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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.
More Like This
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!
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!
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.
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.
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