Info on blueberry bushes

[gardengirljo]

I want to plant 2 or 3 blueberry bushes next year. I have never had them and could use any advice. I have read a lot online about high bush varieties. I am fine with how tall they get but can't seem to find how wide each one typically gets! Can someone please tell me?
I need to figure out where would be the best place to plan to plant them.
Any particular varieties you'd recommend?
I live in Northern Indiana, zone 5.

THANKS!:)
gardengirljo
http://indianagardening.blogspot.com

[Sinfonian]

Ohh, I know, I know! I love my blueberry bushes and have researched the heck out of them. I have planted 4 of them last year and this.

You want two or more different varieties. As your local nursery now which to plant for your area.

BB bushes live 50 years and typically grow 5-6 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It's ok for them to touch at maturity, so plant them 4 feet apart and close enough that bees can find them all easily. Cross pollination is key.

I planted in fall to give them a winter's head start on root growth. And even if you buy 3 year old plants like I did, you want to pinch off all the flowers the first year to promote cane and root growth for the long term.

Soil conditions are very acidic (citrus juice or 4 pH) so peat moss, beauty bark or pine mulch is good and I fretilize with organic acid loving fertilizer. Lastly, they have shallow root systems so they don't compete well.

If I remember I'll edit with some sites I have at home. Here they are:
http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/smfr003/smfr003.htm
http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/Commercial/VarietyChart/index.htm
http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/Commercial/BlueberryRipeningChart.htm

Good luck and enjoy! I let a few berries grow this year and boy were they plump, juicy and sweet!

[plantoneonme]

Great question and information Sinfonia! I have 2 bushes I purchased in spring in pots. I have not had the time or shoulder (old injury) to prepare a proper bed for them. Mine are 1 year old plants and are small right now so the pots sunk in the ground until next spring will help keep them healthy.

I always though BB's grew in the shade since this is where I used to find them as a child. I now know they will produce much better in a sunny location. I do not have anything with full sun all day and researched and found the best place for my yard is where they will get full sun on an east wall. I am taking my time planting these because as you mentioned, they grow large and I don't want to have to worry about transplanting some time in the future.

Good luck, Kim

[gardengirljo]

Ohh, I know, I know! I love my blueberry bushes and have researched the heck out of them. I have planted 4 of them last year and this.

You want two or more different varieties. As your local nursery now which to plant for your area.

BB bushes live 50 years and typically grow 5-6 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It's ok for them to touch at maturity, so plant them 4 feet apart and close enough that bees can find them all easily. Cross pollination is key.

I planted in fall to give them a winter's head start on root growth. And even if you buy 3 year old plants like I did, you want to pinch off all the flowers the first year to promote cane and root growth for the long term.

Soil conditions are very acidic (citrus juice or 4 pH) so peat moss, beauty bark or pine mulch is good and I fretilize with organic acid loving fertilizer. Lastly, they have shallow root systems so they don't compete well.

If I remember I'll edit with some sites I have at home. Here they are:
http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/smfr003/smfr003.htm
http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/Commercial/VarietyChart/index.htm
http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/Commercial/BlueberryRipeningChart.htm

Good luck and enjoy! I let a few berries grow this year and boy were they plump, juicy and sweet!


:) Sinfonian, Thanks so much for all the helpful advice!! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with them! I am really excited about planting some and this will better help me figure out where to plant them!
gardengirljo

[AbbeyLehman]

:) Sinfonian, Thanks so much for all the helpful advice!! I greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with them! I am really excited about planting some and this will better help me figure out where to plant them!
gardengirljo

+1!! Great info, Sinfonian, thank you!

[gardengirl72]

Great advice Sin, I plant mine closer, I figure I will I trim and propagate them later.

[Karen]

I am planting blueberry bushes for the first time this year too. As soon as this rain stops I will get them into the ground; they are currently in my garage, well moistened for the moment. These will go along my back fence - I dug up some old flowering bushes to make room for them last week and have plenty of pine needles to help the soil.

Next year, though, I will probably add more bushes, but will need to put them in other various spots in my yard. How far away can they be from other bushes and still be OK for pollinating? I did buy two different kinds this year.

Karen T

[rdsaltpower]

I planted my second bush this weekend. Planted it about four feet from my other bush. Will be getting one more shortly. I cant wait to see them leaf out and take off. Thanks Sin. for the pine mulch tip!:)