Therefore, try to maintain a moist, but not wet/soggy, growing medium. Don’t allow it to dry out between waterings. Smart Pots are made in the USA and are BPA and lead free, which is important when you’re growing food. If you live in a warmer climate but still want to grow delicious blueberries...you're in luck. Sunshine Blue gets 3 feet tall and has bright pink flowers; a very popular variety. Blueberries need moist, fertile, well-drained soil that's decidedly on the acid side, around pH 4.5. Absolutely! Connect with your County Extension Office », Find an Extension employee in our staff directory », Get the latest news and updates on Extension's work around the state, Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: info@extension.wisc.edu | © 2020 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Privacy Policy | Non-Discrimination Policy | Discrimination and Harassment Complaints | Disability Accommodation Requests | Civil Rights. With just a little effort, home gardeners can successfully grow blueberries in containers. Another good mix is 50/50 sphagnum peat moss and shredded pine bark. Another growing medium  that works well is a mix of two parts coir (shredded coconut husks used in the greenhouse industry), two parts sphagnum peat moss and one part perlite. All you need is a trusty pot, a spot in full sun, and plenty of water to grow delicious berries for smoothies, desserts, and more. Grow Blueberries In Containers Blueberries are a perfect berry choice for growing in containers. The best containers for growing blueberries are Smart Pots, which are durable fabric planters that are weather-resistant, UV resistant, and extremely durable. Blueberries need full sun. You’ll need to pick blueberry plant companions that share a blueberry’s love for acidic soil. Top Hat and Northsky are two common varieties that grow to only 18 inches (.5 meters). A 50/50 mix of potting soil and sphagnum peat moss should provide enough acidity. Prevent roots from freezing and cold winds from drying out the plant’s branches with just a … Plants in containers need more frequent watering than those in the ground. Apply slow-release acid fertilizers (e.g., elemental sulfur) four weeks after planting in the first year and then top dress the growing medium surface lightly the following spring. Vijai Pandian, UW-Extension Brown County and Rebecca Harbut, UW-Madison Horticulture Revised:  12/9/2010 Item number:  XHT1196. Growing blueberries in containers are so easy and effective that you may want to give it a try even if you have enough room for a garden in the soil for this antioxidant-rich fruit. Some good varieties for containers include: 'Dwarf Northblue', a mid-season bush that grows 20 to 24 inches How do I prepare the growing medium? Keep the compost or soil moist, but not soaking wet. Berries planted in the ground need less care; just add a two to three inch blanket of mulch to keep them warm. Growing acid-loving blueberries in containers, with an acid potting soil mix or a 50-50 mix of peat and potting soil, is a simple solution to that problem. Make sure to give your plant plenty of acid. A combination of supplemental liquid and slow-release acid fertilizers is recommended. Sphagnum Moss Vs. Sphagnum Peat Moss: Are Sphagnum Moss And Peat Moss The Same, Zone 4 Blueberries – Types Of Cold Hardy Blueberry Plants, Soil Prep For Blueberry Plant: Lower Soil pH For Blueberries, Indoor Hellebore Care – How To Grow A Hellebore Plant Indoors, Winter Pruning Guide – Learn About Cutting Back Plants In Winter, Winter Patio Plants - Growing Outdoor Winter Containers, Overgrown Container Plants: Tips For Repotting A Large Plant, Lemon Tree Pruning: When Is The Best Time To Prune Lemon Trees, Eucalyptus Tree Problems: How To Avoid Eucalyptus Tree Root Damage, Rose Cane Gall Facts: Learn About Cynipid Wasps And Roses, Fresh-Cut Pine Tree Smell: Perfect Christmas Tree Memories, Norfolk Island Pine - The Perfect Christmas Tree, Winter Survival Guide: Creative Ways To Garden In Winter, Evergreen Favorite: Container Grown Olive Trees. How much water will my blueberry plants need? Highbush blueberries would prefer to be planted in well-prepared soil in the ground but with proper … When your soil is not suitable for growing blueberries, growing in containers is your best option! This is important because blueberries need acidic soil. Blueberries are notoriously fussy about soil pH. Give your plant frequent light waterings or invest in a drip irrigation system. Container blueberry bushes can be grown outdoors or indoors in minimal space and … Growing any plant in a container makes it more vulnerable to the cold of winter; instead of being deep underground, the roots are separated from the cold air by just a thin wall. Buried containers can be left in ground for over-wintering. If water stands within the location you’re planting for two days, don’t