One Hundred Dollars a Month

If you are planning on getting some blueberry bushes in to the ground this year, early Spring is the best time to plant them. Local nurseries and home improvement stores should have them in stock right now so I put together this little how to a blueberry bush post for you.

First, choose a variety that suits your area.  Back in the spring of 2009 we planted 4 different varieties of blueberries in our Western Washington backyard:

• Bluegold 
• Patriot  ~ My favorite
• Bluecrop 
• Sunshine 

Second, choose a sunny, well-drained location.  Blueberry bushes do much better when planted in multiples to help pollinate one another.  They can be planted as close as 2-1/2 feet apart and do best if within at least 100 feet.  If you are short on space, most blueberry bushes can be planted in containers, so long as the containers are big enough.

Next, dig your hole.  Blueberries need fairly acidic soil to thrive, so mix peat moss, bark, sawdust from evergreens or pine needles into the soil as you back fill the hole.  {The soil acidity is the one thing that can make growing blueberries a wee bit tricky, so if in doubt, consult your local nursery–you may need to add more amendments to your soil depending on your area.}

When you remove your blueberry bush from the container, rough up the edges of the root ball slightly before putting it into the hole.  If you are planting bare root plants, spread out roots evenly in the hole.  Mound soil 1-2 inches above ground level to account for compacting.

After you have back filled the dirt, water blueberry bushes thoroughly.  Blueberry bushes do best with deep waterings.  They do not like to dry out, especially in the hot summer months.

There will be no need to prune your blueberry bushes for the first 3 years as they establish themselves.  Also, don’t be surprised if you have low yields for the first couple of years.  This is another one of those investment plantings.

Will YOU be planting blueberries this year?

~Mavis

If you are looking for a book about how to incorporate berries into you yard, check out the book Landscaping With Fruit: Strawberry ground covers, blueberry hedges, grape arbors, and 39 other luscious fruits to make your yard an edible paradise by Lee Reich.