How to Grow Blueberries
Choose highbush blueberries for a warm climate., Select lowbush blueberries for cold weather., Go for rabbiteye bushes in a high heat climate., Prepare for healthy pollination., Build a raised garden bed in full sunlight., Use peat moss in the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose highbush blueberries for a warm climate.
This variety grows well in USDA hardiness zones four through seven.
Highbush is the most common type of blueberry and it yields large, dark berries on bushes six to eight feet tall.Set highbush blueberries 6 feet (1.8 m) apart.
This variety is best for eating fresh and for making desserts. -
Step 2: Select lowbush blueberries for cold weather.
This variety is resilient in cold weather and best for USDA plant hardiness zones two through six.
This super-hardy variety grows low to the ground between 6 and 18 inches tall.Set lowbush blueberries 2 feet (0.6 m) apart.
Lowbush berries are small and sweet.
They are good for baking muffins and pancakes. , This variety does well in zones seven through nine and can tolerate heat and drought.
The berries are typically smaller than highbush berries and they ripen a bit later in the summer than other varieties.
Set rabbiteye blueberries 15 feet (4.6 m) apart.
If you do not have a lot of space to plant your blueberries, maybe opt for the lowbush or highbush variety instead of the rabbiteye variety. , Blueberries have both male and female organs on the same flower, but not all are self-pollinating.
If you want to be sure that your blueberries will be pollinated, plant different varieties within 100 feet (30.5 m) of each other.
Doing so allows bees to travel between plants and cross-pollinate. , Fruit plants need as much sunlight as possible, especially when the berries begin to develop.
Build a raised garden bed to grow your blueberries in.
Blueberries do well in raised beds that are 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to
1.2 m) wide and 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to
30.5 cm) high.
Make a simple raised garden box out of two 1 x 8-inch cedar boards.
Cedar is a good choice for a garden bed because it won't rot with age.Choose a high or raised spot in your garden for the garden beds.
Avoid low-lying areas and spaces where water tends to collect and/or flood. , Mixing peat moss into the soil can improve drain, as peat moss can absorb and hold 10 to 20 times its dry weight in water.
Use a planting area approximately 2-1/2 feet in diameter and 1 foot (0.3 m) deep.
Remove no more than half of the soil and mix the removed soil with an equal ratio of peat moss.
Mix the peat moss/soil mixture back into the planting area.
Keep in mind peat moss can be harmful to the environment and is relatively expensive to buy.
There are several environmental costs associated with the peat moss market, including the fuels required to dig drainage ditches, harrow and dry the peat, bale it, and ship it long distances. , Most fruits do best in slightly acidic soil between a pH of
5.5 and
6.5.
Blueberries prefer an even more acidic soil with a pH between
4.09 and
5.0.
Your local agricultural extension office should have soil testing forms, bags and instructions available.
If the pH level is higher than
5.0, enrich the soil to make it more acidic using acid compost or planting mix.
If the soil pH is above
4.5, mix in granular sulfur to lower the pH level so it is closer to
4.09.
After making adjustments to the soil, always test its pH level again. , This way, they will start producing fruit for you quickly.
If you start with younger plants, it will take a few years for them to develop fruit.Plant the bushes in early spring.
The fruit will ripen toward the end of summer. , Pat the blueberry plants with the heel of your wrist to loosen the roots.
Do this all around the outside of the container and then turn it sideways and slide the plant out by tapping the bottom of the pot.
Catch the plant with your hand.Do not grab the plant by the stem as this can dislodge the roots and damage the plant. , It should be shallow enough that the top of the root base is 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to
5.1 cm) above ground (for plants about 2 years old, 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide).
You can use a simple hand trowel to dig the holes.Make the holes between 2-1/2 and 6 feet apart.
If you space the holes closer together, you will end up with continuous rows, but if you space the holes further apart, you will end up with individual bushes. , Pat soil up around the top of the plant to cover any exposed roots with 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) of soil.
Then, add 2 to 4 inches (5.1 to
10.2 cm) of mulch to the planting side.
This helps to keep the ground moist, prevent weeds, and enrich the soil.Bark mulch, sawdust, and grass clippings are all good choices for mulch for blueberries.
Replenish the mulch every couple of years.
Always water the area thoroughly after planting. , If you do not want to use grown blueberry plants, you can grow blueberries from seed.
Sow seed in a flat, 3-inch deep box filled with finely ground moist sphagnum moss.
Keep the moss moist in a warm room between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit and covered with a sheet of newspaper.The seed should germinate into seedlings within one month.
