How to Grow and Care for Blueberry Plants

Berry cluster

Blueberries are one of the easiest fruit to grow for the garden. The beautiful bushes blend well into the surrounding, growing 5 to 8 feet tall with small, white shaped flowers in Spring, yielding crops of berries in Summer through early Fall. Research has shown that blueberries provide more antioxidants for better health than most other fruit.

Things You'll Need

• Blueberry plants
• Gardening tools
• Gloves
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Choosing the Site - - > Blueberries grow best in full sun, relatively loose and sandy soil. Plants grow well in partial shade, but production declines as shade increases. Blueberries are shallow rooted and they are poor competitors against large; deep rooted trees, shrubs, and weeds that compete for water. So look for a place where there are no crowded plants nearby. Blueberries need well drained, nutrient rich soil with good aeration. Soil acidity is also very important in growing blueberries. Plants need a pH of 4.0 - 5.0 to thrive. If you don't have the described soil, you can enrich soil with good organic compost or buy top soil specified for growing berries at your local nursery or home and garden center.

2. 

   Planting - - > Plant blueberries in spring after all danger of frost passes. When growing several plants, you may find it easier to prepare a bed rather than digging holes for individual plants. Add a generous amount of peat moss to your hole or bed to increase the organic content and to ensure continued soil acidity. Make sure you have a hole large enough to let the roots spread naturally. A good measure to estimate of how much room to give the roots is to place the plants at the same levels as they were when you purchased them at your local nursery. Plant each tree 6 to 8 feet apart. Pack soil firmly around the roots of each plant. Blueberries generally are self-pollinating, plant two or more trees for a larger harvest of fruit. The new plants need more water than usual, so water your new blueberry plants more frequently than you would to a mature plant.

3. Pest - - > Birds are the biggest pest to the berries, they will pick the fruit until every berry is gone. Net the bushes completely with bird netting during harvest season.

4. 

   Harvesting - - > Blueberries ripen at from mid-July until early September. Berries turn from green to red and then blue with a waxy covering that protects berries from spoiling. Most of us try to harvest berries too early unaware of that berries will hold on the bush for many days after ripening. Their flavor peaks several days after they turn blue and berries increase in size during this period. Use a gentle twisting motion to pick the berries into containers.

Tips & Warnings

• Blueberries freeze well in freezer containers for later use.

• Do not let young plant roots dry out.

• More water is needed during the summer for both young and mature bushes. Water at least once per week.

Resources

• www.gardenguides.com (tips growing blueberries)
• How to - Garden guide. (blueberry hints)
• West Virginia University (Horticulture Dept.)
• www.essortment.com (hobbies - growing edibles - blueberry)
• www.gurneys.com (nursery - blueberries sale)