Growing the Best Blueberries

If you do not establish blueberry bushes right from the state, it will not matter how high the quality is of the bushes you buy. Getting blueberries off to the right start means you will grow the best possible blueberries. The first thing you have to have when growing blueberries is patience. It will take from 3 to 5 years for a blueberry bush to produce fruit, depending on how old the bush is and how healthy it is.

Gardeners in the south grow a different type of blueberry than those in the north. Rabbiteye blueberry varieties are native to the southern states. They like a dry and warm atmosphere. They bloom early, so they can be damaged by a frost in cooler areas. The berries mature later than the highbrush varieties and tend to be smaller. The soil has to be kept moist.

Highbush blueberries are native to the northern United States and do well in the higher elevations in the south. They would not survive the higher temperatures in the lower elevations with out a regular irrigation system in place. They tend to loose water rapidly. Highbush blueberries bloom later than the rabbiteye, making them better able to stand up to a frost. The fruit matures earlier, but is less sweet.

Once you know the bushes you are going to get, you need to get their new home ready. Pick a site that is level. Depressions in the ground are susceptible to frost. The soil must be well drained. Blueberries do not like getting their feet wet. Clay soil will have to be amended. Raised beds are a good idea for blueberries.

The summer before you plan on planting blueberries, get rid of all of the existing plants and vegetation in the area. Contact your cooperative extension service about having the soil tested. The pH should be between 4.8 to 5.2. The lab will tell you want to do if it needs to be amended. They can also tell you want type and amount of fertilizer to use.

Plant blueberries when the plants are dormant in the winter and early spring. Plant each bush from 5 to 6 feet apart. And when they are mature, you will have a beautiful hedge. You will also need to plant at least two varieties for cross pollination.

Now the hard part is done. Blueberries are easy to care for, just hard to get started, but the results including the beauty of the bushes and years of fresh picked berries are well worth the effort.

Source:

Tennessee State University