I am growing Misty and Sunshine Blue in Santa Monica about a mile from the ocean. I planted the blueberries in raised beds--raised about 3 feet above soil level. I didn't use native soil, which is very alkaline, but azalea mix instead. When I planted blueberries in a mix of native soil, they died. This provides good drainage and acidity. I have the boxes on a timed irrigation line. They survive but do not thrive on our alkaline water. The plants always look best in the spring with the rainfall. Fertilizer doesn't seem to help much, but the plants seem to like new additions of peat moss, azalea mix, and the soil acidifier for hydrangeas. still get a few brown leaves, more on the shorter boxes. I also put a 30% shade cloth over them to take off the mid-day sun, and they grow next to a north-east facing wall. We both live far from the native range for blueberries, so be patient and experiment. Sometimes the ones you do the least with grow best.

Thanks for the advice so far. PharmaChad - I have watered about twice a week using a soaker hose. Last night I watered the raised bed enough that the ground around it was soggy. I pulled up the plant to look at the root ball an hour later and it seemed to me to be dry on the inside. Here's a photo. Brady - I first noticed the browning yesterday (Thr) and I'm out in the garden every day. We had temps about 98 degrees down here on Tuesday. I watered on Monday evening, but maybe it wasn't enough. I have a ph test kit on the way from Amazon.com and I'll check as soon as it gets here. I'm thinking that the water isn't penetrating the root ball enough. The raised bed soil in the bed is getting very wet, but the root ball isn't nearly as wet. That's probably a bad sign, right?

This center blueberry is the same as the others (Chippewa). I moved these from the garden ,dug a 30" diameter hole 1 foot deep. I used: 40% sphagnum peat moss, 40% Pine bark, 10% topsoil, 10% cow manure. Question is should I apply Miracle grow acid (Miracid) from a watering can? I was told to do this every two weeks to get it acid soil. Why are the leaves turning color? Are they planted too low.

i reckon is still cool enough at night and probaly the soil temperature is less than 7C anyway. Ammonium sulphate is great to push on growth, however be careful with it, I ve killed many plants for overdoing it. I use coffee grounds as part of the growing media and mixed with bark to mulch the beds too, it adds organic matter and slow realise fertiliser which my plants seem to respond well to it. Just keep in mind that coffee grounds is not acidic though as many erroneously believe. I think you doing very well with your plants, and as soon the temperature rises they will green up and do great for you.