Tips for Planting Blueberries

Soil

• You can grow blueberries in almost any soil by removing one-third to one-half of the soil from the hole you're planting in and adding an equal amount of premoistened peat moss. However, blueberries grow best in acidic soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.0. Test your soil before planting to see what corrections need to be made to it. Lime raises the pH and sulfur lowers it. Just one or two days of standing in water can damage blueberry roots, so provide your plants with good drainage. Adding organic matter like peat, bark mulch or straw to heavy soils improves both drainage and aeration.

Planting

• Buy high-quality, disease-free plants that are 2 or 3 years old. If planting in less fertile mineral soil, space plants about four or five feet apart. If planting in organic soil, space plants five or six feet apart. If planting in sandy soil, add a shovelful of acid peat to each hole. Dig holes deep enough to allow you to cover the top of the roots with 3 to 4 inches of soil. Remove flowers for the first two years to encourage vegetative growth, which allows the plants to grow as big and as fast as possible. Letting your blueberries flower during the first two years slows growth and causes the plants to be weak or small.

Water

• Blueberries should be irrigated during dry weather because drought conditions reduce both the current year's berry size and the flower bud development that determines the next season's yield. Enough water should be provided to wet the top 12 to 16 inches of soil. Apply water at a slow enough rate to prevent it from puddling on the surface. Six to 8 inches of mulch helps keep the soil moist, but use only weathered sawdust, bark or wood chips because fresh material can hurt the plants.

Fertilizer

• Fertilizer requirements vary depending on your soil and the age of your plants. About a month after planting, apply around 1 oz. of 10-0-10+5 (N-P-K+Mg) fertilizer to each plant. Established plants usually only require nitrogen. Test your soil prior to fertilizing and consult your county extension for help with determining your particular needs.

Other Tips

• Planting more than one variety of blueberries usually results in larger berries and larger yields that ripen earlier. Blueberries prefer sun and produce less fruit when grown in partial shade. Don't plant blueberry bushes in low-lying areas near woods or hills because cold air collects in those areas, and your plants will be more susceptible to spring frosts. Planting on a slope provides your bushes with increased air circulation, which helps prevent some fungal diseases.