HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN BLUEBERRIES

Planting, Growing, And Caring For Blueberry Bushes

Growing Blueberries in your garden at home is increasing in popularity. You get the freshest possible fruit, picked at the peak of ripeness, and well below the cost of commercially produced berries. And, of course, the most mouthwatering flavor imaginable.

Blueberries sold in grocery stores don’t even look like the photos in catalogs or like the real thing, freshly picked. The taste of store bought berries is often very disappointing as well. It is worth the extra effort to grow them yourself as long as you don’t just select your variety from the prettiest berry photograph in the garden catalog while ignoring the facts. And its easier than you think to be successful at growing your own fruit if you do your research first.

In this Article you will learn the best way to deal with Blueberry growing issues, such as:

• How to choose the right plants for your garden
• How to deal with Soil pH
• How (and where) to plant and care for your bushes
• How to extend your Blueberry harvest as long as possible
• How to grow better fruit with Companion Planting
• How to deal with wildlife damage, and MORE.

Let me show you how.

The Four Types Of Blueberry Bushes

• Highbush Blueberries are the most frequently grown type of Blueberry, and are also the tallest and most productive.
• Low Bush Blueberries are extremely cold hardy, but the plants are small, as are the fruits.
• A happy medium is the Half High Blueberry, which is a cross between the Highbush and the Low Bush, and the name describes the plant. Half Highs also have great cold hardiness.
• Rabbiteye Blueberries are typically grown in the heat of the Southern part of the USA.

My personal preference is for the Highbush Blueberry.

Choosing The Right Blueberry Varieties

Decide first on your primary use: Fresh eating, cooking, baking, jam, or freezing. If a Blueberry variety is primarily for fresh use, ask yourself: Can you really use several pounds of Blueberries that all get ripe at the same time?

Some very sweet berries don’t taste quite as good in baked goods, but are wonderful eaten fresh. If you can’t freeze them successfully or cook or bake with them without the flavor going flat, that leaves mixing them into yogurt and salads, putting them on cereal, or decorating the tops of pastries with a few, and eating the rest raw by the handful.

Choose a variety that is good for many uses. Bluecrop, Blueray, Jersey, Patriot, and Reka Blueberries are good for all of these preparations.

How Many Blueberry Bushes Should I Plant?

Find out how many pounds of fruit your chosen variety produces each year prior to ordering your plants. You might find that one plant is more than enough for your needs.

When going through a garden catalog, read carefully for the details that people so often miss, such as the fact that some Blueberries, such as Bluecrop and Patriot, are sour unless they remain on the plant for a week past the time that they “look ripe.” During this extra time on the bush, the fruit also will continue to increase in size.

Do Blueberries Need A Pollinator?

Most varieties of Blueberries are self-pollinating, although they will produce more fruit if planted with a pollinator.

When pollinating Blueberry plants, you must consider what the mature height and width of the plants will be. Make sure there is no more than 5 to 6 feet of space between the mature plants in rows that are not more than 10 feet apart for best results.

Recommended Highbush Blueberry Varieties

• Patriot Blueberry has an excellent sweet, tangy, and robust flavor that is very popular. The fruit is large, juicy, and firm. Its yield is high, averaging 10 to 20 pounds at maturity. The average height is 3 to 4 feet tall (possibly 4 to 5 feet tall in the southern states), and is upright and spreading. It is a vigorous grower that must be pruned hard to obtain large fruit. This plant works well as a container plant. Patriot is adaptable to many diverse soil types and performs better in heavier or wetter soil than some other varieties. It is frost sensitive due to early bloom time. Grows in Zone 3 to 7.
• Reka Blueberry has an exquisite flavor: Sweet, tart, spicy, and crisp. The plant is 4 to 6 feet tall, upright and vigorous. It produces bountiful yields of medium to large size berries and is adapted to a wide range of soil types. Grows in Zone 4 to 7.
• Bluecrop Blueberry is a great balance between sweet and tart, but I think the flavor isn’t quite as good as Blueray. The fruit is firm and resists cracking. It produces high yields of 10 to 20 pounds. The bush grows 4 to 6 feet tall, and is upright and open. The canes tend to flop over, so prune when needed to maintain its shape. The plant is vigorous and has very good disease resistance. Grows in Zone 4 to 7.
• Blueray Blueberry: The fruit is very large, firm, and crack resistant. It has outstanding flavor that is tangy, but overall is very sweet; actually, a little sweeter than Bluecrop. The plant grows 4 to 6 feet tall and is upright and spreading. It grows vigorously, so extra pruning is needed since the canes will be weighted down due to heavy production of fruit. Like most Blueberries, Blueray is self-pollinating, but it is an ideal pollinator for most other varieties. Grows in Zone 4 to 7.
• Jersey Blueberry: The small to medium sized fruit is juicy and firm. It produces very good, sweet berries that are crack resistant. It yields a large crop of 7 to 10 pounds per season that have a good shelf life. The bushes grow to 7 feet tall, and are erect and form a dense center that needs pruning to promote good air circulation. This is an old 1928 cultivar that is adapted to a wide range of soils. It grows vigorously and is long lived. Grows in Zone 4 to 7.

