Grow blueberry in your own backyard with these essential tips on how to handle for the multitasking plant .
It ’s no secret that blueberries are anantioxidant - rich superfood , but you may be surprised to see that blueberry bush shrub are also landscape maven . Not only do they make lovely accent plants to pull in pollinator and birds , but they also grow favorably in clusters , edge , hedge , and containers . They have beautiful fall foliage and can be grown in almost any region ( if you pick the correct case ) .
There are five different types of blueberries , which are grouped by plant size . The most commonly cultivated blueberry bush character , northerly highbush blueberry bush ( Vaccinium corymbosum’Jubilee ' for example ) are typically 6 to 12 feet tall at matureness but can uprise even improbable in favorable conditions . It ’s hardy in geographical zone 4 - 7 . Southern highbush blueberry bush ( such as ‘ O’Neal ’ ) are hybrids betweenV. corymbosumand a native southern species , V. darrowii . They are intrepid in zone 7 - 10 and typically get to 4 to 8 feet at maturity . Half - high blueberries ( such as ' Chippewa ' , aV. corymbosumandV. angustifoliumhybrid ) are hardy in zones 3 - 5 and usually develop to only 2 to 4 metrical unit tall . Low - bush blueberry bush ( for example ,V. angustifolium’Burgundy ' ) are hardy in zones 3 - 7 . They typically get just 6 to 24 inch grandiloquent and broadly have smaller berries than the other two varieties . rabbit-eye blueberry blueberries ( V. virgatum ) are a character of highbush blueberry bush that is hardy in zona 7 - 9 and can maturate as tall as its northern highbush cousin . They are advert not for their size but for the pink color of the yield as it begins to ripen .
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Where to Plant Blueberries
While the climate requirements for unlike types of blueberry vary , all blueberries requirefull sunand well - drain soil to flourish . Avoid plant them on the east or due north side of a building where bright sun is modified or below trees that will provide shade for several hr a daylight .
When incorporating blueberry bush plants into your landscape , call on this plant to create a multitasking hedgerow . Or , add several blueberries to a bush border as a coloured , fruitful planting mate . For the best bounty , works two or three unlike cultivar in closemouthed propinquity .
Some blueberry bush cultivar will also thrive in container — which is an especially good pick to debate if you do n’t have acidic soil and ca n’t easily amend it .
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How and When to Plant Blueberries
design to place new blueberry bush plants in the dry land in April or May in most regions . If you will be making soil amendment , design to do so about 4 hebdomad before you intend to institute .
Early saltation is also optimal if you are planting spare - radical blueberry bush plant . In hardiness zone 6 or higher , you could also plant in late fall . It ’s best to plant these hibernating plants as before long as possible when you experience them , but if you must wait , keep your plant in a cool , coloured , moist office until you are quick to plant . When you are ready , soak the roots of bare - root plants in water for about an hour before plant .
For both plant in glasshouse containers and bare - root plants , prod a hole doubly as thick and wide as the plant ’s container or stem testicle . verify the trap is large enough to accommodate the roots and cover them with at least 3 to 4 inches of soil . localize your works in the gist and backfill the gob with soil , tamping down as you work to remove any air pockets . water supply thoroughly and add a layer of organic mulch to keep the soil evenly moist .
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infinite your blueberry plants about 24 to 36 column inch apart ( if you are growing them as a hedge ) or up to 6 feet apart ( if you are spring up individual plants ) .
In most region , you may plantcontainer - originate blueberry plantsin tardy summertime or early surrender . This will give the roots ample time to give themselves in the novel filth before wintertime .
Blueberry Care Tips
Blueberries involve the correct clime and soil but take only minimal care if you provide a site suitable to their ( passably exigent ) condition . When the right way cared for , new plant should start produce a smattering of yield after 2 to 3 eld and a full harvest time after 5 years or more .
Light
Blueberries need full sun ( about 6 hours a day ) to flourish and produce a bounty of yield . The works can be grown in partial shade , but their growth may be stunted , and fruit production may be limited .
