adjusting PH

[Benjy]

Hello folks. I'm pretty much a new guy. My hands on experience is minimal and have been trying to read as much as I can.
Anyway I bought a blueberry bush last weekend and dropped it in the front of my house about three days ago. I added some 10-10-10 fertilizer and some fresh pine needles to the soil but the PH is still close to 7 and I should be high 4's or low 5's. Do I start adding more fertilizer and needles or give what I've already put in there more time to "work itself into the soil"?
Furthermore, I purchased one of those $7 ph meters from Home Cheapo. Are they accurate, reliable?

Thanks,
Benjy the noob.

[Chris]

Yes, they're accurate, PH isn't complex science.

Is it next to your foundation? Typically brick/cement foundations can leech lime into the nearby soil making it alkaline, which means you have a harder starting point.

There is commercial soil acidifier for sale.

http://www.millernurseries.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=376

That can help.

I would also consider building a raised bed for them, which will allow you to add new soil, and what I would add is peat hummus, as that is naturally acidic.

[Benjy]

Damn, I did plant it by my foundation in my front yard because I have raspberries in the back and I thought I read somewhere that you should keep them separate (unless I'm confusing that with just blackberries). Anyway, thank you for the quick response. Think I should move it?

[Mickie31]

aluminum sulfate and sulfur help reduce the PH of soil. You can get these at a garden centre in your area.

[Chris]

You don't have to move them, but I would consider attaching a raised area to your foundation, adding a top layer of better soil, and replanting. That is where I grow my blueberries.

[Benjy]

You don't have to move them, but I would consider attaching a raised area to your foundation, adding a top layer of better soil, and replanting. That is where I grow my blueberries.

I was thinking about that when I was planting them but I didn't have spare stones lying around. This is probably my best course. There's only one of them and a friend of my wifes recommended that I buy one or two more for cross-pollination. It's a Jersey variety. It's not that I don't want to rip up other shrubs to make room for them, I'm just short on time and $$$ right now (my lawn is trashed, my backyard garden and old raspberry patch all need my attn too). Is this also a necessary step? The plant's barely 8 inches tall right now.

Sorry to hit you with more ?s after you've already answered the first. I thought I read up enough on this. Thank you again.