How to Plant Blueberries

Blueberries have become a much-loved fruit worldwide for their sweet flavor and innumerable health properties. These plump little berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber and packed with vitamins. The best of all, (from our gardening perspective) blueberries are super easy to grow!

Unlike most fruits that grow on large trees that seem somewhat inaccessible to the urban grower, blueberries can thrive in small spaces and produce an abundance of fruit in a pot on a windowsill.

If you want to plant a blueberry bush but think it’s too late, you’re in luck! 

When to plant

Fall is the perfect time to buy a blueberry bush and transplant it into your garden or a pretty pot for your windowsill. Blueberries start to flower in spring and develop their fruit throughout Summer. Transplanting a blueberry bush during active growth and development can cause more damage than transplanting during fall after harvesting the fruit, and the plant starts to slow down its growth for the winter.

How to plant

First, ensure the soil or containers are well drained, as blueberries don’t do well with wet feet (what gardeners refer to roots that are drowning in damp soil for long periods as). Blueberry bushes have relatively shallow root systems, which makes them great container plants. They thrive in acidic soils with lots of organic matter like compost.

Now it's time to plant

Plant your blueberry bush in a well-drained acidic soil mix and add lots of compost. After planting, add a layer of wood chips or any other mulch to cover and protect the soil surface. Covering the soil surface is critical for blueberries because their roots are so shallow.

What to look out for

When fertilizing your blueberry bushes, only apply foliar sprays (on the leaves) and avoid adding fertilizers to the soil. The roots of the blueberry bush will be sensitive for at least a year after transplanting, and strong fertilizers could damage the young and newly developing roots.