Soil
If blueberries are grumpy about anything , they are fussy about soil . The plants prefer well - drained , sandy , acidic soil with a pH reading of 4.0 to 5.5 and are likely to scramble in anything else . If your soiltests higher than 5.5 , you may make it more hospitable to blueberries by incorporate sphagnum peat moss into the mix . sulphur can also lower the pH but it react slowly with soil , so try adding it one twelvemonth before planting your blueberries . If your soil pH is in the range of 7 to 8 , consider growing blueberries in container instead .
If your soil is not naturally acidic , you will probably need to cover add together amendments occasionally to keep the territory from reverting to its natural state . Test the soil every 6 to 8 weeks in the spring and summer . If the pH rises above 5.5 , incorporate sphagnum moss peat all around the blueberry plant ’s base or apply a lilliputian dim - release fertilizer that hold in K sulfate and ammonium sulphate .
Water
blueberry bush plants are shallow - settle down so they tend to live on on the wet that is available in the top few inches of territory . During the growing season , they will require about 2 inches of water each workweek ( or more in hot , dry weather ) . Once they are establish , your blueberry industrial plant may require less water , but they will be more robust if they are kept in systematically moist ( but not soggy ) soil .
Temperature and Humidity
The temperature requirement of blueberry are dissimilar from species to species . In worldwide , they are hardy woody perennials that prefer restrained humidness and can stand temperatures as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit without terms . When temperature dip below freeze , blueberry bush flora enter dormancy , a necessary part of their yearly bike .
Once blueberry bush plants go hibernating , they require a minimum period of frigid temperature hours ( between 32 and 45 ° degree Fahrenheit ) to actively acquire yield . Lowbush and northerly highbush cultivars , for instance , have a chilling demand of 800 to 1,500 hours . Southern highbush blueberries have a chilling requirement of 150 to 600 hours . Rabbiteye blueberry cultivar need about 300 to 600 chill hours . If your plant does n’t get enough chill minute , the bloom buds may not open up expeditiously ( or at all ) come bound .
Fertilizer
Skip the plant food now after planting and for the first year that your industrial plant is in the ground . In the following spring , tip your industrial plant with an acidulous , grain , water - soluble plant food ( similar to what you would feed hydrangea or rhododendrons ) . It ’s secure to use the fertilizer when you first notice new leaf and base growth , but before new buds come in . This will allow the fertiliser plenty of meter to diffuse the soil and give its full benefit to the growing blooms , leaves , and Chuck Berry . you could fertilize your blueberry flora again in early summer if you care .
Do not use nitrate fertilizers as they may bolt down the plant .
Pruning
For most blueberry types , one-year pruning will further steadfast harvest . In the first twelvemonth , however , you will need to focus on simply removing fresh peak bud as they emerge . This will facilitate the plant channel its energy into the growth of the prow and stem . allow the plant to establish itself and produce more robust in the other stages will advance it to bear more yield in the future .
Once your blueberry bush flora is constitute , regular care pruning will give bigger harvests and good fruit . Pruning should be done when the plant is torpid ( after leaf drop curtain to late wintertime ) . take away any abject growth that may bow to the primer coat if laden with fruit and cut off soft shoots that have sprouted from the groundwork . Remove any weak , damaged , or diseased canes and snub honest-to-god or unproductive cane all the style back to the solid ground . depend on the flora ’s development habit , it may also be necessary to thin out the top to countenance visible radiation to reach the center of the plant .
Harvesting
Depending on the character , most blueberries are ready to foot two to four months after unfolding — from April to September in North America . Hold a container in one hand and expend your other hand to mildly loosen berries from the cluster so they drop into the container . Ripening berries change state from green to pinkish - Red River to gamy , but not all blue ones are full ripe ( andnot all ripe ones are blue ) .
blueberry areextremely perishable . hive away them unwashed in the refrigerator for up to one week . delight them new by the fistful , on food grain , or in yield salads . They are also delicious whenpickled , added tobaked goods , or turn intojamsand preserves . Rinse and wry berries andfreeze them in individual layers for long - terminal figure memory .
Potting and Repotting
One of the large thing about maturate blueberry bush plants in containers is that it ’s easy to accomplish the soil acidity levels blueberries desire . pick out a weatherproof container that has excellent drain . For untested plants , you’re able to start small and repot afterward as necessary . If you are engraft a fledged blueberry works ( or a bare - root shrub ) hold fast with a container that is at least 24 inch deep and 24 inches wide-eyed . For a better yield , plant other change of blueberry plants in freestanding pots and pose them nearby to encourage cross - pollination .
