Growing your own blueberry plants is a great way to provide your family with this amazing antioxidant-packed fruit for less right from your own garden.
They are easy to grow and do not require a lot of maintenance to thrive and each year they will begin to produce more and more food for your family.
Check out all of these great Blueberry recipes to find your next fave!
How to Grow Blueberries
Like other berries, your blueberries should be planted in full sun where they can receive at least 6 hours a day of direct sunlight.
This is essential for the growth and production of your plants.
Place your blueberries at least 3 feet apart to leave room for them to grow.
This is vital if you are growing them in the ground rather than containers that can be moved as your plants get larger and need to be repotted.
While your plants will produce the first few years will have a smaller harvest. Your blueberry bushes will reach their full size in 8 to 10 years.
Blueberry bushes can be planted in the fall or the early spring through fall is preferable if you are starting your cuttings yourself to allow your plants to establish themselves and leave less work for you in the spring when it is time to put in your annual plants.
Prune back old, weak, and dead woody stems during the winter to keep your plants healthy and to encourage more bushy growth that can increase your fruit yield.
Do this after the coldest weather has passed but new growth has not yet appeared.
How to Start Blueberry Plants
Blueberry bushes can be started from seed but it can take years for the plant to produce.
The best way to start a blueberry plant to grow at home is to start them from a cutting of one that is already well established and producing.
To start a blueberry plant from a cutting you will need to take the cutting during the summer when the plant is in the peak of its growth cycle.
Treat take a cutting that is at least 6 inches long from a healthy stem that does not have flowers or fruit at the time of cutting.
Dip the end of your cutting into rooting hormone and place it into a pot of well-draining soil that is acidic enough for your plants.
Place a plastic bag over your cutting and the container to trap moisture and warmth, like a greenhouse, then place them in a sunny window.
Spray the soil lightly every day to keep your cutting from drying out.
During this time remove the plastic from your cutting to allow the plant to breathe.
Roots will form in 6 to 8 weeks.
Harden your cuttings in full sun for about a week.
Plant your cuttings in the ground during the early fall to allow them to establish themselves before the winter and begin their growth cycle in the early spring.
How to Keep the Soil Acidic for Blueberries
The biggest challenge many people deal with when it comes to growing blueberries is keeping the soil acidic enough to keep the plants happy.
Blueberries need a more acidic type of soil compared to most plants, measuring a little closer to 4.5 to 5.0.
Adding in plenty of fresh compost, powdered lime, coffee grounds, and even mulching with pine needles or planting your blueberries near a pine tree can be great ways to help keep the soil at the best acidity possible.
Many people choose to grow blueberries in pots to help make it easier to control the soil PH levels though this can leave your blueberry bushes stunted for growth.
How to Deal with Pests in Your Blueberry Plants
Blueberries sadly have a wide range of pests and diseases that can lead to problems with your plants.
The most common issues include aphids, moths, and scale though blueberry plants do have some specific pests like blueberry tip borer, blueberry gall midge, and blueberry stem gall wasp.
It is vital that you pay attention to your plants by checking them regularly for pests and using organic pest control methods.
Invite beneficial insects into your garden space by planting flowers that attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and parasitic wasps that will help to deal with common pests that like to go after your blueberry plants.
You can help to protect your blueberry plants from common diseases by making a point to water at the base of the plant and to ensure that your soil is acidic enough to help your blueberry plants thrive.
Prune away rotting vegetation from your plants to keep them from attracting pests to your plants.
Harvest your blueberries regularly when they are ready.
This is essential to protect your crop from birds that love to eat blueberries.
Regular harvesting will allow you to make the most of your harvest.
You can preserve your blueberries once you are producing more than your family can eat fresh.
Follow all of these tips and you’ll be growing lots and lots of fresh blueberries in your yard in no time!
More Gardening How To’s
If you found this article useful, you’ll love these ones too:
- How to Grow More Berries in Your Garden – There are so many more less common berries that you can try growing in your gardens like cranberries, elderberries and gooseberries.
- How to Grow Elderberry Plants – Growing your own elderberries is a great frugal way to provide your family with these healthy fruits.
- How to Plant & Care for a Cherry Tree – a complete guide to help you plant and care for your very own cherry tree!
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