more weekly because of their shallow roots
- Ensure that the location you plant it in receives full sun translating to between 6 and 8 hours of direct sunlight daily
Various Types of Blue Berries
They are 5 common varieties, and here’s a summary.
- Half-high blueberries
- Highbush or Vaccinium corymbosum
- Lowbush or Vaccinium angustifolium
- Rabbiteye or Vaccinium virgatum
- Southern highbush, which are hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium virgatum, or Vaccinium darrowii