Place the seedlings in direct sunlight and continue growing them in the moss until they are about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to
7.6 cm) tall.
You can then transfer the seedlings to a larger pot or to your garden.
Water the seedlings well and maintain them in a sunny location.
After two to three weeks, fertilize the seedlings with liquid fertilizer at 1/2 the recommended rate. , Use one to two inches of water per week.
Be careful not to over-water or drown your blueberry plants., The first year that you plant the blueberries, clip all of the blooms off of the plants.
This will allow the plants to become resilient before they start producing fruit.
Pruning also removes crowded or stagnant stems and allows productive parts of the plants to grow stronger.Every year thereafter, remove low growth around the base of the bush by clipping at an angle at the node of each branch.
Remove any dead branches and/or twigs from the plants, as well as any discolored, blotchy growths.
Prune lowbush blueberries by cutting the stems to ground level, but do not prune the full plant, as the pruned stems will not bear fruit the next season.
To ensure your plant produces each year, only prune half of the plant each year.
The pruning process should eliminate about 1/3 to 1/2 of the wood growth on each plant.
Thin out the branches further if necessary. , If your blueberries grow less than a foot annually (or less than 4 inches for lowbush plants), try using a natural fertilizer to boost the plant's productivity.
If possible, use an organic fertilizer to avoid hurting the roots and effectively deliver nitrogen to the blueberries.
Seed meals such as soybean and alfalfa are good organic options.
Use 1/4 cup to 2 cups of fertilizer per plant depending on the size.
Blood meal and cottonseed meal also work well as fertilizer.
Fertilize the plants in early spring and again in late spring for best results.
Always water well after fertilizing. , Remember, if the pH level is higher than
5.0, you can enrich the soil to make it more acidic using acid compost or planting mix.
If the soil pH is above
4.5, mix in granular sulfur to lower the pH level., Do this in late July or early August.
Some varieties, including rabbiteye, take a bit longer to fully ripen.
Each year, the time of harvest will vary slightly depending on climate conditions. -
Step 3: Go for rabbiteye bushes in a high heat climate.
-
Step 4: Prepare for healthy pollination.
-
Step 5: Build a raised garden bed in full sunlight.
-
Step 6: Use peat moss in the soil.
-
Step 7: Check the pH of the soil.
-
Step 8: Use blueberry plants that are 2 to 3 years old.
-
Step 9: Loosen the roots of the blueberry plants.
-
Step 10: Dig a small hole for each plant.
-
Step 11: Plant the blueberry plants.
-
Step 12: Grow blueberries from seed.
-
Step 13: Water the plants.
-
Step 14: Prune the plants every winter.
-
Step 15: Fertilize the plants.
-
Step 16: Test the pH level of the soil every two years.
-
Step 17: Harvest your blueberries.
Detailed Guide
This variety grows well in USDA hardiness zones four through seven.
Highbush is the most common type of blueberry and it yields large, dark berries on bushes six to eight feet tall.Set highbush blueberries 6 feet (1.8 m) apart.
This variety is best for eating fresh and for making desserts.
This variety is resilient in cold weather and best for USDA plant hardiness zones two through six.
This super-hardy variety grows low to the ground between 6 and 18 inches tall.Set lowbush blueberries 2 feet (0.6 m) apart.
Lowbush berries are small and sweet.
They are good for baking muffins and pancakes. , This variety does well in zones seven through nine and can tolerate heat and drought.
The berries are typically smaller than highbush berries and they ripen a bit later in the summer than other varieties.
Set rabbiteye blueberries 15 feet (4.6 m) apart.
If you do not have a lot of space to plant your blueberries, maybe opt for the lowbush or highbush variety instead of the rabbiteye variety. , Blueberries have both male and female organs on the same flower, but not all are self-pollinating.
If you want to be sure that your blueberries will be pollinated, plant different varieties within 100 feet (30.5 m) of each other.
Doing so allows bees to travel between plants and cross-pollinate. , Fruit plants need as much sunlight as possible, especially when the berries begin to develop.
Build a raised garden bed to grow your blueberries in.
Blueberries do well in raised beds that are 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to
1.2 m) wide and 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to
30.5 cm) high.
Make a simple raised garden box out of two 1 x 8-inch cedar boards.
Cedar is a good choice for a garden bed because it won't rot with age.Choose a high or raised spot in your garden for the garden beds.
Avoid low-lying areas and spaces where water tends to collect and/or flood. , Mixing peat moss into the soil can improve drain, as peat moss can absorb and hold 10 to 20 times its dry weight in water.
