Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)— schedule & NPK
Also called Bearberry, Kinnikinnick, Foxberry, Mealberry.
More about bearberry
About Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi · also called Bearberry, Kinnikinnick · edible
Bearberry is a hardy, prostrate evergreen shrub native to circumpolar and alpine regions. It produces small, urn-shaped white-to-pink flowers in spring followed by glossy red berries eaten by wildlife and, historically, indigenous peoples. A superb drought-tolerant ground cover for exposed, acidic, or infertile sites and rock gardens.
Growth habit: Prostrate, trailing, mat-forming evergreen shrub
Watch for — Difficulty establishing in non-acidic soils: Alkaline or fertile soils cause chlorosis and poor growth. Test soil pH before planting and acidify if necessary with elemental sulfur or ericaceous compost.
What fertiliser bearberry actually wants — and why
Bearberry is an acid-loving plant — it can only take up nutrients in acidic soil, so the feed itself matters less than using an ericaceous formula and never liming.
An ericaceous (acidic) fertiliser, formulated to keep the soil pH low and supply iron and trace elements in a form acid-loving roots can absorb. Ordinary feeds and any lime lock out iron and yellow the leaves.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for bearberry: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed bearberry, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For bearberry:
Fertilising is largely unnecessary and can be harmful in rich soils. If growth is very slow on extremely impoverished sand, apply an ericaceous (acid-formulated) slow-release feed at half the recommended rate in spring. In practice: an ericaceous feed in spring as growth resumes, repeated through the main growing months; never apply lime, bonemeal or wood ash, which raise pH.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when bearberry is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for bearberry
Follow the ericaceous product's own rate — these are formulated for the plant, so the dilution on the label is right for bearberry. The variable that actually matters is pH, not concentration.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water bearberry first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the bearberry watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding bearberry
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for bearberry:
- Brown, scorched leaf margins from too strong or too frequent a dose.
- White salt crust on the soil surface.
- Soft, lush growth that fruits or flowers poorly.
Signs you are under-feeding bearberry
- Yellowing leaves with green veins (iron chlorosis from high pH).
- Weak growth, poor cropping and an overall pale, stressed look.
- Stunted new shoots in spring despite adequate water and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full bearberry care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush bearberry with rainwater (not hard tap water, which raises pH) if salts build up; better still, mulch with pine needles or composted bark and water with rainwater to hold the acidity.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for bearberry
Organic options
Composted pine bark, pine-needle mulch, used coffee grounds and an organic ericaceous feed gently maintain acidity. UK: Vitax or Westland Ericaceous; US: Espoma Holly-tone or Dr. Earth Acid Lovers. Slow, soil-improving, hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A liquid or granular ericaceous feed — UK: Miracle-Gro Ericaceous, Vitax or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro Acid-Loving Plant Food or Espoma Holly-tone. Pair with rainwater and an acidic mulch for it to work.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising bearberry — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does bearberry need?
An ericaceous (acidic) fertiliser, formulated to keep the soil pH low and supply iron and trace elements in a form acid-loving roots can absorb. Ordinary feeds and any lime lock out iron and yellow the leaves. Bearberry is an acid-loving plant — it can only take up nutrients in acidic soil, so the feed itself matters less than using an ericaceous formula and never liming.
How often should I feed bearberry?
Fertilising is largely unnecessary and can be harmful in rich soils. If growth is very slow on extremely impoverished sand, apply an ericaceous (acid-formulated) slow-release feed at half the recommended rate in spring. Fertilising is largely unnecessary and can be harmful in rich soils. If growth is very slow on extremely impoverished sand, apply an ericaceous (acid-formulated) slow-release feed at half the recommended rate in spring. In practice: an ericaceous feed in spring as growth resumes, repeated through the main growing months; never apply lime, bonemeal or wood ash, which raise pH.
What strength of feed for bearberry?
Follow the ericaceous product's own rate — these are formulated for the plant, so the dilution on the label is right for bearberry. The variable that actually matters is pH, not concentration.
What does over-feeding bearberry look like?
Brown, scorched leaf margins from too strong or too frequent a dose. White salt crust on the soil surface. Soft, lush growth that fruits or flowers poorly. Feeding bearberry an ordinary fertiliser, or growing it in hard tap water / limey soil, is the defining mistake — it triggers lime-induced chlorosis (yellow leaves, green veins) no amount of feeding fixes until the pH comes down.
Should I flush the soil of bearberry?
Flush bearberry with rainwater (not hard tap water, which raises pH) if salts build up; better still, mulch with pine needles or composted bark and water with rainwater to hold the acidity.
Keep reading
- Bearberry care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water bearberry — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise pignut hickory
- How to fertilise bitternut hickory
- How to fertilise water hickory
- All 8452 fertilising guides in the Growli library