Planting Blueberries
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to plant a blueberry plant. In the Mid-South the rabbiteye type grows best. In other areas a lowbush or highbush blueberry may be the right kind for you. Blueberries require cross-pollination so you should get two varieties for best results. Mike has a tiff blue plant and a climax plant. Mike digs a hole that is slightly deeper than the pot and much wider. The plant should be planted container depth. When planting blueberries it is important to put several shovel-fulls of sphagnum peat moss in the planting hole. The peat most helps the soil hold water. It also helps acidify the soil. Blueberries plants will grow large. If unpruned, a rabbiteye can get up to 20 feet tall. Blueberries should be planted at least 5 feet apart. If planted at that distance they will form a hedge. If you want to be able to walk between the plants they should be planted at least ten feet apart. Don’t fertilize the first year. Blueberries can be damaged by overfertilizing. When applying fertilizer don’t use ammonium nitrate, use ammonium sulphate as it will help acidify the soil. After the blueberry is planted Mike prunes off all the fruit. Removing the fruit makes the plant concentrate on growth. Finally Mike applies sulphur to the soil around the plant. The sulphur lowers the pH of the soil. Blueberries like a pH of 4.8-5.0 which will require the adding of sulfur. Get your soil tested to find out how much sulphur to add.
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Related Videos:
Keep Birds Out of Blueberries
How far out from my blueberry bushes is the soil acidic?
Related Resources:
Blueberries in Home Gardens
Blueberries for home landscapes
Site Selection and Preparation