How to Grow and Care for Blueberry Bushes

You may not be able to grow blueberries as quickly as your garden tomatoes. But the reward is worth the wait if you can practice a little patience. Blueberry bushes need a few years to establish their roots before you can expect much in the way of bounty. But once they begin to mature, you can expect to pick several pounds of berries per bush each season.

Interested in giving it a go? Here’s what you need to know to get started growing blueberries in your own backyard.

A Quick Overview:

• Blueberry bushes require full sun.
• They thrive in acidic soil.
• They will produce little fruit during the first two to three years.
• Blueberry harvests will increase around year five.
• The plants reach full maturity in about eight to 10 years.
• They require annual winter pruning.

Types of Blueberries

There are four types of blueberries: highbush, lowbush, half-high and rabbiteye:

Highbush

Highbush is the most common blueberry bush, and you can find varieties within this category that are suited to a wide range of climates and hardiness zones. These are hardy shrubs that usually do well in zones 4 through 7.

Lowbush

Look for lowbush blueberry bushes if you live in a particularly cold climate. They are notably smaller than highbush berries but thrive in zones 3 through 7.

Half-high

These are a hybrid cross between highbush and lowbush blueberries. Half-high blueberries are hardy in zones 3 through 5, capable of handling cold winters and produce larger berries than lowbush species.

Rabbiteye

Rabbiteye blueberries are popular in the South. They are considered easy to grow and can sometimes be spotted in edible landscaping in neighborhood gardens.

How to Grow Blueberry Bushes

Follow this three-step guide for getting your blueberry bushes in the ground:

1. Decide When to Plant

You can plant blueberries in the spring or late fall, but cold-climate gardeners would do best to wait until late spring to start putting berries in the ground. Sometimes you can find barefoot or potted blueberries that are already a few years old. Purchasing these from a reputable source is a good option for gardeners who want to speed up their blueberry harvest timeline.

2. Choose Your Site

Blueberries need full sun, acidic soil (between pH 4.0 and 5.0) and protection from harsh winds that could dry them out. Because they have shallower roots than you might expect, plant them in a soil that drains but retains enough moisture to keep them healthy (avoid heavy clay soil).

Because blueberries are partially self-fertile, you will see better fruit production if you plant more than one bush in any given spot. If you have the space, plant multiple. If you plant multiple berry bushes in a group, you will see better fruit production.

Pro tip: Don’t have acidic soil? Work granulated sulfur into the planting site a few months ahead of planting. You can also use peat moss and pine bark to acidify your soil. Also take this opportunity to incorporate some nutrient-rich organic matter into the planting site.

3. Planting Blueberry Bushes

Dig a hole twice as wide and deep as the plant root, being mindful not to place them too deeply in the ground. If planting in rows, space your bushes 4 to 5 feet apart to account for their full maturity. If you’re planting multiple rows, space the rows 8 feet apart.

Combine two parts loam and one part compost (or peat moss) and pour it into the planting hole. Set the bush down inside. Make sure the roots have room to spread out and the rootball is covered (but not buried too far) below the surface.

Carefully fill the hole with soil, tamp it down firmly and apply a 2-to-4-inch layer of mulch around the planting site. Leave at least an inch or two of space around the base of the plant to maximize airflow.

Tending Blueberry Bushes

Set a reminder to fertilize your plant one month after planting it in the ground. If your plant came with specific fertilizing instructions, follow those. Otherwise, apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer around the plant anywhere from 6 to 12 inches from the base.

Make sure your blueberry bushes receive 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Rain sources are best, but home irrigation systems can be programmed to ensure they receive enough as well.

You’ll also want to invest in quality bird netting to protect your growing bushes from hungry birds.

See more: 21 Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer

Follow a fertilizing schedule and consider setting reminders on your phone so you don’t accidentally skip them. Most bushes need an ounce of 10-10-10 fertilizer in the spring, one year after planting, and an additional ounce each year as they grow (maxing out at 8 ounces for fully mature bushes).

If you planted brand new blueberry bushes, prune their blossoms for the first two years. This will help the plant focus its energy on establishing a strong root system, which will provide you with even better harvests in the years to come.

Pruning Blueberry Bushes

Other than pinching back the blossoms, you probably won’t need to prune blueberry bushes for the first three to four years. But once you hit the four-year mark, prune dead, broken or unhealthy shoots in late winter or early spring.

Look up specific pruning instructions based on the type of blueberries you planted. Some, like the lowbush, will not produce fruit the season after pruning. To avoid losing berries for an entire season, you can prune different sections of your blueberry bushes every other year.

See more: 10 Fun Facts About Blueberries

Growing Blueberries in Containers

You can grow blueberries in containers, and they are often easier to maintain and protect than in-ground bushes. Plus, you can move them if the need arises.

If you want to go this route, look into varieties such as Top Hat, Pink Lemonade and Pink Champagne. They thrive in containers, produce beautiful and tasty fruit, and are a fun addition to any garden – especially for gardeners with space constraints.