Growing blueberries

I’ve been promising to answer some of the questions I had gotten about blueberries from my previous post, and then this morning I found that one of my favorite bloggers (and singer/songwriters!), Christine Kane, had been taken to task for not giving enough information about blueberries in a post she had titled “A Crash Course in Blueberries” (which was really about taking delight in life – and blueberries) But it certainly seems that more info on blueberries needs to get out there, so here goes…

Blueberries are pretty easy to grow, especially here in the Eastern US, where the soils are naturally somewhat to very acidic. Depending on the variety, the bushes (and I’m discussing the more common highbush blueberry here) are anywhere from 2 to 7 feet tall. They are pretty, and turn a lovely color in the fall, so they work well as a hedge as well as a food crop. I suggest planting several varieties with different maturity dates, so that you have a longer harvest. You can plant pot-grown plants at any time during the growing season, but spring is best. You can get a head start on site preparation now. 

First, you’ll want a location that gets full sun, with well-drained soil that has a pH low enough for blueberries (between 4.8 and 5.5). If rhododendrons and azaleas grow well in your soil, you’ll probably be fine, but a soil test is always a good thing, courtesy of your local agricultural extension agency. If your pH is too high, talk to your extension agent about how to lower it, but you’ll need to delay your planting for about a year while you do that. Good drainage is also important.

Blueberries like a soil that is high in organic matter, so dig in plenty of compost, leaf mold or well-rotted manure. If you are not too impatient, I’d suggest tilling the area now and planting a cover crop of oats or something else that will grow quickly and winter-kill reliably in your area to add organic matter and get a head-start on weed control. You can also just throw down a few inches of fairly fresh horse manure right on top of the soil now and let it rot over winter. But don’t plant until spring if you do this. 

When you plant, dig a hole twice as big as the root ball, and plant a bit deeper than the plant grew in the nursery. Plant 6 to 8 feet apart. Don’t put fertilizer in the planting hole! Backfill with soil about halfway, then give it a good soaking to settle the soil around the roots. Finish by filling the rest of the hole, watering really well, and mulching. I use brown cardboard or newspaper under wood chip mulch. Wet the cardboard/newspaper before putting down the wood chips. The mulch is important, as blueberries are shallow-rooted and sensitive to drought. 

I find blueberries don’t need much fertilizer. I throw down some compost and a bit of bloodmeal or some Holly-tone in the spring before renewing the mulch. Newly planted berries should be fertilized about a month after planting. 

You won’t need to prune out anything except weak or broken canes for the first 4 or 5 years, then you’ll want to prune out the old canes (gray with peeling bark) and weak shoots. I’ll write more about pruning them in late winter, which is the best time to prune. 

Now, I still owe you that peach/blueberry cobbler recipe, and I promise I won’t forget!

Comments

[Christine]

Well, then!

I can put a link to this post at the bottom of my own post for those who feel I have misled them. How's that for customer service?

[Caroline Kenner]

Dear Dio, this is very helpful. I am considering putting in several Blueberry bushes in the front yard. They are very ornamental, and even if I didn't eat the berries, the local birds would happily comply.... Thanks for the information.
hugs and blessings from Caroline