Can a Blueberry Bush Be Started From a Cutting?

Cuttings

• Blueberry bushes grow best when you cut 6- to 8-inch lengths of semihardwood branches in early summer. Protect the cuttings from moisture loss by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and placing them in a plastic bag while you are collecting the cuttings. It is possible to start a blueberry bush from a dormant hardwood cutting, but the propagation time is lengthy, and it is more difficult to produce roots.

Propagation

• Blueberry cuttings respond best to propagation when you remove the leaves from the bottom half of the stem and clip the larger leaves remaining in half. This will help the cutting conserve energy to put towards root production. Start the blueberry bush by filling a propagation tray with a moist propagation medium. Dipping the bottom end of the cutting in a rooting hormone before sticking them into the medium will help with root growth. All these supplies are available for purchase at garden supply stores or your local nursery.

Care

• Taking the time to create a greenhouse-type environment will increase your success rate with starting a blueberry bush from a cutting. Mist the cuttings and planting medium with water and cover the tray with a clear plastic bag. Set the container on a germination mat set to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or place it on top of a refrigerator. Indirect sunlight is the best light for stimulating root growth on the cuttings. Take the time to open the covering to refresh the air around the cuttings. This also lets you monitor the medium to make sure it does not dry out or become too wet. Mist the medium with water if the moisture is low, or keep the cover open to dry out the medium if it becomes sopping wet.

Considerations

• Grow the blueberry bush cuttings in the propagation tray until the roots are approximately 1 inch long. Carefully transplant the cuttings to individual growing pots to give the roots room to expand. Consider growing the cuttings indoors until the following spring to give the roots enough time to establish. You may want to give the transplanted cutting a monthly application of high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer diluted to one-half strength. This will help with root growth and establishment for a spring outdoor planting.