There are many plants that like acidic soil – see the following list for some of them. The plants in blue text are the acid loving plants that I am growing.
FRUITS:Â Blueberry, Huckleberry, Raspberry and Strawberry,
FLOWERS:Â Amaryllis, Aster, Bleeding Heart, Lily of the Valley, Lupine, Marigold and Phlox
SHRUBS AND OTHER PLANTS:Â Azalea, Bayberry, Camellia, Evergreens, Ferns, Gardenia,Heather, Hemlock, Holly, Hydrangea, Juniper, Magnolia, Mountain Laurel, Pachysandra, and Rhododendron
TREES:Â Dogwood, Fir, Mountain Ash, Oak, Pine and Spruce
So for my acid loving plants, I give them organic plant food in the Spring and Fall. I use Holly-tone from Espoma.  Please follow the directions on the package and use half of the amount in the Fall. I just applied it last weekend.  While it’s time consuming, the results are worth it and you only have to apply it twice a year! A couple of pointers is that with most slow releasing plant foot that is granular you should move the mulch back, apply the plant food around the drip line (the outer edge of the plant), water, and then gently put the mulch back in place.
Here’s my personal experience with the fruit plants. . .my blueberry plants were struggling last year because I dug them up and moved them. I started giving them the plant food last Fall and this Spring which really improved the berry production this season. The plants pictured above with the red leaves are the blueberry plants. Since I just bought the raspberry plant this summer, I added it to the acid loving plant food list. Also, I didn’t realize last year that strawberries like acidic soil so I added them to the list as well. I will report back on the results with the raspberry and strawberry plants next summer.
If you recall from high school science class, the PH level indicates the following:
Strong Acid Soil            Neutral Soil                    Strong Akaline Soil
≤ 5.5                                      7.0                                   ≥ 8.5
Most plants that need acidic soil will be in the range of 5.5 to 7.0. You can buy a PH testing kit to see what kind of soil you have. I tend to not have time to keep track of this because I am in the garden or writing this blog in what little spare time I have.
Whatever you decide to use as plant food please do a little research because your family, bees, birds, butterflies and other wildlife will be ingesting it!
If you have a favorite acid loving plant, please send me a picture. I’d loved to see it and share with the group. Just email it to sandyatcrazyforgardening@gmail.com.
The first picture at the top of the blog is a Mugo Slowmound Pine. I have several of these evergreen pine bushes. The picture directly above includes a Rhododendron bush on the left which is surrounded by 3 Hydrangea plants.  The last picture which appears on the left is an Emerald Green Arborvitae (another evergreen plant).
