How to Plant Blueberry Bushes in Alberta, Canada

Plant blueberry bushes in spring in Alberta, after the last frost, to give them the summer to grow and establish for winter. Plant the blueberry bushes in 10- to 20-gallon pots with drainage holes, to give them space to grow but still keep them manageable in size, and plant at least two bushes for pollination. Alberta frost dates range from early May in Edmonton to early June in Athabaska, so planting should take place in mid-May to mid-June, respectively.

Fill your pots three-fourths full with a combination of half quick-draining potting soil and half organic compost. Blueberries require lots of acidic nutrition in their soil, so don't supplement the compost with non-organic items such as gravel. Add one-half pound of ammonium sulfate fertilizer or 10 oz. of 10-10-10 fertilizer before planting.

Plant blueberry bushes in holes that are as deep and twice as wide as their root balls, and then water them with 1 gallon of water. Put the blueberries outdoors, in areas where they'll get eight hours of full sun every day, and water them with 2 inches of water a week. Spread 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch such as sawdust, wood chips or leaves over the soil in the pot to maintain soil moisture and warmth. As this mulch breaks down, it adds additional nutrition to the soil.

Leave blueberries outside until after frost hardens the ground in Alberta. Fall frost dates range from late August to late September in this region. Allow blueberries to take some chill, and then bring them indoors or put them in the garage around December, or when temperatures fall to freezing. Put them in an indoor site where they'll still receive eight hours of natural or artificial light every day, and maintain their watering schedule.