plant a … How to grow blueberries in containers. If using drip irrigation, place two emitters in each pot on either side of a plant. But if you think this means you have to plant a huge orchard or bramble patch, guess again. Alternatively, store it in an unheated building, like a barn or garage, with occasional watering. You can also go for wine or whiskey barrels, buckets, and large tubs. Use a brand name potting mix (not top soil or garden soil). … Then sprinkle a good layer of potting mix right on top of the seeds. One way around this is to grow your blueberries in containers. Mulch the soil surface with four to eight inches of straw in mid-November or cover the bushes with burlap. Therefore, attempting to lower soil pH may not be a viable option for backyard gardeners who have an elevated soil pH. Since blueberries don’t like Houston soils (too alkaline and heavy), we highly recommend growing in containers or raised beds where you have total control of the soil mix. What to Plant with Blueberries. While most garden plants prefer a neutral or slightly alkaline soil, blueberries like acidic soil. Plants won't have much fruit the first 2 to 3 years. Standard blueberry bushes can reach heights of 6 feet (1.8 meters), which is awfully tall for a container plant. Another way to reduce heat stress and water loss is to bury containers in the ground. Standard blueberry bushes can reach heights of 6 feet (1.8 meters), which is awfully tall for a container plant. Use about a half of an inch 0.5″ or 1.27cm centimeters of potting mix to cover your blueberry seeds. Container blueberry bushes can be grown outdoors or indoors in minimal space and will put on quite a colorful show from spring through fall. Plant the blueberries into the containers at the same level they were in their nursery containers. Top Hat and Northsky are two common varieties that grow to only 18 inches (.5 meters). Avoid dark plastic containers, as this can overheat the roots. Harvest is bigger after 5 years. Quick facts about growing blueberries. Whether you’re gardening on a patio, rooftop, or balcony, following these universal tips will mean that you to have healthy, bountiful plants year after year. For comparison, blueberries require quite acidic soil around pH 4.5-5.5. When selecting the variety of blueberry you’re going to grow, it’s important to pick a dwarf or half-high variety. You just get more berries that way. The container size also depends on the variety of blueberries you are growing. If you want to learn how to grow blueberries in containers properly, there are a few things you need to remember. 2. Just make sure that they have sufficient drainage holes. With these tips, you’ll get the best fruits possible. Later in the autumn, but before the snow, mulch with 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) of straw and cover the plant with a burlap bag. Water quality is as important for growing blueberries as the composition of the growing medium. Even if they say you don’t need a pollinator, grow at least 2. The best way to overwinter your blueberry plant is to bury the container in the ground in mid-autumn in a spot that’s out of the wind and likely to experience a buildup of snow. Dig the container back up in the spring. Read on for more information about what to plant with blueberries. Fill a five-gallon container with whichever mix you decide to use, and plant a single blueberry plant in the container. A fun way to go, is to plant in the largest container your space and pocketbook allows, and fill in around the blueberry with annual flowers for a classic container look. Sign up for our newsletter. As mentioned earlier, blueberries thrive well in acidic soils. Caring for blueberries, raspberries and blackberries in containers over winter is easy. Can I grow blueberries in a pot? Low bush cultivars have a dwarf (i.e., maximum 12 inch height) and spreading growth habit and typically produce smaller fruit. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Blueberries are relatively easy to look after. To be successful growing blueberries in containers, choose a variety that has smaller bushes. Plant two or more varieties for successful pollination. In fact, in a lot of areas, growing blueberries in containers is preferable to growing them in the ground. When growing containerized blueberries, closely monitor growing medium moisture levels. Put a little of your growing medium in the base, then place your bare root or pot grown blueberries in your new pots or containers, taking care to keep the plants upright and at the centre of the container. Soil should drain well. Blueberries are popular in home gardens because they can grow in a small space, even in containers. Blueberry plants grow slowly and reach full size in 8 to 10 years. Acidic soil is a must. Leave the soil level an inch or so down from the lip of the container. The