Caption
Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow.
Planting
When to Plant Blueberry Bushes
- Blueberries can be planted in spring—or also in late fall in all but the coldest regions. In Zones 5 and below, it’s best to wait until early to mid-spring to plant.
- If available, 1- to 3-year-old plants are a good choice. These can be bought in containers or bare-root. In either case, buy from a reputable nursery or website.
Choosing and Preparing a Planting Site
- Select a sunny, sheltered spot. While blueberries tolerate shade, better crops are obtained in the sun. At the same time, they should not be exposed to harsh, drying winds.
- Don’t plant blueberries too close to trees, as the trees will block out sunlight and suck up any moisture in the soil.
- If planting multiple bushes, it’s best to plant them in a group rather than scattered throughout your garden. This will bolster berry production and quality.
- Blueberries are a shallow-rooted plant. Therefore, they require soil that holds moisture but also drains well and doesn’t stay wet. Don’t plant blueberries in sites with heavy, clayey soils that stay wet.
- Blueberries thrive in soil that is acidic. The soil pH should ideally be between 4.0 and 5.0; soil that isn’t acidic enough will stunt growth. Soil can be acidified by mixing a small amount of granulated sulfur into the soil several months before planting. Peat moss and pine bark or pine needles are also good additions that will help acidify your soil.
- Mix organic matter into the soil before you set your blueberry bushes. (See more about preparing soil for planting.)
How to Plant Blueberry Bushes
- Tip: Be careful not to plant them too deep. The root ball should be just below the surface (¼ to ½ inch).
- Dig holes about 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide (or about twice as wide and twice as deep as the plant’s roots).
- Space bushes 4–5 feet apart in a row, with at least 8 feet between rows. Prepare a planting mixture of 2 parts loam and 1 part oak leaf mold, peat moss, aged sawdust, or compost, and place a layer of this mixture in the bottom of the hole.
- Set the bush in the hole with the root ball just below the surface with its roots spread out. Pack the hole tightly with the soil.
- Apply fertilizer 1 month after planting, not at the time of planting. Apply ½ ounce of a 10-10-10 fertilizer in a band around the plant 6 to 12 inches from the crown.
Harvesting
Warning: Blueberries are a favorite snack of hungry birds, so it’s recommended that you protect blueberry bushes ahead of time by draping bird netting over your plants.
How to Harvest Blueberries
- Blueberries are typically ready for picking between June and August.
- Don’t rush to pick the berries as soon as they turn blue. Wait a couple of days. When they are ready, they should fall off right into your hand.
- If you plant 2-year-old blueberry bushes, they should start to bear within a year or two. (Pick off any flowers that form the first year or two after planting to allow the bush to become established.) Be aware that full production is only reached after about 6 years (depending on variety).
How to Store Blueberries
- Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to freeze. Learn how to freeze blueberries so you can have them all winter long.
Types
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 with regard to cold hardiness and fruit season, size, and flavor.
Blueberries are partially self-fertile, so you will harvest more and larger berries by planting two or more varieties together. Planting more than one variety can also extend the harvest season.
Comments
Make a note of when the blueberry is blooming this year and wait to see if you will get blueberries this summer. Some varieties do not need another bush to produce berries. With a second bush the harvest is usually bigger. If you don't get berries this year find another blueberry bush that blooms during the same period that your bush was blooming this year (there are early, mid and late blooming varieties).
It's best if the bushes bloom at the same time or overlapping times. Rabbiteye 'Tifblue' is a good pollinator for other rabbiteye varieties as it blooms for a long time, starting in mid season. Vernon is an early bloomer. You can watch the bloom cycle this season to see if you need to buy one more rabbiteye variety that blooms early to mid season.
You purchased Rabbiteye blueberries. It's good that you bought two because they are not self-fertile and you must plant 2 or three varieties that bloom about the same time (which is true for Climax and Premier). Normally, you should have planted the blueberries in February or early March before growth resumes so get them in the ground as soon as possible. According to your local extension, "Space your blueberry bushes by 6 by 12 feet. Each hole should be 18 to 24 inches across and the same depth. Add one-third cubic foot of peat moss to each hole, and mix it with the native soil. Avoid fertilization in the hole. Let the hole stand for two weeks after this to allow the peat moss to become thoroughly damp, adding water as needed. Keep root systems of bare-root plants overed with damp sawdust, hay, or peat moss while you are preparing to plant. Score the root balls of containerized or container-grown plants before planting them, in order to encourage the roots to grow outward. Plants should be set
about one-half inch deeper than they were in the container. After replacing the peat and soil mixture into the hole, tamp it lightly to remove air spaces. Unless rain is likely, water the newly set plants. Cut back shoots on large plants to keep them from being blown over by high winds."
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If you don't know the variety it's best to get another bush that blooms at around the same time for better pollination. See our planting and care inforamtion above for best soil and growing conditions.