How to Grow Blueberry Plants for the Sweetest Berries

Cultivating and raising blueberry plants can be an exciting gardening project. Luscious and juicy blueberries result when blueberry plants are around four years of age. Blueberry plants can grow in zone 3 to zone 10. Select blueberry plant varieties that will grow best for your zone.

Things You'll Need

• Blueberry Bushes
• Gardening Tiller
• Organic Compost
• Cow Manure
• Mulch Material
• Chicken Wire
• Bird Netting
• Water
• 10-10-10 Fertilizer
• Gardening Gloves
• Pruning Sheers
• Small Rocks
• Coarse Sand
• Gardening Sheers

Instructions

1. Till up one or more rows to plant your blueberry bushes. Every 10 feet spread a light layer of 10-10-10 fertilizer, cow manure, coarse sand and organic compost. Every 2 feet add a light layer of small rocks or coarse sand. Re-till the row to mix everything together in the soil. Till the area at least 24 inches deep.

2. Plant blueberry plants approximately 5 to 6 feet apart in a sunny location. Apply 1 inch of compost material at the base of each blueberry plant. Apply 2 inches of mulch on top of the compost material at the base of each blueberry plant.

3. Water blueberry plants with 2 inches of water immediately after planting. Check plants weekly and provide up to 2 inches of water, depending on the rainfall that week.

4. Place small-gauged chicken wire around the base of each blueberry plant or around each row of blueberry plants to discourage feeding from yard rodents and rabbits.

5. Fertilize each row of blueberry plants with 10-10-10 granules according to the manufacturer's instructions in the early spring and again in the late summer.

6. Use gardening sheers to remove the lower 1/4 of stems and leaves of each plant at the beginning of the winter, prior to the first frost. Examine each plant and cut off any diseased, broken or completely dead limbs.

7. Prune blueberry plants that a minimum of 3 years of age by removing the lower 1/2 of stems and leaves from each plant at the beginning of winter. Cut 1/2 of the new growth from the growing season off of each plant.

8. Add 1 inch of composting material and 2 inches of mulch on top of the composting material, at the base of each plant after pruning. Reduce water to 1 inch until the growing season in the spring months.

Tips & Warnings

• Blueberry plants thrive best in acidic, clay or coarse soil that has a PH of 4.0 to 4.5.

• Blueberry plants do best in full sun.

• Always trim and prune blueberry plants to encourage larger and sweeter blueberries. Plants with too many berries will produce small and bitter-tasting fruit.

• Do not do a full prune until Blueberry plants are around 3 to 4 years of age.

• Provide extra water in zone 7 or higher. Provide extra ground mulch in zones 3 to 5.

Resources

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