Growing Blueberry Bushes at home is easier than you think! Whether you're planting in your backyard garden or growing Blueberries in containers on your patio, these nutrient-packed berries thrive across most US climates with just a few simple care requirements.
This complete Blueberry Growing Guide covers everything from soil preparation and pH requirements to watering schedules, container gardening tips, and proper pruning techniques. Learn how to plant Blueberry Bushes, maintain healthy growth, and enjoy your first harvest in as little as one year. Perfect for beginners and experienced gardeners alike!
- Blueberry Bush Care - Are Blueberries Easy to Grow?
- Tips for Growing Blueberry Plants in Containers
- Blueberry Pruning 101
- How Long Does It Take For a Blueberry Bush To Grow?
- Start Growing Fresh Blueberries at Home Today
Quick Start Guide
Read here how to select the right kind of Blueberry bush for your garden.
Best Planting Time: Spring or fall (but can plant any time with proper care)
Sun Requirements: Full sun for best production
Soil pH: 5.5 - 6.0 (acidic)
Water Needs: Consistent moisture, well-drained soil
First Harvest: Within 1 year with Nature Hills mature plants
Blueberry Bush Care - Are Blueberries Easy to Grow?
Growing Blueberries may seem daunting, but it's really much easier than you'd think, with just a few tips to keep in mind!
As with any fruiting bush or tree, full sun is going to help your shrub produce the most flowers and therefore the largest crops of big juicy berries possible! Situate your shrubs in an area with good air circulation, plenty of regular moisture, and slightly on the acidic side of the pH scale.
Location
Blueberries prefer full sun and, although they will grow in part shade, this will usually result in a less flavorful berry and much smaller yields. In areas of low humidity and high pH water, it is often recommended that Blueberry Plants be protected from the hot, late afternoon sun.
Soil Type & pH Requirements
Blueberries will perform well in a number of soil types, just as long as the soils are well-drained, acidic, and high in organic matter. It is recommended to get a reading on your soil pH before planting.
pH Requirements by Type:
- Northern Highbush and Rabbiteye: pH 6.0 or lower
- Half-Highs and Lowbush: pH 5.5 or lower
- Southern Highbush: pH 5.5-6.0
A simple soil test kit or meter should be used to monitor your soil's pH.
Adjusting pH: Prepare soils for planting by adding sulfur and peat moss or chunked coir, all of which help to reduce pH naturally. Use a soil meter to check the pH regularly. The addition of organic fertilizers such as feather meal, cottonseed, or fish meal will help to keep the pH down. In many parts of the country, the soil is already moderately acidic, so very little needs to change. However, many tap water sources can lean towards alkalinity, so collecting and watering with rainwater is preferred.
Planting
Blueberries like to grow in soil that is rich in organic matter. When planting, dig your hole as deep as your plant's container and twice as wide. Add a 25% mix of compost, oak leaf mold, or aged sawdust to the backfill. Remove the Blueberry Plant from the pot, and with your hands or water, break up the bottom portion of the soil to loosen it. Spread the loosened roots out and backfill the hole. Do not plant deeper than the soil line that exists in the container. Pack soil firmly around roots.
Mulch & Watering
Blueberry Bushes require good drainage, so water cannot pool around their roots for long. Blueberry roots are shallow and benefit from a bermed or mounded planting location in poor drainage situations. Those surface roots also benefit from a good layer of arborist mulch or pine bark chips. Apply 4 inches deep and up to 2 feet outside of the perimeter of the canopy. This will help decrease the Blueberry Plant’s water needs and keep the root system cool.
Tips for Growing Blueberry Plants in Containers
When growing in the ground is not possible or simply too much trouble, you'll be glad to hear that Blueberry Bushes make the perfect container plant! Space-saving, convenient, and controlled soil conditions, growing your Blueberry in a pot or planter takes the guesswork out of soil and moisture. All varieties of Blueberries are good for container growing, and there you can control the soil pH better, so this technique is highly recommended.
