Blueberry Planting in Louisiana

Varieties

• At least two varieties of blueberry bushes must be planted in order to facilitate pollination. All varieties of rabbiteye will cross pollinate each other as long as the bloom times overlap. Longer fruit production times can be achieved by planting one early, one medium and one late variety.

Location

• Blueberry bushes should be planted in the fall or winter so that the plants are well-established before the summer heat. For best fruit production plant them where they will receive full exposure to the sun. They will grow in a partially sunny location but fruit production will be reduced. The soil must drain well as blueberry bushes will not thrive if the root system remains wet.

Soil Preparation

• Preparation of the planting location should begin three to 12 months before planting. The soil for optimum growth and fruit production must have an acidic pH between 4.0 and 5.3. For soil that is in the pH range of 5.4 to 6, add 7 to 10 lbs. of sulfur per 100 square feet of garden area. A pH above 6 will require 1 lb. of sulfur per 100 square feet for sandy soils and 2 lbs. per 100 square feet for clay or loamy soil. Louisiana soil is generally low in organic matter. Peat, well-aged pine sawdust or pine bark mulch should be spread 3 to 4 inches deep in an 18- to 24-inch wide line where the bushes will be located and tilled in 6 to 8 inches deep.

Planting

• Plant the bushes 6 feet apart in rows that are 10 to 12 feet apart to allow for growth and air circulation between bushes. Keep the roots of the plants moist at all times while preparing for planting. Mix 2 to 5 gallons of wet peat or pine bark mulch with the fill soil for each bush. Loosen the roots of container grown bushes prior to planting and place the bush in the hole at the same level it was growing in the nursery or container. The wet soil/peat or pine bark mulch mixture should be used to fill in the hole around the roots and gently firmed down by hand.

Water, Mulch and Pruning

• The newly planted bushes should be given 1 to 2 gallons of water each and mulched with pine needles or pine bark mulch to a depth of 4 inches. Prune off 1/3 of the top from container-grown bushes and 1/2 from bare-root bushes. Trim off the flower buds and any branches that are growing horizontally.