Winter Hardiness Zones

Bluecrop, Blueray, Jersey, and Patriot Blueberries are well documented for their hardiness, and are able to survive the winters in Iowa, Minnesota, and even southern Canada. Some might need winter protection in the coldest sites. All four will also grow as far south as northern Texas and northern Mississippi. Blueray is especially able to take summertime heat, and grows with vigor in the southern states.

Reka is said to have hardiness that is similar to Bluecrop, growing in Zones 4 through 7, but I have seen no proof that Reka survives well in Zone 4.

As an experiment, I tried Reka here in Southern Iowa (Zone 5) in a sheltered location with adequate winter protection. At least, I thought so! Things went well for the first 2 winters, but the third year we had devastating winter weather, with temperatures that dipped down to 43 degrees below zero for days. My beloved Reka Blueberry bush bit the dust. (These things happen.)

Protecting Blueberries From A Late Freeze

In early Spring, when Blueberries or Strawberries are blossoming, they are sometimes threatened by a late freeze.

I’ve often seen my parents drag old blankets, bed spreads, and even sheets out into the Strawberry patch and cover them as best they could to try to protect the blooms. They would weight it all down here and there with bricks.

This could be accomplished with both Strawberries and Blueberries, but you might have a harder time doing it with Blackberries and Raspberries due to the thorns. All this should be removed during the daytime if the temperature warms up to above freezing.

This procedure is similar to putting a “hot cap” on your tomato plants.

One thing I do to give my Blueberry plants as much wintertime protection as possible is to plant them on the south side of one of my metal outbuildings. The building is white, so reflects the sunlight well onto them. It also protects the bushes from the frigid blast of north wind. This has been beneficial in coaxing them through the long, harsh months of the year.

Extending The Blueberry Harvest Season

Careful planning, and enough coddling, will provide the Blueberry fancier with fresh fruit for the entire growing season. Varieties come in Early Season, Early Mid-Season, Mid-Season, Late Mid-Season, Late Season, and Very Late Season ripening times, which will often overlap.

Most garden sources do not mention that the lion’s share of these time frames fall within the months of July and August.

The Low Chill Blueberry varieties that are especially bred to flourish in the heat of the South usually produce in May and June. Plan this out if you want to extend your Blueberry gathering as long as possible.

Always check out the number of Chill Hours (the number of cumulative hours below 45 degrees needed to set fruit) of your chosen plant before you order it! Low Chill Blueberries will not survive in the northern states. High Chill Blueberries must have more cool weather in order to survive and thrive.

Blueberry Ripening Times

• Patriot: Early Season; Ripens from July 7 to 21
• Reka: Early Season; Ripens from July 7 to 21
• Blueray: Mid-Season; Ripens from July 14 to August 5
• Bluecrop: Mid-Season; Ripens from July 14 to August 10
• Jersey: Late Season; Ripens from July 25 to August 21

Life Span Of Blueberry Bushes

Blueberry bushes are very long lived. They can produce crops for 30 to 50 years, and some possibly as much as 80 years, or so I am told. Choose your planting site carefully, for the plant will be living there for a very long time.

How Long Does It Take To Grow Your Own Blueberries?

Typically, it can take between 3 to 6 years for a Blueberry bush to produce a fruit crop. This will depend on the size of the plant that you purchase. In other words, if you plant a two-year-old plant it will produce fruit quicker than if you start with a small seedling plant.

Blueberries should not be allowed to bear fruit for the first 2 years after planting. Remove the blossoms so all the strength goes into root development and foliage production. The hardest part of growing Blueberries is having to wait over 2 years to taste the fruit.

What Is The Best Soil pH For Blueberries?

One of the most asked questions that I get is about soil preparation for the Blueberry plant. They require a very specific Soil pH, which seems baffling to many people. The problem arises since the plants that you buy from garden nurseries are hybrids, and therefore are more fussy than wild Blueberry bushes.

Blueberry plants are divas. The Soil pH must be just right or they’ll sit there and pout. This fact is disputed by some gardeners who claim they have good Blueberry production regardless of Soil pH.