The best clock time to plant your blueberry bush plants depends on your region and the type of plant . Spring or recent declivity is an appropriate time in most cases as it gives the root system time to develop and stabilize before winter . In colder area , you’re able to waitress until mid fountain . Prepare your container with a suitable acidulent soil premix and moisten it thoroughly . A popular mixture involves 3 component pot soil , 1 part perlite , and 1 part pine bark , but you’re able to also use a store - buy premix designed for acid - loving plants like hydrangeas or azaleas .
Make a hole in the soil that is twice the sizing of the original pot and come out the plant in the hole at the same depth . urine it well and come in it in an area that has full Dominicus vulnerability . Keep the soil equally moist and protect the container in a sheltered position during wintertime winds .
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If you require to transfer your blueberry bush shrub , it ’s proficient to do so in the fall ( after the plant has gone dormant ) to diminish organ transplant shock . piss the plant well and moisten the soil in the new pot before start . Remove the plant from its old container and light touch off the old stain from the roots . Holding the works in place in the newfangled container , fill up in the new container with fresh grease and pack it down to remove any air pockets . sum up soil until it covers about 1 in of the al-Qa’ida of the canes . piss exhaustively .
Pests and Problems
blueberry bush are popular with a wad of pestilence let in blueberry maggot , gall midge , and stem borers . They are also prone to flak from Japanese beetles , scale , aphids , leaf hoppers , touch , and cutworms . Fire ants can be an issue in some surface area , but they do small damage to the plant and can fend off other ( more harmful ) glitch .
blueberry bush plants can also face upshot with powdery mildew , rust , and leaf spot disease . The best way to extenuate these issues is to provide each plant with adequate air circulation and ensure they are getting lots of exposure to sunlight .
The biggest threat to your blueberry supply is visit birds ( as well as deer , squirrels , and cony ) . you may use protective netting to deter them but be aware that small animals and fledge friends can easily get ensnared in the netting if it ’s not decent establish .
How to Propagate Blueberry
The easy way to propagate blueberry plant is through softwood or hardwood cuttings . you could take softwood cuttings at the first growth of the current time of year ’s outgrowth in spring . Using sharp shears , take a Modern shoot press cutting ( about 4 to 6 inches long ) from a slimly woody stem . excision at a 45 - stage angle and remove all the leaves from the lower one-half of the thinning . adhere the cut cease into a grow mint to be placed in a sheltered area that remains around 70 degrees Fahrenheit and receives some indirect sunshine .
To circularise via hardwood cutting , take a 6 - column inch stem that is at least 1/4 column inch thickheaded from a hefty plant after it has gone dormant . immerse the bottom one-half of the excision stem in a grow potbelly and place it in a funny fleck , glasshouse , or cold skeleton to steady down . Keep the soil palisade the sheer evenly moist and it should take root in about 3 to 6 months . In the give , rooted cuttings can be transplanted to a big slew or glasshouse bed to grow until they are big enough to be motivate to a more lasting location .
Types of Blueberry
Blueberry plants can be divided into five main category : lowbush , Northern highbush , Southern highbush , half - gamy , and rabbiteye . When choosing blueberry plants for your garden , you will want to consider your hardiness zones , your stain , the plant ’s size and space needs , and your mouthful preference . Pay tending to the plant ’s care label to set if the cultivar you are reckon can thrive in your quad .
If you are looking for varieties to grow in containers in hardiness zones 7 - 10 , consider ‘ Top Hat ’ , a highbush blueberry plant that only grows to about 20 - 24 in tall . In cool northerly climates , try ‘ Patriot ’ blueberry bush , a northern highbush cultivar that originate well in containers in geographical zone 3 - 7 . In the south and southeastern United States , consider ‘ sunshine bluing ‘ , a southern highbush blueberry that grows in a summary fashion .
Late Lowbush Blueberry
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The lowbush ( V. angustifollium ) blueberry cultivar is aboriginal to eastern and central Canada as well as the northeasterly United States . It can often be find spring up in the wild along the border of peat bog , in wood clarification , on jumpy barrens , and in meadows . Unlike most highbush blueberries , these lowbush blueberries are typically not planted but instead distribute via underground rhizomes . The Chuck Berry of lowbush blueberry are normally small than school berry and are harvested from late July to other September .
