One of the most popular and healthy fruits, blueberries can be successfully grown as an ornamental shrub in your home garden.
But the question is how to grow blueberries?
Before heading to this question, let’s be clear with the basics of blueberries.
There are four types of blueberries: highbush, lowbush, rabbiteye, and hybrid half-high. Highbush blueberry is the most commonly planted variety. Due to its nutritious properties, there are quite a few blueberry suppliers. If you are planning to buy blueberry plants, you can definitely check various suppliers offering blueberries for sale online.
But if you like eating blueberries, do consider growing them in your landscape instead of getting them from the store (if you have space and conditions permit).
Before you begin or even think of planting blueberry bushes, research what steps should be taken while growing blueberry plants.
Read ahead.
How to grow blueberries?
When you grow your own blueberries you’ll find that you harvest more than you can eat. Further saving your hundreds of dollars against buying from the grocery store.
Just consider 5 important points while growing blueberries:
1. Plant more than one blueberry bush.
To plant blueberries, you can get it from the nursery either in containers or bare-foot. The Best time to plant blueberries is early to mid-spring.
Some blueberry varieties are self-fertile whereas some are not. That means bushes that are not self-pollinating (like rabbiteye blueberries), you need to plant another variety too along with the first one to yield yumilicious berries. If you do not wish to grow different varieties and plan for only one of the bushes then only flowers will form, not the berries.
When partially self-pollinating varieties (such as southern highbush and northern highbush) are planted with more than one bush of distinct variety it results in more berries each year.
Regardless of which variety you choose and grow it is advisable to plant at least two bushes for the best fruit production.
2. Check blueberry’s soil preference
First and foremost, blueberries would need acidic soil. The pH range between 4.0 and 5.0 is ideal for planting blueberries.
What if the soil isn’t acidic?
It can be acidified by mixing a small amount of granulated sulfur into the soil for months before planting.
Secondly, you can prepare a raised bed and use an acidic soil blend or plant blueberries in large containers with an acidic soil mix.
What if the soil is acidic?
Before setting the blueberry bushes, do mix organic matter to the soil as well as add peat moss, pine bark or needles to keep the pH low.
Please note: Not all peat moss offer the same acidity level. Thus, you need to check different sources for getting peat.
When pH of the soil is maintained, blueberry bushes do not need much but soil should be rich in organic matter. If all the conditions are favorable when planting blueberries for the first time then do not hesitate to fertilize the first year.
Blueberry is a shallow rooted plant and needs soil that can hold moisture but drains well. Hence, do not plant blueberries where the soil is heavy and clayey because these soil remains wet. Well- drained soil prevents root’s rotting.
3. Mulching your blueberry bed
Mulching helps retain moisture already present in soil. As mentioned above that blueberries have a shallow root system, thick mulch is vital to protect from evaporation. Mulching can be done using 2-4 inches of wood chips or pine needles during spring as well as in fall.
Not just water retention, mulching prevents weed growth. Being shallow rooted, these bushes compete for water and nutrients.
When growing in a container, add mulch on the top of the soil to keep in the moisture.
4. Choose a good drainage site for blueberries
“Wet feet” is a big no-no for blueberry bushes. Hence, choosing a site with good drainage is important. These bushes require plenty of water during their first year or two.
It is advisable to spray 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
When growing blueberries in a container, do take a large container. Also ensure it has drainage holes.
How to plant blueberries?
Here is the brief on planting blueberries in your garden:
Ø Dig a 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide hole.
Ø Plant the bush in the hole with roots just below the surface and spread them out.
Ø Maintain a distance of 4-5 feet between the bushes in a row. As well as 8 feet distance between the rows.
Ø Pour in the mixture of loam, peat moss and compost.
Ø Later add fertilizer after a month of planting.
5. Choose the right planting site
Last but not the least! Better blueberries are obtained in the Sun. Hence, choose a sunny sheltered spot. Do not let them be exposed to harsh drying winds.
Do not plant blueberries too near to the big trees as they may block the sunlight and may suck up the moisture in the soil.
Planting bushes in a patch is recommended instead of scattering throughout the garden to bolster berry production and quality.
WRAPPING UP
Hopefully, you find the above details informative that helps you grow your own blueberries.
