Planting blueberries: location, time & Co.

As a heather plant, the blueberry has special requirements for its location. We show you what to look out for when planting he althy blueberries.

Blueberries (Vaccinium) are popular in home gardens for their sweet, blue fruits. A distinction must be made between the native wild blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) and the large-fruited cultivated blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), which are derived from an American species. But all blueberries have one thing in common: their special demands on their location. To ensure that your blueberries thrive and produce a bountiful harvest, you should consider a few aspects when planting them.

Blueberries differ from other crops in many ways. The shrubs with the blue berries not only make special demands on their location, but are also particularly choosy when it comes to the choice of substrate in which they grow.

The right location for blueberries/blueberries

For cultivated blueberries you should choose a location in the garden that is in full sun but is still sheltered from the wind. Sunlight promotes flowering, ripening and the taste of the berries. In its natural environment, the blueberry grows on heather, forest and moorland with a low pH value. The plant does not tolerate drought very well and both lack of water and waterlogging can lead to the death of the sensitive fine roots after a short time. Therefore, you should definitely pay attention to suitable soil conditions and an adequate water supply.

The right soil for blueberries/blueberries

Many crops in the garden prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH value in the soil, but as bog plants, blueberries are well adapted to acidic soils. Ideally, the pH is between 4.0 and 5.0. Garden soil is usually not acidic enough - so you should consider digging a larger planting hole and planting the blueberry bush with a suitable substrate. An improvement in soil conditions can also be achieved, for example, by introducingbark, sawdust or shredded coniferous wood. Commercially available peat-free rhododendron substrate combines all of these components and is therefore a simple way of creating the best possible habitat for the blueberry bush. In addition, the soil should be well aerated and have a high humus content. Calcareous soils, on the other hand, are not suitable for the cultivation of blueberries.

For more details, see a comprehensive article on Blueberry Soil here.

When should you plant blueberries?

Autumn (October/November) has proven to be the ideal time to plant blueberries. In this way, the shrub has enough time over the winter to slowly get used to the new location. If you missed planting in the fall, you can still plant blueberries in early spring from March to April.

What is the best way to plant blueberries?

For planting, it is best to use young plants that are two to three years old and have many branches and a well-developed root system. You can buy suitable planting material for this or grow your own young plants from cuttings. When planting blueberries, it is important to leave enough space so that the shrub can develop well. To do this, dig a generous planting hole about 60 cm deep and 1 m wide in order to be able to replace the soil. Such a depth is quite enough, since the blueberry has a very shallow root system. If possible, also attach foil to the sides of the planting hole so that no calcareous discharge reaches the plant. The shrub should be planted about 5 cm deeper than in the tree nursery to promote the formation of new shoots at the base. The hole is then best filled with special blueberry or rhododendron soil. Due to its low pH value of 4.5 to 5.0, this is perfect for the successful cultivation of blueberries.

To keep the soil acidic, you should also work in pine litter, leaves and bark mulch. In this way, nutrients are also provided in the long term. A layer of mulch made from these organic materials also keeps weeds back and reduces soil drying out. For ecological reasons, you should generally avoid using peat. The final casting is then best donewith low-lime rainwater.

How to plant blueberries/blueberries:

1. Dig a wide planting hole
2. Attach foil to the sides
3. Insert plant
4. Fill up with suitable substrate (pH value of 4.0 - 5.0)
5. Apply mulch layer
6. Cast on

By the way, the cultivation of several shrubs and varieties instead of just a single plant can have a positive effect on the yield. If you plant several of the young blueberry bushes in the garden, you should make sure that there is sufficient planting distance. This is usually 1.5 to 2 m.

Planting blueberries in a pot?

Cultivation in a bucket is a wonderful way of growing blueberries or blueberries yourself without a planting hole. The main advantage of this method lies in the certainty that no lime is introduced and the soil remains constantly acidic. Use a bucket that is as wide as possible and at least 60 cm deep and fill the pot with blueberry or rhododendron soil and organic material such as needle litter and pieces of bark. However, when growing blueberries in pots, make sure that the soil is constantly moist, as it dries out more easily in pots than outdoors.

Proper care for blueberries after planting

Since the blueberry develops relatively slowly, you should take good care of the berry bush, especially in the initial phase. The following aspects must be observed during maintenance:

Watering blueberries/blueberries

Due to the shallow root system, the blueberry depends on sufficient watering. The soil should always be kept moist without the plant sinking into waterlogging. It is best to use rainwater for watering, because calcareous tap water would have a negative effect on the pH value of the soil.

Fertilize blueberries/blueberries

When choosing fertilizers, you should also consider the demands of the blueberry on the soil. Special low-lime fertilizers that are tailored to the needs of the berry bush are available in specialist shops. In addition, you can apply acidic natural fertilizers (such as pine litter, chopped softwood or bark mulch) to the soil and work them in. These decompose over time and givereleasing the nutrients to the plant. We also recommend primarily organic long-term fertilizers such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer.

You can find more about correct fertilizing of blueberries/blueberries here.

Cut blueberries/blueberries

From time to time, the slow-growing blueberries also need a pruning. This is best done after the harvest in autumn (October/November). Remove old, diseased shoots that are too flat so that the plant can use its strength for the remaining fruit shoots.

We have put together everything you need to know about cutting the blueberry correctly.