‘Blueray’ Highbush Blueberry
The ‘ Blueray ’ highbush blueberry ( V. corymbosum ) is unfearing in zones 5 - 8 and produces dainty white flowers in late leaping that give manner to highly - flavored lemony Chuck Berry in summer solstice . These flora can self - fertilize but will produce good yields ( and more tasty yield ) when planted alongside other varieties . It typically grows to about 4 to 8 foot tall and wide but can get as tall as 15 metrical foot .
Rabbiteye Blueberry
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Rabbiteye blueberry ( V. virgatum ) plant derive their name from the pink chromaticity ( standardised to a white rabbit ’s oculus ) the berries take on before they turn blue . Several blueberry cultivars fit into this family include ‘ Climax ’ , an other - time of year producer , ‘ Powderblue ’ , a late - season producer , and ‘ Centurion ’ , a mid - season manufacturer . Rabbiteye blueberry bush plants do not pollenate themselves as other blueberry plants can , so they will need another blueberry plant nearby to bring out yield . They are hardy in zones 6 - 9 .
‘Pink Lemonade’ Blueberry
‘ Pink lemonade ’ blueberry bush are another type of rabbiteye blueberry bush that is hardy in zone 6 and warmer . The cultivar , which was developed over the course of action of 10 age by the USDA , features improper pinkish berry . While most blueberries are not ripe until they turn low , ‘ pink lemonade ’ blueberries pop xanthous green but turn to a dappled pink colour when ready to be harvested . The berries also have a distinct lemony flavor ( hence the name ) . ‘ Pink lemonade ’ blueberries are also well - suit to be grown in container in the zone where they are brave .
Companion Plants
Blueberry plants flourish in full sun and acidic grease , so seem forplants that favor exchangeable conditions . Avoid planting nightshade ( like tomato and peppers ) as well as melon vine and brassicas ( like Brassica oleracea italica , cauliflower , and Brussels bourgeon ) near blueberry plant life . Not only do they have different soil and nutrient requirement , but they could also contend for resource and produce small-scale yield all around .
Borage
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Borago officinalis — sometimes known as starflower — is a pretty , herbaceous works ( zones 2 - 11 ) that can tolerate almost any kind of dirt ( including acidulent soils ) . It attracts beneficial pollinators and , as it wilt and falls , can create a natural mulch for nearby blueberry .
Azalea and Rhododendron
Like blueberries , azalea and rhododendronsflourish in sun and acidulent soil . These evergreen plant shrub also attract pollinator and can be grow in almost any part ( zone 3 - 10 ) . They can handle a fiddling more shade than blueberries so , when planting them together , use your rhododendrons and azaleas as a background and give your blueberries a spot in full sunlight .
Hydrangea
Hydrangeasare have intercourse for adding rich green foliage and bright flower to the garden , but they are also fuck for get laid acidulous soil . They tend to grow tall than blueberry so ensure you do n’t implant them so close that they block your blueberry bush plant from receive adequate sun .
Heather
Heatheris a low - growing groundcover that produces delicate white , dispirited , pinkish , or purple flower . It ’s an former blooper ( zones 7 - 10 ) that benefits blueberries by draw beneficial insects and pollinator to the garden . heath and Heathers also prefer a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.5 as well as full to fond sunlight .
Frequently Asked Questions
youthful blueberry plants will not bear much fruit ( if any ) for the first 2 to 3 year . During that clock time , it is urge that you prevent fruit by remove any prime bud . This will boost the plant to focus on growing strong root and stems instead of spending its energy on bearing blossom and fruit . After 5 years , you may begin to succumb a full harvest . It will take 8 to 10 years for a blueberry plant to reach full maturity .
While ants do not do meaning price to blueberry , they can be a nuisance — peculiarly if you have flack pismire . To keep them at bay , keep the dirt ring your shrub consistently moist . This will deter ants from venturing close to the industrial plant . you’re able to also use a decoy suitable for fruit and veggie crops near the bag of the plant .
With proper fear and a suitable surround , blueberry bushes can live for 50 years or more .
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USDA ARS Online Magazine Vol . 60 , no . 9 . AgResearch Magazine .
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