Have you been thinking about growing some delicious blueberries right in your own backyard? I’ve got you covered with a quick guide that will help get you started.

These tips will help you choose the right plants for you, help you grow healthy bushes, and answer basic questions all beginners have.

Blueberry Basics

Blueberries are one of the easiest and dependable fruits you can grow. Even if you don't have much space to plant, there are many varieties that will thrive in containers!

As long as you choose the correct location, the proper soil and the best bushes suited for your climate, you will be harvesting homegrown blueberries all summer long. 

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that help guard against cancer and heart disease

The first step to having backyard blueberries is choosing your variety. 

Choosing Your Variety

Highbush

- This variety is native to most of the eastern United States. This type is divided into the northern and southern type.

- Northern Highbush blueberries grow best in zones 4-7.

- Southern Highbush blueberries grow best in zones 6-10.

- Highbush cultivars are self-fertile. This means that they will produce berries without a pollenizer.

- The most popular variety for the home gardener. 

- Can grow up to 8 feet depending on variety. 

- Yield is up to 5 to 10 pounds of berries per plant.

- Best Sellers: (N) Bluegold, Bluecrop, Patriot (S) Misty, Jewel, Gulf Coast

Find out what zone you are growing in by clicking here.

Lowbush

- This variety is native to the far norther United States and Canada. Lowbush is synonymous with "wild".

- Lowbush blueberries grow best in areas that are zones 2-6.

- This variety does not grow taller that 4 feet high.

- Lowbush varieties must be cross-pollinated by another lowbush or highbush cultivar. 

Best Sellers: Chippewa, Northblue, Polaris

What is cross-pollination? Cross-pollination is the transfer of pollen from the flower of one plant to the flower of a plant having a different genetic constitution.

Rabbiteye

- This variety is native to the far norther Southeastern United States.

- Rabbiteye blueberries grow best in areas that are zones 6-9.

- This variety thrives in climates with hot summers and mild winters.

- Can grow up to 10 feet depending on variety. 

- Rabbiteye varieties must be cross-pollinated by a different rabbiteye cultivar. 

- Yield is up to 15 pounds of berries per plant.

Best Sellers: Brightwell, Premier, Pink Lemonade

Blueberries are a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, manganese, and potassium

Now that' you've found the variety you want to grow, it's time to get planting!

Planting Your Blueberries

There are a couple of important steps you will want to take in order to be successful with your new plants. Follow along and you will be harvesting ripe, delicious berries all season long!

Preparation

The first step you will want to take is to find a location in your yard that has full sun and good drainage. They can grow in a semi-shaded area, but they will grow more fruit in a sunny spot. You also want to make sure your spot is weed free. 

Soil

Soil is definitely something you want to focus on when it comes to blueberries. They are rather picky, and really struggle to thrive if they aren't given the proper soil conditions. Blueberry bushes prefer an acidic soil between 4.9-5.3.

Don't have acidic soil? That's okay! It is easy to amend your soil with organic matter. You can add peat moss, pine needles and wood chips to the shallowest layers of your soil. Keep your blueberry bed mulched with aged sawdust, which is acidic. You can also top-dress with soil sulfur twice a year.

Want to learn how to easily test the pH of your soil? click here to learn how.

Spacing

Make sure your bushes are spaced out about 4 to 5 feet apart. If planting in rows, make sure each row is 8 to 10 feet apart. Remember, you will want plenty of room to let your bushes grow, and the more space you have will allow for easier garden maintenance seasonal clean up.

Planting Tips

Tip 1: The ideal time to plant blueberry bushes is during the spring or the fall. This will allow your plant to grow healthy roots before the heat arrives.

Tip 2: Although you can purchase self-pollinating varieties, it's better to combine different varieties. This will increase the productivity of your plants and allow you to stagger your harvest time. 

Tip 3: Make sure to dig a hole twice the size of your root ball. Then, mound your plant’s top soil about 1/2 an inch higher than the existing ground and firm around root ball.

Growing In Containers

Growing blueberries in containers and raised beds make it so much easier to control your soil conditions. Focus on size and drainage when choosing a container.

Make sure your container is at least 24 inches deep and 24 inches wide. Add in a mix of regular potting soil, azalea or hydrangea potting soil and peat moss. Place your pot in a sunny location and make sure to keep your soil evenly moist throughout the season.

Photo provided by bushelandberry.com

Three great options for patio containers are Jelly Bean, Peach Sorbet and Perpetua. These bushes stay compact and are self-pollinating. You can find information on these specific varieties at Bushel and Berry and can be purchased online at Stark Bro's. 

The hard work is behind us. Let's keep those plants looking good!

Caring For Your Plants

Watering

Blueberry bushes need about 2 inches of water each week. Water them once a week and deeply. 

Mulching

Applying a 2 to 4 inch layer of mulch around your plant will help keep moisture in. Make sure to renew your mulch as needed and keep at least a 2 inch deep layer.

Examples of acidic mulch are conifer wood chips, bark chips and sawdust. This will also keep your plants protected during the winter months.

Pruning

You don't need to prune your blueberry bushes during the first three years. After that, prune your plants anywhere from the beginning of February to the end of March.

Remove any dead, diseased or discolored twigs or branches. Once you have a mature plant, remove low growth around the base. You can safely remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the wood out of your plant each year to keep berry production at a high. 

Fertilizing

Once you have established blueberry bushes, they like acidic fertilizers such as formulas for rhododendrons or azaleas.

The ideal time to fertilize is once in early spring and again in late spring. Blueberry plants are sensitive to over-fertilization, so no need to overdo it. 

Pests & Disease

Pests you want to watch out for are thrips, aphids and blueberry tip borer. You can protect your plants from most pests with floating row covers, sticky traps, insecticidal soap and neem oil. 

Two diseases to keep an eye out for are leaf spot and powdery mildew. Make sure your plants have plenty of space for proper air circulation as a preventative measure. Also, clean up any fallen debris and replace mulch annually to avoid spores overwintering.  

Treat pests and disease with something organic like  Garden Safe Fungicide3.

Harvesting

Yes! The best part - when all of that hard work pays off! Depending on the variety you choose, harvesting takes place anywhere from late May to August. Berries reach full flavor several days after they have turned completely blue. The longer they stay on the bush, the sweeter they become.

Gently brush your plants, and ripe ones should fall right into your hand. Once your berries are harvested, they can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. You can also store unwashed berries in the freezer for up to 10-12 months. 

There you go. Now that you know all these easy tips and tricks, get out there and grow the tastiest berries in the neighborhood!

Have you grown blueberries before? Any advice you'd like to share or stories of your own? Share with me in the comments below. 

As always, thank you for reading and happy gardening!