Use a planting area approximately 2-1/2 feet in diameter and 1 foot (0.3 m) deep.
Remove no more than half of the soil and mix the removed soil with an equal ratio of peat moss.
Mix the peat moss/soil mixture back into the planting area.
Keep in mind peat moss can be harmful to the environment and is relatively expensive to buy.
There are several environmental costs associated with the peat moss market, including the fuels required to dig drainage ditches, harrow and dry the peat, bale it, and ship it long distances. , Most fruits do best in slightly acidic soil between a pH of
5.5 and
6.5.
Blueberries prefer an even more acidic soil with a pH between
4.09 and
5.0.
Your local agricultural extension office should have soil testing forms, bags and instructions available.
If the pH level is higher than
5.0, enrich the soil to make it more acidic using acid compost or planting mix.
If the soil pH is above
4.5, mix in granular sulfur to lower the pH level so it is closer to
4.09.
After making adjustments to the soil, always test its pH level again. , This way, they will start producing fruit for you quickly.
If you start with younger plants, it will take a few years for them to develop fruit.Plant the bushes in early spring.
The fruit will ripen toward the end of summer. , Pat the blueberry plants with the heel of your wrist to loosen the roots.
Do this all around the outside of the container and then turn it sideways and slide the plant out by tapping the bottom of the pot.
Catch the plant with your hand.Do not grab the plant by the stem as this can dislodge the roots and damage the plant. , It should be shallow enough that the top of the root base is 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to
5.1 cm) above ground (for plants about 2 years old, 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide).
You can use a simple hand trowel to dig the holes.Make the holes between 2-1/2 and 6 feet apart.
If you space the holes closer together, you will end up with continuous rows, but if you space the holes further apart, you will end up with individual bushes. , Pat soil up around the top of the plant to cover any exposed roots with 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) of soil.
Then, add 2 to 4 inches (5.1 to
10.2 cm) of mulch to the planting side.
This helps to keep the ground moist, prevent weeds, and enrich the soil.Bark mulch, sawdust, and grass clippings are all good choices for mulch for blueberries.
Replenish the mulch every couple of years.
Always water the area thoroughly after planting. , If you do not want to use grown blueberry plants, you can grow blueberries from seed.
Sow seed in a flat, 3-inch deep box filled with finely ground moist sphagnum moss.
Keep the moss moist in a warm room between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit and covered with a sheet of newspaper.The seed should germinate into seedlings within one month.
Place the seedlings in direct sunlight and continue growing them in the moss until they are about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to
7.6 cm) tall.
You can then transfer the seedlings to a larger pot or to your garden.
Water the seedlings well and maintain them in a sunny location.
After two to three weeks, fertilize the seedlings with liquid fertilizer at 1/2 the recommended rate. , Use one to two inches of water per week.
Be careful not to over-water or drown your blueberry plants., The first year that you plant the blueberries, clip all of the blooms off of the plants.
This will allow the plants to become resilient before they start producing fruit.
Pruning also removes crowded or stagnant stems and allows productive parts of the plants to grow stronger.Every year thereafter, remove low growth around the base of the bush by clipping at an angle at the node of each branch.
Remove any dead branches and/or twigs from the plants, as well as any discolored, blotchy growths.
Prune lowbush blueberries by cutting the stems to ground level, but do not prune the full plant, as the pruned stems will not bear fruit the next season.
To ensure your plant produces each year, only prune half of the plant each year.
The pruning process should eliminate about 1/3 to 1/2 of the wood growth on each plant.
Thin out the branches further if necessary. , If your blueberries grow less than a foot annually (or less than 4 inches for lowbush plants), try using a natural fertilizer to boost the plant's productivity.
If possible, use an organic fertilizer to avoid hurting the roots and effectively deliver nitrogen to the blueberries.
Seed meals such as soybean and alfalfa are good organic options.
Use 1/4 cup to 2 cups of fertilizer per plant depending on the size.
Blood meal and cottonseed meal also work well as fertilizer.
Fertilize the plants in early spring and again in late spring for best results.
Always water well after fertilizing. , Remember, if the pH level is higher than
5.0, you can enrich the soil to make it more acidic using acid compost or planting mix.
If the soil pH is above
4.5, mix in granular sulfur to lower the pH level., Do this in late July or early August.
Some varieties, including rabbiteye, take a bit longer to fully ripen.
Each year, the time of harvest will vary slightly depending on climate conditions.
About the Author
Kevin Clark
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in cooking and beyond.
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