How to Grow Blueberries in East Texas

Find a site that gets full sun for eight hours every day, with complete drainage in the soil. Although blueberries will grow under as much as 50 percent shade, they won't bloom or fruit. Choose a site that sits in an elevated position for optimal air and sun exposure.

Amend your soil several weeks before planting to allow the amendment to set in. Blueberries require deep, rich soil high in organic matter and acid, and, accordingly, won't grow in poor soil. Mix quick-draining soil and organic compost in equal parts, and pile 3 to 4 inches of this mixture on top of your natural garden soil. Mix the amendment into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil in each planting site.

Plant rabbit eye blueberries 6 feet apart on the row to give them room to grow and expand. Leave 10 to 12 feet between rows for walking, and plant the blueberry bushes in holes as deep and twice as wide as their root balls. A good general guideline is to dig holes 15 to 18 inches wide for blueberries.

Prune the canes back to 30 inches and leave only three strong shoots to encourage branching and new growth. Spread 3 to 4 inches of organic mulch like pine shavings, wood chips or sawdust over the soil to maintain warmth and moisture. As this mulch breaks down, it adds more nutrition to the soil for the bushes. Replenish mulch once a month.

Water blueberries with 2 inches of water every week. Feed them four weeks after planting with ammonium sulfate, 10-10-10 or organic fertilizer.