A Guide to Blueberry Plants

Blueberry plants are a great type of plant, especially for those beginner gardeners, and they are incredibly long-lived plants with a lifespan that is typical to that of fruit trees. As well the berries from blueberry plants are incredibly versatile and can either be enjoyed fresh, in desserts, or stored by canning or freezing, among other things.

Where to Plant

When it comes to choosing the proper site for your blueberry plants, remember that blueberries prefer full sun, although the plants are able to tolerate partial shade. Blueberries require acidic and well-drained loose soils with a high organic matter content. You also have to remember that the pH of the soil is critical for blueberry growth and they grow best at a pH of 4.2 to 5.0, although they may be able to tolerate a higher pH up to 5.5

Planting

You want to use blueberry plants that are strong and dormant and which are free from viruses and diseases. Make sure that you sprinkle any dry roots with water and place any bare-rooted plants in plastic bags before you store them, especially if you are waiting for the right planting time to come around. Never leave the roots soaking in water or they will die, and if you need to store your blueberry plants for more than a week you want to dig a trench in well-drained soil, set the plants in the trench, and then cover the roots with soil.

Fertilizer

When it comes to fertilizer, you need to use fertilizer mixtures that supply nitrogen as an ammonium sulphate or urea. Supply potassium in the form of potassium sulphate, and avoid using muriate of potash, since it contains chloride which can actually be incredibly toxic to blueberries. After this you need to be sure to check the pH every year or two, especially if plant growth is poor.

Careful pruning is essential to help prevent disease outbreaks, and you want to examine the plants frequently so that you can keep an eye out for cankers that will first appear as small, reddish and discolored areas on the stems. These cankers can be incredibly troublesome because they can girdle the blueberry stems in one season, causing the affected stem to die.

By taking all of these and any other necessary pointers into information, then you will be able to grow full and beautiful blueberry plants. Just make sure that you always keep an eye on your plants, on a daily basis if you can, so that you can watch for problems and deal with any if and when they arise.