Caring for & Fertilizing Blueberries

Have a soil sample tested by your local extension office, approximately six months before you plan to introduce the bushes to the garden. This will determine the pH level present in the soil. The ideal range for blueberry bushes is 4.5 to 5.1.

Adjust the pH level, if necessary, by adding the soil amendments recommended in the soil test report.

Loosen the soil with a garden fork to a depth of 12 inches just before planting the bushes.

Plant the bushes with their roots set at the depth they originally grew. Water until the soil feels evenly moist right after planting. Leave four to six feet of space between the plants.

Spread four inches of pine bark mulch beneath each plant, beginning three inches from their stems.

Trim the top two-thirds of bare root blueberry bushes back at the time of planting. Remove the top half of growth from those purchased in pots. Snip off all blossoms that form during the first two growing seasons. This allows the plants to direct energy toward root growth instead of fruit production.

Check the moisture level in the soil every two to three days during the growing season. Water deeply when the top half-inch feels dry.

Apply one ounce of 12-12-12 granular fertilizer to each blueberry bush, approximately four weeks after introducing the plants to the garden. Broadcast the fertilizer in a circle, beginning 18 inches from the stem. Use a garden fork to work the granules into the top one-half inch of soil and water thoroughly. Repeat the application six weeks after the initial feeding.

Continue to fertilize the plants early each spring, increasing the amount by two ounces each year. Do not exceed 12 ounces of fertilizer per plant. Repeat the applications approximately six weeks after the initial feeding. Extend the area over which the fertilizer granules are scattered as the size of the plant increases.

Prune the bushes in late winter to eliminate suckers, weak or damaged growth and the oldest, unproductive canes.