How to Grow Blueberries in Tubs

Homegrown blueberries go right from bush to table.

For such a small, sweet fruit, blueberries are extremely picky about their growing conditions. Blueberries will grow only in acidic soil, so if your garden is alkaline or even well-balanced, you will have trouble growing blueberries. For this reason, many home growers choose to plant blueberries in tubs or containers. This way, you can provide the optimal soil conditions for blueberries without ruining the other plants in your garden.

Things You'll Need

• Tub
• Ericaceous compost
• Peat moss
• Seed or cutting
• Fertilizer

Instructions

1. Wash out your chosen planting tub with warm water. Your planting tub must feature drainage holes for excess water, but otherwise the choice is yours. Use a pot that fits your space allotment; the size of the blueberry plants depends on the size of the pot. Obviously, larger plants produce more fruit.

2. Fill your tub ¾ of the way full of ericaceous compost and peat moss. Bury a blueberry seed 1 inch deep in the soil; plant only a single seed per tub. If you use cuttings or blueberry transplants, bury the roots 1 to 1 ½ inch deep in the planting mix.

3. Water the newly planted blueberry until excess runs out the drainage holes. If possible, use rainwater, since it is slightly more acidic than drinking water. Going forward, water the blueberries any time the top 1 inch of soil feels dry to the touch; in hot climates you may need to water twice per day.

4. Store the blueberry tub in an area in which it will receive six to eight hours of full sunlight each day.

5. Fertilize your blueberries every three weeks from early spring to early fall using ericaceous fruit fertilizer. Consult the product for details, since dilution and application rates vary by product and size of plants. Berries generally begin to form in early summer.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider burying your tubs in your garden with 2 to 3 inches protruding from the ground so that you have a type of raised garden that supports your acidic soil.

• Unrestrained, blueberries will grow up to 6 feet tall.

• If you store your blueberries outdoors, place a net over the plant as soon as the berries begin to sprout, or birds and other animals will eat the fruit.

References

• University of Illinois Extension Service: Blueberries
• Ashridge Trees: Growing Blueberries in Pots
• Dorset Blueberry Company: Advice