Plump, juicy blueberries aren’t just delicious. They’re high in nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. Fortunately, for very little effort, blueberries are easy to grow—if you have the right soil conditions. See our Blueberry Growing Guide to learn how to how to plant, care for, prune, and harvest your blueberry bushes.
Did you know that the modern blueberry is a 20th-century invention? Before the 1900s, the only way to enjoy these North American natives was to find them in the wild. Then, scientists started to unlock the secrets of cultivating blueberries—and we’re glad they did!
- A relative of rhododendron and azalea, blueberry bushes aren’t just a great fruiting plant but also an attractive addition to your overall landscape, offering scarlet fall foliage and creamy-white, bell-shaped spring flowers.
- Plus, blueberries are one of nature’s superfoods, crammed with essential nutrients, minerals and health-boosting polyphenols.
Read more about why you should grow blueberries in your home garden (as if you needed an excuse).
Types of Blueberries
There are four types of blueberries: highbush, lowbush, hybrid half-high, and rabbiteye.
The most commonly planted blueberry is the highbush. Most blueberry breeding has focused on this species, so there are many varieties that range widely in cold hardiness and fruit season, size, and flavor. (Read more about blueberry varieties below.)
Reader Comments
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New growth bare root blueberries amendment
I meant Bluecrop. I'm in zone 4, if that helps.
New growth bare root blueberries
I plant 3 bare root blueberries, they're 2 blue ray and 1 bluedrop, two weeks ago.
How long will it be until I see new growth?
leaf out on blueberries
When a newly planted, bare root blueberry plant will leaf out will depend on several factors, including weather conditions, site conditions, cultivar, and health of the plant. If all goes well, I’m thinking that you should see signs within the next 2 to 3 weeks. The plant has to not only break dormancy but also adjust to its new home, so it might take a little longer than an established plant. Blueray may leaf out a little earlier than Bluecrop. Sometimes nurseries will guarantee a leaf out time for certain plants if you plant by a certain date. You might ask the vendor where you purchased the plants, as they might know best what to expect of their stock. Hope this helps!
Blueberries
Can I plant blueberries in the spring when there is still a chance of frost?
Blueberries in Frost
Yes, blueberries can survive a light frost after planting. However, it would be a good idea to put down a layer of mulch around the plant’s base and to cover the plant on nights when frosts are expected.
blueberries
can blueberries be grown in a large container?
Growin BlueBerries in the Tropics?
Hey, do you think its possible to grow delicious Blueberries in the tropics? In the mountains, with temperature of 24-28° C in the day and 24-20 in the night.. Also.. Can i add vinegar to lower the ph of soil for my potted blueberries? How long will the acid ph last? Thanks.
blueberries
How long does acid ph last?
Frost
My blueberry bushes have blooms that have not opened yet or have just barely opened. We are expecting frost in the next few days. Since the blooms are not open, do I need to cover my bushes?
Growing blueberrie plants
Hi,i would like to start a blueberry patch in southern TN. Could you tell me what would be the best verity of plants to plant here ?
Growing blueberries: Varieties
The main type of blueberry grown in TN are Rabbiteye types, especially Tiffblue variety and also Climax and Powder Blue. In higher elevations, Highbush grows well such as Duke, Patriot, and Blue crops. Your local nurseries should be able to advise you for your area! Hope this helps.
Blueberries
Which blueberries would be more suited for the Leon WV area. Looking at canning freezing and cooking.
Best Tasting Blueberries for zone 9b
I checked blueberry bushes recommended for zone 9b (Sonoma, CA) and the most flavorful varieties you mention were not listed. Can you recommend the most flavorful for this hardiness zone please.
blueberry
i wish to grow blueberry in India near Kodaikanal, temp vary between 14 to 25 in summer and 5 to 18 in winter
height of 1300 meters
which variety will be suitable and can we grow from seeds?
high bush blueberries variety
I want to grow blueberries in shimla ,india in the northan region I am an apple farmer .can u plz suggest blueberries variety and help us in growing and providing nurseries thank u so much
Blueberry Bush recommendation
Love the site...I live in Ky (Zone 6b I think?) and very curious about which type of blueberry bushes I should look for....Also would like to know how I should amend my soil and when? (currently a 6.9ph) Thank you!
blueberries
Highbush blueberries, such as Spartan, Bluecrop, or Elliott, grow well in Kentucky. Rabbiteyes in warm southern parts. Lowbush types would not do well. For more on growing blueberries in Kentucky, including soil requirements, here is information from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service:
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ho/ho60/HO60.PDF
Hope this helps!
pick flowers or not?
