How Long Does It Take to Get Blueberries From Bare Root Plants?

Early Growth

• Bare root plants typically don't bear fruit until they're 2 or 3 years old, according to The Ohio State University Extension. Bare root plants occasionally might flower and produce fruit the first season after planting, but doing so can compromise later yields. Fruit production takes a lot of energy. Plants that bear fruit early are often stunted and grow poorly in later years. Remove all the flowers and developing fruit for the first two years after planting.

Mature Plants

• Blueberries grow more slowly than many plants and might not produce a full yield until they are 5 to 8 years old. Remember, though, that blueberry plants can live for 50 years or more, so your initial patience pays off in future investments. You can allow the plant to bear fruit during the third season or when it stands 2 1/2 feet tall.

Pruning

• From the third year on, blueberry plants can bear fruit, but the plants still need some judicial pruning. Blueberries tend to produce prolific yields that are often larger than the plant can support. If you allow all the fruit to develop, they'll be small and the branches may be damaged. Remove blossoms from thin, young branches and those that have few leaves. Blueberries develop fruit on 1-year-old canes so you can prune out a few of the older branches to open the plant up to more light.

Yields

• How soon you get berries and how many berries you harvest depends on both growing conditions and the variety. Blueberries need moist, but well-draining, acidic soil and full sun to thrive. They require soil with a pH level of 4.5 to 5.5. Alkaline soils must be amended with sulfur, peat moss and acidic fertilizers. Be sure to select a variety suited to your area. Northern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) grow well in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 7, while southern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) and rabbiteye (Vaccinium virgatum) varieties grow in USDA zones 6 through 10. Northern and southern highbush varieties usually yield between 3 and 9 pounds per plant per year, while a healthy rabbiteye bush can yield up to 25 pounds of berries in one year.