How Do I Raise Blueberry Bushes?

Locate an area in the yard that has full sunlight. Blueberry bushes can grow in up to 50 percent shade, according to North Carolina University, but do best in full sun.

Inspect the soil for good drainage by digging a hole that is 6 to 8 inches deep. Pour water into the hole and inspect the drainage. Water should not stay in the hole for more than 24 hours.

Test the pH of the soil using a store-bought pH kit or by sending the soil off to your local university extension. Blueberry bushes grow best in soil that is acidic with a pH level of around 4.8. Lower the pH level using sulfur. Use the pH reading to determine how much sulfur is needed. A reading of 5.0 needs 530 lbs. per acre to lower the pH to 4.5, 1,030 lbs. per acre for a reading of 5.5 to lower it to 4.5 and 1,540 lbs. to lower a 6.0 reading to 4.5. Apply sulfur to the soil at no more than 400 lbs. per application and till it into the soil.

Choose a blueberry bush suitable to your location to grow. Contact your local university extension to find out which is the best bush for your climate. Southern highbush cultivars Emerald, Duke and Jewel are good for temperate, Southern areas such as Florida and North Carolina, while Blueray, Bluetta, Spartan, Patriot are good for Northern regions such as Michigan.

Dig a hole that is twice the size of the bush's root ball and add 1/4 to 1/2 a cubic foot of sphagnum peat moss. Cover the roots. Apply 3 to 4 inches of organic matter on top of the soil to improve nutrition.

Test the soil before fertilizing again to keep fertilizer levels appropriate to the pH. Use the tables provided by Michigan State University to fertilize your blueberry bush. Fertilization rates are determined by years in the field. A blueberry bush in the field for two years will require 75 lbs. of ammonium sulfate with a 21 percent nitrogen ratio per acre a year, while an eight year old bush will require 300 lbs. of ammonium sulfate per acre a year.