Use and Care Manual

Planting and Care of Blueberry Plants

Blueberries are increasingly popular fruits with well-documented health benefits. Blueberry

plants are also exceptionally handsome bushes worthy of planting in the home landscape. The

fruit can be eaten fresh or frozen. Plants have a profusion of white blossoms in late spring, and

the leaves are glossy green in summer. In fall the leaves change to bright shades of red, orange

and yellow. Following the simple care instructions below, your new blueberry plants will

quickly become beautiful and productive additions to your yard and garden.

Site Selection

Blueberries grow best in a sunny location with well drained soil. Plants will tolerate partial

shade, preferring at least six hours of sun a day. Avoid areas surrounded by trees, which

provide too much shade, compete with plants for water and nutrients, and interfere with air

movement around plants. Poor air movement increases danger of spring frost injury to

blossoms and favors disease development.

Soil Preparation

Blueberry plants grow best in acid soils (pH 4.0 to 5.5) that are well-drained, loose, and high in

organic matter. Blueberry plants can be grown anywhere Azaleas and Rhododendrons will

grow.

If the pH of the soil is between 5.5 and 7.0, and the texture is sandy to sandy loam, the addition

of acid peat is all that will be needed to prepare the soil. Mix 4 to 6 inches of acid peat into the

top 6 to 8 inches of soil. In addition to acidifying the soil, the peat increases the soil organic

matter content.

Different sulfur compounds can be used to acidify the soil as well. For 50 cubic feet of sandy soil

(the amount of soil in a space 10 feet by 10 feet by 6 inches), use one to two pounds of

elemental sulfur to reduce the pH one point. You will need to use three to six pounds to get the

same effect in loam soils. Aluminum sulfate is not recommended, although it can acidify soil,

because high rates of this compound can be toxic to roots.

Planting

Plant young blueberry bushes 3 to 4 feet apart. Remove the plant from the pot and lightly

roughen up the outside surface of the root ball. Plants should be set at the same depth or

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Planting and Care of Blueberry Plants Blueberries are increasingly popular fruits with well-documented health benefits. Blueberry plants are also exceptionally handsome bushes worthy of planting in the home landscape. The fruit can be eaten fresh or frozen. Plants have a profusion of white blossoms in late spring, and the leaves are glossy green in summer. In fall the leaves change to bright shades of red, orange and yellow.
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slightly higher than the existing ground. Pack the soil firmly around the roots, then mulch the planting with 2 to 4 inches of sawdust, peat moss, or chopped straw. Surface mulch helps maintain uniform soil moisture and good soil structure, and it reduces soil temperature in the summer. Replenish the mulch as needed. Water the planting frequently enough to keep the soil moist but not saturated throughout the life of the planting.