Selecting the Container
Choose a container that is 24" across to start, with a good, well-draining soil mix. Make sure that the pot has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom, at least three to four 1-inch holes drilled out in the bottom. Avoid ceramic or clay pots as they both heat up to very high temperatures and are slow to cool down. They also wick water, causing the roots to dry out quicker. Resin pots have better insulation and are lightweight.
Soil Mix
Start with an acid-loving plant potting soil, commonly recommended for Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendrons. Combine one part potting soil with one part pine or fir bark and one part peat moss. For even better water-holding, use a combination of one-half peat moss and one-half chunk coir in lieu of the straight-up peat moss.
Planting
Plant by first removing gently from the nursery pot, then loosen the bottom of the roots with the hose or gentle fingers to separate any clumps. Backfill the pot with prepared soil mix to a depth that allows the top of your Blueberry Plant’s root ball to sit 2 to 3 inches below the top of your container, but level with the new soil level. This provides a lip to contain water and to allow for mulching.
Container Care Tips
Mulch and Watering: Pay attention to watering in the summer as Blueberries prefer to be on the moist side, and their surface roots can dry out and overheat quickly. Watch for heat spikes in the summer that may require additional water. This is common in containers. Add a 2-inch layer of mulch to the top of the pot to hold in moisture and insulate the root system.
Winter Care: Blueberries are very sensitive to dry conditions, so keep them watered as needed. In colder climates, move your Blueberry Plant container to a protected location, like on the east side of your home, in a window well, or in an unheated garage if needed. Cover the container with straw or wrap it with burlap to protect the roots from freezing.
Blueberry Pruning 101
Pruning Blueberry Bushes is necessary to maintain their health. However, you must be careful as pruning can directly affect the fruit production of your plant. Pruning is best done when the bush is dormant, either in the late fall or the early spring. Spring is often the preferred time because you will be able to see which (if any) branches were damaged through the winter and need to be trimmed.
What to Prune
Remove in this order:
- Damaged or dead branches first
- Lower growing branches
- Some older, weaker canes
- Vigorous upright shoots to control height
- Smaller, thinner, or spindly branches
Important Pruning Notes
Keep in mind that berries are grown on canes that are at least 1 year old, so any branches you trim will not produce berries that season. The more severe the pruning, the fewer berries you will be able to harvest, and the growing season will be shorter.
At the same time, you don't want to skip pruning. Although mild pruning will lead to a longer harvest and more berries, they will be smaller. If damaged and weak branches go unattended, the quality of the berry will diminish, and the bush will be more susceptible to issues like insects and diseases that can limit your crop.
How Long Does It Take For a Blueberry Bush To Grow?
Generally, Blueberries produce fruit within 3–5 years of age, with a few that can produce sooner. Some precocious varieties include the Brightwell and Climax.
However, Nature Hills ships Blueberry Bushes with mature root systems that are already 2–4 years of age, so you'll enjoy your first harvest within a year or so after your plant has established in your native soil!
Start Growing Fresh Blueberries at Home Today
With the right location, acidic soil, consistent watering, and basic pruning knowledge, anyone can successfully grow Blueberry Bushes at home. Whether you're planting directly in your garden or using containers for small spaces and patios, these low-maintenance berry bushes will reward you with years of delicious, antioxidant-rich harvests. Remember to test your soil pH before planting, provide full sun exposure, and mulch around the base to retain moisture.
Ready to choose which Blueberry variety is perfect for your climate and garden space? Check out our companion guide: 5 Types of Blueberry Bushes: Which One is Right for You? to explore Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush, Lowbush, Rabbiteye, and Half-High varieties.
Need help getting started? Check out Nature Hills' YouTube Channel for videos on how to plant Blueberries, along with reading more about their care instructions on each Blueberry’s Product Page and on our #ProPlantTips Blog!
Happy Planting!
