Blueberries are extremely good for us, and they are tasty too. Many homeowners wonder how they can produce these luscious berries at home. You can produce blueberries in most of Michigan, but there are secrets to prolific blueberry bushes that you need to know.
Soil for blueberries
One of the secrets to prolific blueberry bushes is the right soil pH and the right type of soil. Blueberries grow best in loose, moist organic soil. The preferred pH range of the soil is 4.5 to 5, which is acidic. Many parts of Michigan have alkaline soil, soil above a pH of 7. To find out what your soil pH is you will need to have your soil tested. Don’t skip this step.
If you are one of the lucky home owners who has sandy loam or peat soil with the proper pH then you can plant your blueberries directly in the ground once you have prepared the bed. But most homeowners won’t have that luck. There are very few areas where the soil will be right for growing blueberries. It’s difficult and expensive to lower soil pH by very much in large areas. Therefore most homeowners need to grow blueberries in raised beds or containers.
Begin building your blueberry bed the fall before you intend to plant the blueberries. This gives you time to adjust the soil pH and texture if needed. A raised bed can be constructed out of many types of materials. The sides should be at least a foot deep for most types of blueberries. Plant full size blueberry bushes about five foot apart and dwarf types 3 foot apart. Blueberry plants will give you many years of harvest so make your beds sturdy.
For a single large plant, half whiskey barrels or other large containers will work. Two or three dwarf plants can be planted in a half barrel. You need more than one blueberry plant for best production so plan accordingly. Your containers must drain well. Containers should be lifted off the ground just a bit to allow for better drainage.
You can buy soil-less potting mixes for containers and raised beds. To this you will need to add some sulfur to lower pH and you will then need to test your completed, thoroughly mixed results. If you are really lucky you maybe able to find a planting mix for acid loving plants.
You can also make a good soil for blueberries by mixing equal amounts of sphagnum peat, shredded or ground bark and compost. You will also need to add sulfur to this or a fertilizer made for blueberries and test for proper pH. If your pH is below 5 you can plant the blueberries. It may take time and several additions of sulfur to achieve the right pH in a large bed.
Blueberry plants are attractive ornamentals and could be incorporated into home landscapes. Just remember that other plants used in the landscape will need to share their liking for acidic soil.
Blueberries need full sun in a spot where there is good air circulation. Place your beds in full sun and where it is easy to water the plants as blueberries require good amounts of moisture to make a good crop.
Selecting the right blueberry plants
There are several species of blueberries and they vary in their needs for winter chilling and cold hardiness. Highbush blueberries are grown from in zone 5-7. Lowbush or groundcover types are grown in colder zones. Rabbit eye or southern highbush varieties are grown in zones 8 and above and are not good for Michigan. To complicate things there are many hybrids available.
Ask your county Extension office or a good nursery what varieties are best for homeowners in your area. Then choose at least two varieties that suit your area. While most blueberries will set fruit when there is only one plant or one variety, you will get more fruit if you have two different but compatible varieties. You can also choose plants that ripen fruit early, midseason and late to extend your harvest.
Always start with state inspected, disease free stock. In Michigan blueberries should be planted in the spring. Usually two year old potted or bare root plants will be offered. Older plants may give you a harvest sooner but can be harder to establish and are more expensive.
Proper care of blueberries
You need patience to grow good blueberries. The first year you plant your blueberries you must remove any blooms they may produce. This helps the plants establish good roots. It can take several years before you get any fruit, depending on the variety and conditions.
Don’t fertilize your plants the first year, but after that you must fertilize each year as the plants put out new growth. Use an acidic fertilizer, one for azaleas and rhododendrons may work if you can’t find one for blueberries. Check the fertilizer ingredients and make sure that no nitrates are included as nitrates will harm blueberries.
Blueberries should receive about an inch of water a week, more if it is hot and dry or whenever the soil in containers feels dry. Mulch the plants to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
All blueberries require some pruning to increase fruiting and manage the size of plants. Each type of blueberry has a slightly different method of pruning but basically you are shortening, and thinning the plant and removing the oldest stems each year.
Blueberries are ripe when they are deep blue and soft. Keep your bushes picked and remove fruit that falls to the ground beneath the plant to keep diseases and insects in check.
Blueberries may need preventative sprays to control insects and disease. Different problems occur in different areas so check with your county Extension office for what to use and the schedule for spraying.
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