Blueberries are one of the easiest fruits to add to your home landscape and are so worthwhile to grow.
When planted in full sun, they provide year-round interest with their pendulous flowers in Spring, the most rewarding fruit in Summer and stunning shades of orange and red in Fall. They are one of the few blue edible fruits and are full of antioxidants.
Growing Blueberries
When you decide to grow blueberries, there are a few things to consider.
While most blueberries are self-fertile, they are more productive when at least two varieties are grown near each other.
They will flower at the same time; however, they ripen at different intervals from summer to fall, extending your blueberry season. Be sure to check the tag for harvest times or view our chart below.
This will also help our bees. Bees have a smart way of gathering food called “Flower Constancy.” Basically, they like sticking to one type of flower arranged in groups, so they don’t waste energy flying around to find different flowers to pollinate.
Planting Blueberries
Select a sunny location, for best results avoid planting around trees. Trees will provide too much shade as well as take away the water and nutrients needed for blueberry success. Blueberries prefer their soil on the acidic side, which is what we have here in the Pacific Northwest.
They need soil that drains well but keeps their roots moist. When planting, mix planting compost with the existing soil, about 50/50 is perfect, and press it firmly around the roots. This helps break down any hard clay soil and release the acidic nutrients they love
Pruning & Fertilizing Blueberries
When first planting your blueberries, no pruning is needed until they become established. This can take 2 to 3 years. However, removing all the blossoms the first year after planting will allow your plant’s roots to become more established.
- By the third year, remove any weak, spindly growth that is unproductive.
- Remove any branches that may have been damaged or dead from the earlier winter weather.
- Prune a few older, more mature canes. These can be distinguished by their woody texture as opposed to the smoother, brighter color of newer growth. By removing older growth, you will not only improve your production but the quality and size of the blueberry
- Keep in mind that blueberries fruit on the previous year’s growth and put on flower buds in the fall. Heavy pruning will result in less berries.
- The best time to prune blueberries is in the late Winter or early Spring while they are dormant.
- Fertilize blueberries twice a year: in early Spring, from mid-March to mid-April, and again in June using an organic fertilizer for acid loving plants.
- Be careful not to over fertilize, as you will get nice green growth with no flowers..
Harvesting Blueberries
Since different varieties set berries at various times, you can plan it so that you can have berries from late June through late August. Berries will ripen over a 2–5-week period depending on weather and variety.
Don’t be too excited to pick the berries when they first turn blue. They will develop a better flavor if you leave them for a few days.
You can enjoy blueberries by eating them fresh from the bush, in scrumptious baked goods, in smoothies or simply freezing them to enjoy later.
Not all blueberry bushes are created equal. Because there are so many different varieties, there are certainly options that would be aesthetically pleasing for your landscape project in addition to producing delicious berries the whole family will be sure to love.
However you choose to indulge, they are a must in the home garden. Below are a few of our favorites we carry.
