Blueberry

Category: berries

Growing

📍 Zone: 3-10 (depending on variety)
🌞 Sun: Full sun
💧 Water: Consistently moist; does not tolerate drought well, especially when fruiting
🌱 Soil: Rich, moisture-retentive, acidic soil (pH 4.5-5.5); amend with peat moss or pine needles if needed

📏 Height: Highbush: 6-8 feet; Lowbush: 1-2 feet
📏 Spacing: Highbush: 4-5 feet apart; Lowbush: 2-3 feet apart
📅 When To Plant: Plant in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked
🌱 Propagation: Typically propagated by cuttings; layering or suckers can also be used (lowbush spreads by underground rhizomes)
⬇️ Depth: Medium; plant at the same depth as in nursery pot or slightly deeper if bare-root
🤝 Companion:
- 0: Other blueberry varieties (cross-pollination improves yield and berry size)
🚫 Avoid Planting Near:
- 0: Nightshades (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes, peppers)

✂️ Pruning:
- 0: Prune in late winter while dormant
- 1: No pruning during the first 2 years except to remove dead or weak growth
- 2: Remove flower buds the first 2 years to encourage strong vegetative growth
- 3: For highbush: remove oldest canes after year 5 to promote new growth
- 4: For lowbush: mow or cut plants to ground every 2-3 years after harvest to rejuvenate
Notes: Mulch with pine bark, sawdust, or wood chips to conserve moisture and maintain acidity

⏰ When To Harvest: When berries are fully blue, plump, and easily detach from the plant, typically mid to late summer depending on variety
✋ How To Harvest: Gently roll berries between fingers or palm; they should fall off easily when ripe
🥫 Preservation: Freeze, dry, or make into jams and jellies; fresh berries can store in the fridge for up to 10 days

🐝 Pollinators:
- 0: Bees (essential for good fruit set)
- 1: Bumblebees and native solitary bees particularly effective
🦌 Wildlife Resistance:
- 0: Birds love blueberries — cover plants with netting during ripening to protect the crop