placement of the blueberry slices will be on the top of the soil inside your container. Depending on the container, consider planting more than one blueberry … Dave Wilson Nursery recommends this method for growing blueberries in the home garden. Check the pH of the soil in spring and add sulphur chips if it needs lowering. Plant the Blueberries. Blueberry roots are small and shallow, and while they need lots of moisture, they don’t like sitting in water. You can also select low bush blueberry cultivars such as ‘Top Hat’ (hardy to zone 5) for container production. Highly alkaline soils that are clay or high in organic matter can be amended by adding large amounts of sulfur to lower the pH, but will require repeated amendments over time to maintain an ideal pH. Large pots, between 16-22 inches deep, are going to be perfect for growing blueberries. An alternate option for producing blueberries is to grow them in a container filled with an acidic soilless growing medium. With a little care, … Keep reading to learn about how to grow blueberries in pots. The bushes are compact, the roots are shallow and the production is abundant under the right growing conditions. How do I properly fertilize my blueberry plants? Prevent rabbit damage by placing chicken wire fencing or hardware cloth around the bushes. What cultivar of blueberry should I use? You can plant blueberry bushes as close as 2 or 2.5 feet apart to form solid hedgerows, or space them up to 6 feet apart so they grow individually. Most varieties of blueberries will want the pH level of the soil to be 4.5 to 5.5. Blueberry bushes need very acidic soil, with a pH between 4.5 and 5. The blueberry is a wonderful fruit rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin E. Due to its popularity, there is a growing interest among gardeners to plant blueberries in backyard gardens. These berry plants get about three feet high and almost as wide. Step 1: … In our video, Growing Blueberries, Tricia creates a container soil mix of half organic potting soil and half Coco Peat (a sustainable alternative to peat moss). Frequent, light watering is ideal, with an occasional ‘drench’ to eliminate soil salts. Plant your blueberry bush in a container no smaller than 2 gallons, preferably bigger. Blueberries are ideal for containers - they need an acid soil and you can provide for this more easily if you grow them in a pot rather than in the open ground. Fill a five-gallon container with whichever mix you decide to use, and plant a single blueberry plant in the container. One of the most critical factors for successful blueberry production is providing an ideal soil pH in the range of 4.5 to 5.0. Avoid overapplying fertilizers, as blueberry roots are sensitive to fertilizer salt injury. You can start blueberry plants in five-gallon containers, but after a year or two, you may want to move your blueberry plants to 20-inch pots. Preferred soil: The acidic soil that helps these blueberries thrive is mostly found in East Texas. This is a challenge in many parts of Wisconsin where soils are typically too alkaline (i.e., the soil pH is too high – above 7.0) for blueberries. Plant your blueberry bush in a container no smaller than 2 gallons, preferably bigger. Take care to keep the plants at the same depth as they were previously planted. Growing blueberries in containers is a relatively easy process, but there are some things to keep in mind beforehand to ensure your success. Know that growing blueberries in pots […] Make sure to give your plant plenty of acid. Fertilize in spring using an acid-forming azalea/camellia fertilizer at the rate specified on the label. Plants can thrive and bear fruit in containers in any area that receives full sunlight. Immediately water the pot thoroughly to settle the soil and eliminate any air gaps around … You can use Nature’s Way Blueberry Soil or you can mix your own. Avoid using black containers for planting blueberries as such containers absorb heat leading to more rapid moisture loss. Mix all ingredients well. Blueberries are a perfect berry choice for growing in containers. How do I overwinter my blueberry plants? Top Hat is a good choice since it only gets 2 feet tall. Position the containers in an area that receives full sun. Cloud’ and ‘Polaris’ are exceptions). Growing blueberries in containers is a great way to harvest fresh, tasty blueberries at home, even if you don’t have space for a garden. Containers: Blueberries have roots that spread about three to four feet wide. Make sure you follow the recommended rates described on the fertilizer label.Slow-release fertilizers will typically need to be supplemented periodically (usually every two weeks) with more fast-acting acidic liquid fertilizers (e.g., Miracid) when the blueberry plants are actively growing during the spring through mid-summer. 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