Growing Blueberries at Home

Have you ever considered growing blueberries at home?  I have.  Usually, this thought is foremost in my mind while I am in the middle of a commercial blueberry field, quickly picking as many berries as I can in one fell swoop.  I won’t lie;  it is not hard work, but it is usually hot work.  In one way, gathering them all at once is not a bad idea.  Pick them, process them, and, boom,  you’re done!  But for someone like me, retired and NOT crazy about hot weather, the idea of meandering out into my own garden, picking a pint or two of sweet blueberries, processing them at my leisure, and repeating that process over a couple of weeks, has a very appealing sound about it!  Here’s what I have in mind:

I plan on growing my new plants in raised beds.  I haven’t decided yet on the exact size but they will need to big enough to allow the roots to grow and produce a plant that will mature to possibly 5-6 feet tall and just as wide.  Blueberry bushes have shallow roots so the boxes will not need to be any deeper than 18 inches.  However, since the boxes will not be moveable, and the plants will winter in place, there needs to be enough soil to insulate their roots during the weather.

Because I plan to plant my blueberries in the fall, I have plenty of time to prepare.  But, they can be planted with equal success in the spring, should I decide to add more to my garden at a later date.

There is a great place in my backyard that gets full sun practically all day.  Six good, strong hours is the minimum requirement but this spot, at the side of the yard, out of the way, gets even more.  They’ll like that.

Blueberry bushes need acidic soil with a pH of 4.5-5.5 so, by growing them in boxes, it will be easy to prepare the soil to their liking.  I’ll mix all the amendments before planting the bushes, then topdress as needed.  This is where a good pH testing kit comes in handy.

They require a lot of water so I will add drip irrigation to the boxes, under a thick layer of mulch, approximately 4-6 inches deep.  Again, a water meter is a handy tool to make sure they are getting just the right amount.  Blueberries like to be moist but hate wet feet so, even when grown in boxes, they need to be located in a well-drained space.

Blueberries require a small amount of acidic fertilizer, once in early spring and once in late spring.  I have discovered that one formulated for azaleas is a good choice when used sparingly.

There are three types of blueberry bushes:  lowbush, highbush, and rabbiteye.  Within those groups, there are several varieties on the market and it may seem overwhelming to choose the right one.  I will call my local extension office to check which varieties are best for my area here in the Ozarks. I already know that, in my area, a lot of farmers grow the ‘Duke’ variety.   It is large and sweet and one I will plant in my garden.  But I’ll choose additional varieties also because, even though blueberries are self-pollinating, they require at least two varieties to produce their best crop.

There are early, mid, and late bearing varieties.  So it is possible that, if I chose carefully, I will be able to harvest fresh berries over a longer growing season.  That would be wonderful because we LOVE fresh blueberries!

Now, this may be the best news about growing your own blueberries: they are basically pest-resistant!  There are a few things to watch for but they are manageable organically or by choosing a different variety.  Again, I’ll check with my local extension office for more information.

When I purchase my plants, I will go to a local reputable dealer and will pick out healthy, hardy two- to three-year-old specimens.  Planting established plants will allow for better success and I’ll have only one year after planting to wait before I can start harvesting.

For the first few years, I won’t have to worry about pruning but, as with all established bushes, after a while, cutting out the old wood will be necessary.  They will look neater, grow better, and it will be easier to harvest the fruits.

I think planting a few blueberry bushes will be a good investment.  I will probably always go pick berries at one of my friends’ operations because I enjoy visiting with people.  But being able to walk out to my yard and pluck a handful of ripe, sweet blueberries to eat fresh sounds like a winning situation to me as well!  Maybe you will join me on this journey.  I think it will be fun!