DIY Network

Selecting and Planting Blueberries Selecting and Planting Blueberries From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-202

There are several basic types of blueberry shrubs: lowbush blueberries are low-growing shrubs that grow best in cold climates; rabbiteye blueberries are Southern natives that grow well in warm climates. In home gardens, highbush and Southern highbush blueberries are most commonly grown. They're beautiful shrubs that grow anywhere from 4' to 20' tall. (Note that Southern highbush and rabbiteye are often used interchangeably, even though they are technically different.)

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

• One of the nice things about blueberries is that the shrubs make great landscaping plants. They have bell-shaped white flowers in the spring, handsome green foliage in the summer (figure A) and vivid orange and crimson foliage in the fall. Blueberries produce the most fruit in full sun, but even in partial shade a blueberry bush will often yield a pound or more of ripe berries each year.

• Blueberries, which are closely related to rhododendrons and azaleas, grow well in the same types of soils. That means they do best in well-drained acidic soils with lots of organic matter (figure B). The pH levels should be between 4.0 and 5.5 for the best berry production, so in most cases you'll need to add sulfur to lower your soil's acidity (figure C). Since it takes a year or more for granular sulfur to lower the pH level of the soil, for the first year after planting blueberries you may need to use a fast-acting water-soluble fertilizer especially designed for acid-loving plants.

• When you're planting blueberries, either bare-root or containerized shrubs, you need to get the soil correct right from the start. If you do, in 30 or 40 years your blueberry shrubs will still be around bearing fruit. For clay soil, add a thick layer of composted cow manure and a layer of finely ground pine bark, and work it in to create a crumbly, loamy and well-drained soil.

• Blueberries have shallow but wide-spreading roots, so till your soil to match their root pattern (figure D). Mix the amendments only 8"or 10" into the soil, but prepare an area at least 4' wide for each shrub. Use sulfur if needed to lower the pH level to about 5.0, but do not add fertilizer while preparing the bed. For blueberries, it's best to wait until the plants have been in the ground for several weeks before fertilizing, and then you should fertilize only lightly.

• Some blueberries are self-pollinating, and others require cross-pollination, but all blueberries will fruit better and ripen earlier if several cultivars are planted together. Your selection of plant varieties will depend largely on your climate, since winter chill requirements vary from cultivar to cultivar. Ask your county's cooperative extensive agent or a reputable nursery for advice.

• To plant the shrubs, remove each from its container, shake off some of the potting soil to expose the roots and place the shrub in its planting hole. Spread the roots out and began to add soil back to the hole. Be sure to transplant the shrub at the same depth it was planted at the nursery or slightly higher to ensure good drainage. Add a 2" to 3" layer of mulch around the base of the plants to help keep weeds down (figure E).

• Water the plants thoroughly to get the soil settled around the roots. In general, blueberries need plenty of water to get established and to set fruit. Typically they need the equivalent of 1-1/2" of water per week in order to produce a large harvest of berries.