One way to tell if you have a problem is to pay attention to the leaves. If the leaves are turning yellow, you know the Soil pH is too high (too alkaline,) and needs to be amended. The ideal Soil pH for Blueberries is 4.0 to 5.5, which is acidic.

Yellow leaves can also mean you are giving the plant far too much water. Blueberries have a shallow root system, so you must take care when watering. Peach trees also have shallow roots. I accidentally drowned a young Peach tree decades ago because I didn’t recognize the telltale signs of overwatering: yellow leaves.

How To Lower Soil pH For Blueberries

When you plant your new bush, use a commercial soil additive from your garden center that is specifically for Blueberries. Mix it well into the soil, put your bush in the ground, and fill the hole with soil. Water it well to settle the soil around the roots.

Thereafter, the easiest way I know of to give your Blueberries the Soil pH they like is to use coffee. Black coffee! Not decaf. No sugar, no creamer. Just plain black coffee. Save your leftover coffee each day, and when it is cool, dilute it by half with water. Use that to water your Blueberry plants. They love it! It helps enormously to promote the kind of soil that Blueberries thrive in.

I do not use coffee grounds. You would have to work them into the soil, which could disturb the delicate surface roots and harm the plant. Just pouring on the cold coffee works best.

I tell folks to “baby them” for 5 or 6 years, then let them go. By then your Blueberry bushes should be able to take care of themselves. But remember to keep an eye on the leaves for signs that your plant is in distress.

When And Where To Plant Blueberries

Plant Blueberries in the Spring. They will then have several months of warm weather to develop a strong root system. It is far less trouble taking care of your bushes in Springtime than it would be doing a Fall planting, then worrying about them making it through rough Winter weather.

Do Blueberry bushes need full sun? Absolutely! Blueberries always do best when grown in full sun. Growing them in shade will give very disappointing results, both in the size of your harvest and in taste.

Good air circulation is also important, since crowding plants together causes the spread of diseases.

Keeping them away from the roots of trees is important. Blueberries don’t appreciate the competition for water and nutrients.

Preparing The Planting Hole

Avoid planting Blueberries in soil that is too wet. This can result in root rot, which spells certain death for berry bushes.

Blueberries don’t like a heavy soil. Crumble the soil up as you dig the hole. Don’t just leave the soil in chunks, for it is hard to get it back around the roots. Always mix in plenty of compost, along with soil acidifier, and combine everything together like a big cake mix.

Many people feel a square hole is better to allow root development than a round hole. Dig the hole at least 18 to 24 inches deep and 18 inches wide. Dump at least a half gallon of water into the planting hole and let it drain into the soil before planting your Blueberry. This makes the roots reach deep for moisture.

Plant with the crown of the plant one-half inch above the surface of the soil. If you cover the crown, it could smother the plant. Use mulch to retain moisture and help keep the weeds down. Mulch also promotes protection from Winter weather.

Many people feel it’s easier to grow Blueberries in containers.

Weeding Around Your Blueberry Plants

Keep weeds and grass completely away from the roots of these plants. Blueberries have very shallow roots and they don’t like competition from anything this aggressive.

Be very careful when weeding, which must always be done by hand. The surface roots are very delicate. They hate the competition from weeds, or the shock of using a spade or metal tools when working around the plant.

Crabgrass and Clover can completely choke out and kill your plant, which is something I learned the hard way. Lemon Balm herb can cause the same problem. It has roots that are like tiny tough wires and are very hard to get a shovel through them to remove them from your garden.

Planting Locations

Selecting the right location to plant your bushes is of major importance to your gardening success.

Shrubs can act like a snow fence, and cause quite a problem for the homeowner. Blueberries and Blackberries especially can create a very thick hedge. Be careful so you don’t end up with a snow blocked driveway in the Winter.

The Autumn foliage of the Blueberry plant turns to a gorgeous scarlet or burgundy. This leads some people to plant Blueberries around the house as an ornamental. I advise against this since it is an open invitation to wildlife who might seize the opportunity to munch their way through your flower border.

The less obvious the bushes are at ripening time, the better. Anonymity can be hard to achieve with fruit that is so colorful, especially with birds soaring overhead like drones. Bird netting is the only way to deal with these persistent looters. And many people think bird netting is unattractive enough that they might not want it up close to a home.

Loss of harvest can also come from a cause nearer to home. Always plant enough extra for the kids to pick and eat for the sight of a ripe Blueberry is often just too much for them to resist. It is worth the effort to grow enough of this fruit to go around. Fat homemade Blueberry Muffins with a crumbly streusel topping will be snatched up in a hurry during breakfast and coffee break.

