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.

Growing

Watering

Blueberries need 1 to 2 inches of water per week.

Mulching

Mulch is essential for keeping shallow blueberry root systems moist. After planting, apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of wood chips, sawdust, or pine needles around the bush, but leave a gap around the trunk to allow for proper airflow.

Fertilizer

One year after planting, apply 1 ounce of 10-10-10 fertilizer per bush in the spring when they bloom, and increase the rate by 1 ounce each year thereafter to a maximum of 8 ounces for mature bushes.

How to Prune Blueberry Bushes

Do not allow the bush to produce fruit for the first year or two after planting. This will allow the plant to use its energy to become well-established in its new home instead.

Pinch back any blossoms developing on newly set plants to allow the energy to go to growth.

For the first 4 years or so after planting, blueberry bushes do not need to be pruned. From then on, pruning is needed to stimulate the growth of the new shoots that will bear fruit the following season.
Prune plants in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Cut out dead, broken, short, weak, and spindly shoots.
On highbush varieties, begin with large cuts, removing wood that is more than 6 years old, drooping to the ground, or crowding the center of the bush. Also, remove low-growing branches whose fruit will touch the ground, as well as spindly twigs.
Prune lowbush varieties by cutting all stems to ground level. Pruned plants will not bear the season following pruning, so prune a different half of a blueberry patch every 2 years (or a different third of a patch every 3 years).

Video: How to Grow and Prune Blueberry Bushes

Pests and Problems

Blueberry Problems

If blueberry plants are not growing well or producing fruit, the issue is often related to soil conditions, watering, or pollination. Blueberries need acidic soil (pH 4.5–5.5), consistent moisture, and full sun to thrive.

If plants are producing few flowers, it may be due to insufficient sunlight, improper soil pH, or lack of nutrients. Blueberries struggle in alkaline soil and may fail to bloom if conditions are not acidic enough.

If flowers form but berries are small or poorly developed, it can be caused by inconsistent watering, poor pollination, or nutrient deficiencies. Blueberries need steady moisture, especially during fruit development, but the soil should not stay soggy.

If leaves turn yellow, this often indicates iron deficiency caused by soil that is not acidic enough. Adjusting soil pH with sulfur or using an acid-loving plant fertilizer can help correct this problem.

If plants show weak growth overall, it may be due to poor soil drainage or lack of organic matter. Blueberries grow best in loose, well-draining soil enriched with peat moss or compost.

Blueberry Pests

Blueberries can be affected by insects and animals, so regular monitoring helps prevent serious damage.

Check plants often for pests on leaves, stems, and fruit. Early detection makes control much easier.

Use a strong spray of water to knock off small pests like aphids or mites. Handpick larger insects when possible.

Insecticidal soap can be used for soft-bodied pests such as aphids, and neem oil can help reduce infestations by disrupting insect feeding and life cycles.

Avoid heavy insecticide use when possible because it can harm beneficial insects.

Birds are one of the biggest pests of blueberries and can quickly eat ripe fruit. To prevent birds from eating your crop:

Cover bushes with bird netting before berries ripen.
Use reflective tape or scare devices as temporary deterrents.
Harvest fruit frequently once ripening begins.

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 on a blueberry bush.

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.

Fruit

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

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Comments

Add a Comment

Lois Goodson Sun, 05/10/2015 - 13:58

I am a beginner at planting blueberries and just purchased a Climax Blueberry(Vaccinium ashel)and a Premier Blueberry(Vaccinium sp.)and was wondering what to put in the soil before planting them. Also how do I test the pH level of the soil? Thank you for any advice.

Linda Weston Tue, 05/05/2015 - 08:32

I have a blueberry bush that has these hard brown balls on the branches. Thought it was just this one but noticed another bush with it. I mulch heavy with leaves. Can you tell me what it is and what I should do? thanks so much

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 05/06/2015 - 11:59

You may have stem cankers on your bushes. It is caused by a fungus. It's important to remove dead and affected branches as soon as possible. Read more about this disease at www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/BB%20canker%20fast%20fact.pdf

Tarilyn & Gary Sun, 04/26/2015 - 22:36

Hi; we are having some trouble keeping blossoms on the bush. It seems that more are falling off of the plant. Even the bees knock the blossoms off. We have netting up, what else can we do ??

Grizz299 Tue, 04/28/2015 - 21:34

Tarilyn and Gary, the white /pink blossoms are meant to fall off. Their purpose is to attract a pollinato, once that is done..so are they. The part left behind grows into a blueberry

Jolj Sat, 04/11/2015 - 02:57

What about Vaccinium asher or Vaccinjum darrow ? They are all over the South, even wild in the wood lands. You can get up to 25 pounds per bush per year off these plants. We even have a wild low bush blueberry with bluegreen leaves.

Rayad Khan Mon, 04/06/2015 - 16:08

Thank you for all the information on this post! I live in zone 7B and have a Duke blueberry bush in my yard. What variety would you recommend I get to pair with it?

Grizz299 Wed, 07/22/2015 - 07:50

Ideally you want a pollinator that will be blooming at the same time so you get max. cross pollination. Duke is early so Reka, Sparta, and Patriot would be fine and all very good plants in their own right. But of course, now you've limited to a small slice of the growing season. So if you have the room the inclination is always to put in two different late bloomers.

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 04/07/2015 - 16:01

As Duke is a Northern Highbush, you just need to select another Northern Highbush. For example, Bluecrop and Blueray are a popular choices for your zone and widely available.

Carolyn Hagee Sun, 04/05/2015 - 17:09

I just purchased 2 blueberry bushes & it says I need 2 different varieties to get berries. Can I plant 2 of the same kind to get berries or do I need to get another variety?

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Planting and Growing Blueberries