I'm a little confused about when to allow bushes to fruit. lots of sources say prune the buds in the first couple of years (yours included in the 'care' section) but then you go on to say (in the 'harvest' section) that plants a few years old are ok to let put on berries. I have a "new" plant (as in- new to me) but its a decent sized bush probably 2 or 3 years old. I potted it. do I let it fruit or prune and focus on plant growth?
flower buds
For the first year, the same as when you planted the bush, pick off the flowers so that the plant can focus on becoming established. You can start harvesting fruit the second year after planting, as long as the plant is healthy. If it still seems to be struggling, give it another year before allowing it to fruit. We’ve revised the text so this is clearer. Hope this helps!
blueberry bushes and vinegar
I'd like to know how white vinegar sprinkled near blueberry bushes to control weeds will affect the bush...please let me know if I should use the vinegar or not....thanks so much
vinegar on blueberry bushes
Vinegar is an acid, so it would make the soil slightly more acidic. Soil acidity is measured as pH; blueberries like a pH of between 4.0 and 5.0. Have you done a soil test? If you bring the soil too much below 4.0, you may notice that your bushes underperform. If, as it happens, your soil is over 5.0, the bushes might appreciate the acid. How much are you going to pour on? Bottom line: if you hand weed well and then mulch heavily, you will probably deter most of the weeds.
For the record, some sources recommend maintaining a soil’s acidity by adding 1 tablespoon of household vinegar to a gallon of water, when watering.
what type of blueberry bush
Hi i was wondering what type of blueberry would be stand up to oklahoma weather
Blueberry types
Highbush and rabbiteye blueberries both grow well in Oklahoma, depending on the location and the cultivar. Highbush blueberries generally ripen in May and June and perform best in northern Oklahoma. For best yields, two or more cultivars should be planted together, making sure that bloom time overlaps. Bluecrop and Bluejay are two good highbush varieties that pollinate at the same time. Rabbiteye blueberries ripen from late May to early July, and grow best in central and southern Oklahoma and are more heat tolerant than highbush types. Rabbiteye blueberries bloom at different times so it’s important to select varieties which have overlapping pollination times. Premier and Brightwell are two rabbiteye varieties that overlap. Check with your local nursery or cooperative extension for more local knowledge.
Containers for blueberries
I have two Sunshine Blue's in a container and I just bought a Northland which I understand is a much bigger plant. I would prefer to plant the Northland too in a container in order to keep it in a full sun spot. What size container would you recommend?
containing a northland blueberry bush
Well, sources suggest that the Northland Blueberry stands at about a 4-foot-spread at maturity (that’s above ground). Generally speaking, blueberry bushes have small root systems. We’d recommend perhaps a 15-gallon size container to start. As it matures, you might need or want to transplant it into a half whiskey barrel or the like (with obvious drainage).
How much hot weather blueberries can take??
Hi, I want to know if blueberry plant can tolerate hot weather up to 40-45°C?
heat tolerance
Good question! I don’t think that the northern types would be happy at all. The southern highbush and rabbiteye types, which are grown in mild climates due to their lower chilling requirements, might be OK with extra care. Blueberries can be grown in desert climates, such as in Arizona. Some gardeners grow them in containers, so that they can move them to shade during high heat (and also, so that they can use appropriate soil, as sometimes native soil may be too alkaline). For more information, you might contact your county’s Cooperative Extension service. There might be someone there who would know about the temperature tolerances of these plants. For contact information, see:
http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services
Coming Out of Dormancy Early
I have one bb bush with flowers & one bush with buds. I've had both pots in the garage since Dec. Do I need to be concerned about them coming out of dormancy so soon? I live in NW MO so we will not have our last frost until mid-April. I have a Bluecrop, Pink Icing, & Peach Sorbet bush. Thanks
Blueberry bushes not producing blueberries, planted edge woods.
We have 6 blueberry bushes (all different varieties), planted just inside edge of woods next to our yard. They get partial sun/shade. We have provided them fertilizer early March, then early July faithfully for 3 years. They are not producing blueberries. Do you think it's lack of sun? Do you think they are not able to absorb nutrients being amongst White Pines? My husband & I love blueberries, and are very discouraged. Just got a new variety to try in half whiskey barrel on patio.
They will need at least 6
They will need at least 6 hours full sun. The white pines would have nothing to do with their up take of nutrients. The shade would be a major factor. Also the soil Ph would be a factor. A Ph close to 5 would works best. Use peat moss worked in around the plants. Blueberries also need a regular water supply to do well. Without water or a low moisture level no photosynthesis takes place. Also photosynthesis is very low when the plants are shaded. All the fertilizer in the world will not help these conditions. Just on a few plants azalea miracle gro plant food will help bring the Ph down.
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