Grow Better Blueberries With Companion Planting

Planting Location also involves having a careful look at the best Companion Plants for Blueberry bushes. That is the study of how some plants grow happily together, and others just plain don’t!

Blueberries are very fussy plants, except, of course, for those that grow in the wild. The plants you order from a garden nursery are hybrids, so you can expect to have to baby them, at least for the first 5 or 6 years.

There are some things that Blueberries don’t’ mind growing with. They are listed here as “LOVES.” But there are far more things that Blueberries just don’t get along with at all. And those are listed here as “HATES.” You will increase your odds of a successful harvest if you pay attention to this Companion Planting List.

LOVES: Basil, Blackberries, Borage, Chamomile, Daisy, Dill, Echinacea (Coneflower), Elderberry, Gladiolus, Hazelnut Trees, Hyacinths, Lilac, Parsley, Petunia, Rhubarb, Sage, Strawberries, Thyme, Tulips

HATES: Apple, Apricot, Artichoke (Globe), Arugula, Asparagus, Beans (Bush), Beans (Pole), Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherry, Chinese Cabbage, Cilantro, Clover, Collard Greens, Comfrey, Conifers, Corn, Eggplant, Fennel, Grass, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Lemon Balm, Lettuce, Marjoram, Melons, Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes Lucida), Mint, Mustard Greens, Nectarines, Okra, Onion, Oregano, Peaches, Pears, Peas, Pecan, Peppers (Hot), Peppers (Sweet), Plums, Potato, Potato (Sweet), Pumpkin, Radishes, Raspberries, Rutabaga, Salsify, Squash (Summer), Squash (Winter), Sunflower, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tomatoes, Turnips, Walnut

Pruning Your Blueberry Plants

My approach to pruning is not scientific at all. Just imagine what your great-grandparents did when caring for their Blueberry bushes. They did not have access to charts and books that describe in detail what to cut and what to leave alone. They took a Common Sense approach to pruning.

If you fail to prune your plants regularly, the size of the fruits will dwindle.

Prune Blueberries after the plant has entered dormancy. This could be in December, or sometimes February. It is easier to prune a plant when there are no leaves obstructing your view. Sometimes you must cut off excess branches at other times of the year.

I first remove all dead wood. Also, any storm damaged wood. Any branches or leaves that don’t look healthy need to go as soon as you spot them.

If the branches grow together so thick that they deprive the interior of the plant of necessary sunlight and air circulation, it is time to start cutting. Blueberry plants can suffer from mold if this happens.

If any interior branches look thick and healthy, save them. Cut away the flimsy looking ones. Don’t be tenderhearted or timid! It will all grow back anyway.

How To Protect Blueberries From Wildlife Damage

Deer love Blueberries. Not just the fruit, but the foliage and the branches as well. My doctor mourned the loss of his beloved Blueberry bushes, since that is his favorite fruit. He said the deer had eaten the bushes all the way to the ground, in spite of the fact he had “chicken wire” fencing all the way around them. These persistent animals had stepped on the wire, and pawed at it enough that the stakes and wire came loose, and they had a feast.

The only way to protect berry bushes and fruit trees with any real certainty is to install at least a 6 foot tall, very sturdy fence all the way around them. And to keep the birds from eating the colorful fruit, you need “bird netting.” It is worth the expense to protect your harvest.

Raccoons are amazing climbers, and can scale a wire fence with ease. They can also dig under a fence. We have put electric fence wire all the way around our sweet corn, and it works great! If you have trouble with coons, you might have to use this as well as the tall fence and bird netting on your Blueberries.

Enjoy The Fruits Of Your Labors

From everyday baking projects to special events, the ripe Blueberry seems like such an extravagance to those who don’t grow their own. A trip to the grocery store easily causes “sticker shock” when you see the price. Having to resort to buying canned fruit instead of fresh is an unnecessary disappointment when it is so convenient to raise them in the home garden.

Family reunions are always as much about the food as they are about fellowship and reminiscing, at least ours is. After a heavy meal and the inevitable food coma that follows, there was still lots of activity around the dessert table. Fresh Blueberry Pie with plenty of vanilla ice cream is not that easy to say no to, even when you’re stuffed. And muffins baked with fruit from your own garden will stop you from ever buying another preservative laced muffin mix. Ever.

EVEN MORE ARTICLES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

• Moist Blueberry Muffins That WOW!
• Grow Better Fruit With Companion Planting
• How To Correct Soil pH 
• A Short Course On Soil pH

Happy Planting! Susan