Can Blueberries Be Grown in the Shade?

Sunlight Requirements

• Blueberry shrubs survive in shady conditions, including in only bright, indirect light such as under a tree or in the shadow on the north side of a building. Without at least four hours of direct sunlight, though, blueberry shrubs likely won't produce any flowers and subsequent fruits. In the Northern U.S., where summers are cooler, an ideal light regimen provides eight or more hours of direct sunlight daily. In the Southern states, some shade in the heat of midafternoon is beneficial, but plants still perform best if they receive no less than six hours of full sun.

Pollination

• Blueberries need ample sunlight, in particular exposure to red wavelengths, to develop their springtime flowers. Merely producing flowers isn't enough to ensure fruits. Insect pollination must occur. Blueberries are self-fertile, meaning one lone plant's flowers provide ample pollen to produce fruits. However, few or no bees at the time blueberry plants bloom greatly reduces pollination and lowers the number of fruits that potentially form. Wind, cold temperatures and rain prevent bees from leaving the hive and foraging for flowers. Blueberries in shady conditions may bloom when it's chilly in early to midspring. Unless it's quite warm, bees won't go into shady locales to pollinate flowers.

Animal Foraging

• Rabbits, deer and birds all feed on the stem bark, leaves or fruits on blueberry plants. Planting blueberry plants in shade, especially near a woodland edge or in a grove, may make the plants more susceptible to visits by animals. Trees and gardens may provide cover for rabbits, deer and birds to live and thereby increase their numbers in proximity to a stand of blueberry shrubs. Planting blueberries in an open, sunnier locale improves flowering and fruiting, but can facilitate better use of fences or temporary netting to deter hungry critters.

Other Shade Issues

• Shady garden conditions help keep the soil cooler and moister. Too much shade slows the rate at which rain or irrigation droplets dry off blueberry plants or how long soil remains wet. Stagnant, humid air and wet soil conditions create a more favorable environment for fungal diseases like gray mold, galls, crown and root rot, powdery mildew and rust. Offset these risks by planting blueberries in sunnier locales and space plants far enough apart to allow air circulation and access among plants.