Blueberry Planting Guide

Blueberry Planting Tips

Blueberry plants are shipped rooted in soil.  Do not let root ball dry out and do not over water, or plants will suffer and possibly die.  In dry windy climates, provide wind protection for the first season and check dryness of the root ball several times daily on hot days over 85 degrees.

Plant in full sun or ¾ sun.  Till 30% sawdust into your soil and form a mounded row going up and down the slope.  Do not use walnut, cedar, cypress, or redwood sawdust.  Fir, oak, pine, maple, or hemlock is okay.  Do not use chips, needles, or shavings as they will not allow the plants to drain properly.  Soil pH should be between 5.0 and 6.0.  In areas of high pH and dry climate, reduce sawdust to 15% and add 15% peat moss when planting.  Mulch over the plants with 3 inches of sawdust. Remember, as the sawdust breaks down, it will use up a lot of the Nitrogen fertilizer.  Use a fertilizer that is high in Nitrogen (N) with smaller amounts of Potassium (K) and Phosphorus (P).

Fertilize over sawdust one to two months after planting.  Check with your local university or county extension agent to see what type of chemical or organic fertilizer they recommend and proper dosage for your local area. 

Water to keep soil moist, but not saturated.  Keep weeds and grass at least 2 to 3 feet from plants.

If your temperatures are over 75 degrees, or if you have a lot of wind during summer months: Provide plants with afternoon shade, water plants two times a day, and provide wind protection for the first year.  These tissue culture plants have lots of new tender growth that is prone to flash frying if these precautions are not made.

Blueberry plants are not house plants and should be planted outside or in an unheated building.

Best fruit production is obtained if plated in the ground.

If planting in a container:

Fertilizer needs to be low salt. Organic fertilizers like fish, alfalfa, bat guano, kelp, bone meal and rock phosphate are OK, just keep the nutrients with slightly more nitrogen with slightly less potassium and phosphorus, and watch the nutrient level so you do not add too much or too little. Do not use "hot organics” like blood meal or fresh chicken manure under 1 year aged. Chemical fertilizers should say on the label "for container growing". Do not use 10/10/10 or 16/16/16 and similar fertilizers as they are high salt and will burn your plants.

Do not use Big Box or Chain Store potting mixes meant for vegetables, annual flowers or house plants or you will kill your plants with root rot. Even the name brand potting mixes advertised on TV will kill your plants, they are not designed for strawberries, raspberries, any plant, shrub, or tree that is not an annual. Do not use any mix that has Moisture Control or water gel. Use a potting soil similar to our Blueberry Potting soil, which is available on our website and has the components listed if you would like to mix it locally.