Grow blueberries in your own backyard with these essential tips on how to care for the multitasking plant.
There are five different types of blueberries, which are grouped by plant size.
It’s hardy in zones 4-7.
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Southern highbush blueberries (such as ONeal) are hybrids betweenV.
corymbosumand a native southern species,V.
They are hardy in zones 7-10 and typically reach 4 to 8 feet at maturity.
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Half-high blueberries (such as ‘Chippewa’, aV.
angustifoliumhybrid) are hardy in zones 3-5 and usually grow to only 2 to 4 feet tall.
Low-bush blueberries (e.g.,V.
Credit: Robert Cardillo
angustifolium’Burgundy') are hardy in zones 3-7.
They typically get just 6 to 24 inches tall and generally have smaller berries than the other two varieties.
When incorporating blueberry plants into your landscape, call on this plant to create a multitasking hedge.
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Or, add several blueberries to a shrub border as a colorful, fruitful planting partner.
For the best bounty, plant two or three different cultivars in close proximity.
Early spring is also optimal if you are planting bare-root blueberry plants.
In hardiness zones 6 or higher, you’ve got the option to also plant in late fall.
When you are ready, soak the roots of bare-root plants in water for about an hour before planting.
Water thoroughly and add a layer of organic mulch to keep the soil evenly moist.
Credit:Robert Cardillo
In most regions, you’re free to plantcontainer-grown blueberry plantsin late summer or early fall.
This will give the roots ample time to establish themselves in the new soil before winter.
Soil
If blueberries are fussy about anything, they are fussy about soil.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
If your soil pH is in the range of 7 to 8, consider growing blueberries in containers instead.
Test the soil every 6 to 8 weeks in the spring and summer.
Temperature and Humidity
The temperature requirements of blueberries are different from species to species.
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When temperatures dip below freezing, blueberry plants enter dormancy, a necessary part of their yearly cycle.
Lowbush and northern highbush cultivars, for example, have a chilling requirement of 800 to 1,500 hours.
Southern highbush blueberries have a chilling requirement of 150 to 600 hours.
Rabbiteye blueberry cultivars need about 300 to 600 chill hours.
you’re able to fertilize your blueberry plant again in early summer if you like.
Do not use nitrate fertilizers as they may kill the plant.
Pruning
For most blueberry types, annual pruning will encourage steady harvests.
This will help the plant channel its energy into the growth of the stems and roots.
Once your blueberry plant is established, regular maintenance pruning will yield bigger harvests and better fruit.
Pruning should be done when the plant is dormant (after leaf drop to late winter).
Store them unwashed in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Enjoy them fresh by the handful, on cereals, or in fruit salads.
They are also delicious whenpickled,added tobaked goods, or turned intojamsand preserves.
Rinse and dry berries andfreeze them in single layers for long-term storage.
Choose a weatherproof container that has excellent drainage.
For young plants, you’re able to start small and repot later as necessary.
The best time to plant your blueberry plants depends on your region and the punch in of plant.
In colder regions, you’re free to wait until mid spring.
Prepare your container with a suitable acidic soil mix and moisten it thoroughly.
Water it well and place it in an area that has full sun exposure.
Keep the soil evenly moist and protect the container in a sheltered location during winter winds.
Water the plant well and moisten the soil in the new pot before starting.
Remove the plant from its old container and brush off the old soil from the roots.
Add soil until it covers about 1 inch of the base of the canes.
Blueberry plants can also face issues with powdery mildew, rust, and leaf spot disease.
How to Propagate Blueberry
The easiest way to propagate blueberry plants is through softwood or hardwood cuttings.
you’re able to take softwood cuttings at the first emergence of the current seasons growth in spring.
Cut at a 45-degree angle and remove all the leaves from the lower half of the cutting.
Keep the soil surrounding the cutting evenly moist and it should take root in about 3 to 6 months.
Unlike most highbush blueberries, these lowbush blueberries are typically not planted but instead propagated via underground rhizomes.
They are hardy in zones 6-9.
The berries also have a distinct lemony flavor (hence the name).
Pink lemonade blueberries are also well-suited to be grown in containers in the zones where they are hardy.
Azalea and Rhododendron
Like blueberries,azaleas and rhododendronsflourish in sun and acidic soil.
These evergreen shrubs also attract pollinators and can be grown in almost any region (zones 3-10).
Heather
Heatheris a low-growing groundcover that produces delicate white, blue, pink, or purple flowers.
Heaths and Heathers also prefer a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.5 as well as full to partial sunlight.
During that time, it is recommended that you prevent fruiting by removing any flower buds.
After 5 years, you may begin to yield a full harvest.
It will take 8 to 10 years for a blueberry plant to reach full maturity.
To keep them at bay, keep the soil surrounding your shrub consistently moist.
This will discourage ants from venturing close to the plant.
With proper care and a suitable environment, blueberry bushes can live for 50 years or more.
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