How to Grow Commercial Blueberries in Georgia

Purchase commercial blueberry bushes in time for late winter planting. Commercial cultivars are two to three years old, and are of good age for transplanting into an orchard. Blueberries do best when they're transplanted during their dormancy, so get them into the ground well before the spring thaw. This window starts in November throughout Georgia, and may range through February to March, depending on your specific region.

Choose a site that gets full sun for six to eight hours every day, to encourage blueberry blooming and fruit production. Never plant blueberries in an area that puddles, and make sure that the site offers 3 to 4 feet of space per blueberry bush.

Amend the soil in each planting spot. Mark out an area that is 4-feet wide and dig up the top 8 inches for your amendment. Mix quick-draining soil and organic compost in equal parts, and turn 4 inches of this mixture into the tilled soil. Add more organic compost to extremely thick Georgia clay, as blueberries won't grow in heavy soil. Blueberries require acidic soil, so add a soil acidifier such as ammonium sulfate or peat moss.

Plant Georgia-appropriate commercial cultivars, and plan to plant at least two cultivars to ensure pollination and lengthen the growing season. Good options for Georgia include Austin, Brightwell, Climax, Brightbell, Tifblue and Centurion rabbiteye blueberries.

Plant each blueberry bush in a hole that is as deep and twice as wide as its root ball. Give the bushes 4 feet of space in the row, and leave 12 feet between rows for growing and walking space. Cover the roots with amended soil and pack it down. Mulch with wood shavings or pine straw to control weeds and enhance acidity.

Water each bush with 5 inches of water, and prune the bushes back to two-thirds of their original size. The pruning encourages new growth and branching.

Give blueberries 2 inches of water every week and fertilize twice a year, starting in the second year, with an appropriate fertilizer. Blueberry plants will start to produce fruit in their third year.