...so the nature of your sand soil, Linda, is the loose dry type? ("sands" can vary so much, from very porous to quite waterlogged (or leaning that way) that recommendations could run almost in opposites depending upon the type of sand involved. I think I have to agree with the basic overtones of the discussion here so far answers--that one way or another, some kind of mulching , as well as probably watering or irrigating in some very RELIABLE dependable way, look to be in the cards here. At the same time, blueberry culture being as usual being apt to sometimes be a fairly tough call, especially as to soils, the situation (as you seem to realize, given how detailed you have made your "post" here) may be "other than" an easy, simple one! Among various factors and considerations to be faced, is one possibly overriding principle type one, which I think might best be taken to heart here and now as to remedial plans here: blueberries under permanent, heavy mulch, may be very apt to very much grow (roots) "up into" said mulch. To the point that the heavy mulch, gradually decomposing and regularly being supplemented/renewed to maintain or increase its depth, can fairly well "become" the essential (new) "soil" of the plants and thus, the "soil" that they come to basically be growing in. It's somewhat as though the original soil isn't even there. Which, under difficult original soil conditions, is not necessarily a bad thing-- may be what's in order and what the situation wants. "But"-- this new state of affairs, can be (most likely "will" be) permanent and irreversible. In other words, it may be "fine" to go with deep mulching of blueberries and the Situation Taking-over By-the-Mulch that can be expected --but it might be best to realize up-front the permanent committment here: perennial maintaining/renewal of the mulch; likely permanent need for fertilizing adjustment (such as gmason suggests in his guidelines even for a related plan of just drip-irrigation/with-maybe-light-mulching). Maybe supplemental watering/irrigating, especially for best prospects for acceptable flavor (more about this below). For deep permanent mulch culture of blueberries, a deep layer of sawdust I understand is considered clearly the most effective, though various other materials, are likely to work all right provided they can be maintained deeply enough (most other materials seem to be less lasting and more often in need of replenishing, than sawdust or similar materials like wood chips. One modest note of caution about blueberry growing in sawdust mulch culture ( I "suspect" --while am not completely certain-- this probably applies much less, if much at all, to oher types of mulches, except maybe somewhat to other very woody materials , for example wood chips, especially resinous "softwood" ones such as pine or similar), is that, during many years, there distinctly tend to be, under sawdust mulch, a certain degree of flavor problems, specifically tendency toward harshness and lack of sweetness. And while the harshness semi-bitterness aspect may be defeatable by letting picked berries age at room temperature for a day or two, this unfortunately doesn't seem to add any sweetness.. So overall as to this Discussion and Topic here, maybe all of this, would , hmnn, seem to point right to gmason's suggested plan of mainly aiming for irrigation and fertilizing and minor mulching to overcome the sandy soil problem.,,,The question there being that of the possibilites your specific sort of sand soil and site, and situation, offer or don't offer as to likelihood of being able "to get away with" this latter, less involved approach... "It's lucky Blueberries are so great...Otherwise, putting up with them would be ???"

The leaves look like iron chlorosis to me. In past years, I had similar problems with our blueberry shrubs. It took me several years to figure out pH issues with our soil & water. Here in Madison, Wisconsin, our native soil has pH = 7.6, and our tap water(city wells) has the same pH, way too high for blueberry shrubs. Back in 2005, I bought a pH meter, Hanna Instruments, for around 35 dollars, and began testing our soil. This was after several years of using ammonium sulfate, agricultural sulfur, and 5% white vinegar, added to our tap water. When I tested the soil around our shrubs, in the spring, I found out that the soil had pH around 6.5, still too high for blueberries. I finally located a 50 lb bag of agricultural sulfur, at a feed 'n seed farmers co-op, a few miles out of town. Last year I started applying more sulfur around the shrubs, one pound per shrub, in a three foot diameter circle. This spring, when I tested the soil pH, I saw pH values between 3.5 and 4.5, lower than expected. Along the way, I shifted from using a pH meter, which must be carefully calibrated, to dye indicator, not quite as precise, but less expensive, and very reliable. Bromocresol green indicator will turn a test solution yellow at pH = 3.8, and blue at pH = 5.4. If the pH is between those two values, the solution will be a shade of green. A small bottle, one fluid ounce, of bromocresol green indicator will run about two dollars, and should be sufficient for 100 soil tests. You can check out your Ferry-Morse pH meter by testing 5% white vinegar, which has a pH around 3.5. Distilled water, or de-ionized water, should have pH = 7. My experience with growing blueberries leads me to suspect that your soil has a pH around 7. If it was closer to 5, the leaves would be a deeper green color. I realize this is a long post, with much detailed content. If you hang in there and get the pH under control, it is quite possible to grow blueberries successfully, even if the native soil is alkaline. In a good year, we get around 3 gallons of fruit from our shrubs. So far, this year, our shrubs have flowered, and are now covered with green berries. It's looking like we will have a good crop.

Good topic. I wonder if water demand is different than water tolerance. While a Taxodium distichum my become a dominate tree in southern swamps it is not the least drought tolerant tree by far judging by what I'm seeing in suburban landscapes this year. Does that mean it uses the most water or can just tolerate the most water? In my experience the trees which get their leaves late and loose their leaves early - juglans nigra for example - are kinder to plant under. More of the year whatever you plant will get sun. I do not know if this applies to water or not. Am I correct in ASSUMING conifers on the whole do not go dormant until late in the year?

Sharon...a good way to test tuber you suspect are not going to grow is to take a freezer bag and put a handful or two of damp promix in and stick the tuber in there...leave the bag open....so it gets lots of air. The tuber will form noticable eyes and sprouts...usually in a week or two...some will take a little longer. Make sure not to make the promix to wet or the tuber will rot instead of sprouting. Shauna.....I should be planting them out in about a week....I haven't yet. Spending all my gardening time, cleaning up and repairing the yard and gardens. Sierra