How to Grow a Blueberry Bush

[Arielle]

It's very different from cranberries though, here cranberries only grow in swamps and bogs. Lingonberries grow in similar places as blueberries, although they're a bit more cold hardy. They mature late.

That is a conditin I was counting on. We have a lot of water in the spring being on a hill side but only a few places where it collects and stays wet for a longer time. I have eyed one spot for cranberries someday-- when the trees can be cleared enough to let in sunlight all day . . . . that will not happen for years to come sooooo I opted for the lingonberries instead that dont need wet feet.

Thank you.

 

[Highcotton]

THank goodness!! Our native soils is very acidic. Making an area that is not acidic is a challenge, THanks for looking it up.

Generally the soils east of the Mississippi are acidic and those west of the Mississippi are more alkaline.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: GOod to know. I've only lived in New England and I work with what I have. No sense fighting Mother Nature.

 

[boxofpens]

*mark

 

[Raech]

So I have moved to a house with an actual yard, but need to do raised beds still. I need some help on what to use as my soil, I know it needs to be acidic, but I dont exactly have pine trees near me, and my little 3 ft blue spruce isnt dropping much in his little pot. I am looking at getting 10 more bushes this spring, for a grande total of 12 bushes, split between 2 or 3 long beds. I think the beds will be 8x4 feet and about 12-14 inches deep. With the amount of wind we get up here I think air flow will be ok, if they are staggered. My yard is in full sun, but there is a small wind break on the back side of the yard but doesn't provide much shade that I have seen so far. Going to use PVC pipe to make hoops to keep the deer out, found a pile of poop in the middle of the yard when we started to move the garden in.

 

[ronott1]

So I have moved to a house with an actual yard, but need to do raised beds still. I need some help on what to use as my soil, I know it needs to be acidic, but I dont exactly have pine trees near me, and my little 3 ft blue spruce isnt dropping much in his little pot. I am looking at getting 10 more bushes this spring, for a grande total of 12 bushes, split between 2 or 3 long beds. I think the beds will be 8x4 feet and about 12-14 inches deep. With the amount of wind we get up here I think air flow will be ok, if they are staggered. My yard is in full sun, but there is a small wind break on the back side of the yard but doesn't provide much shade that I have seen so far. Going to use PVC pipe to make hoops to keep the deer out, found a pile of poop in the middle of the yard when we started to move the garden in.

Are you in the country or a city?

 

[Raech]

Edge of the city limits, in an animal rights rental house. Its got really pretty country views, yet surrounded by house's huge garages and shops. I can see snow on the hills all around us yet we have none. My landlord said I can do anything to jmprove the yard and have chickens and rabbits if I wanted.

 

[Arielle]

There are topical powders that can be added to any soil to amend the pH. A good gardening store should be able to help you. I cant remember the addative at the moment.

Using raised beds is as good as any other method-- so go for it!!

 

[19disbre]

It's easy.

I have a way easier method that is far more successful but I am not sure if I want to reveal my secret, you end up with a large bush a wild blueberries year 1 ...... I guess i will share... find a bush preferably a mother plant, you will find that they are way more viny than you would think so try not to cut the roots this is how you get more, put them in bucket a make a trench like a row and just lay them in there length wise and then every year you will get a couple new shoots as far as 3 feet away

 

[Life is Good!]

Our four new-to-us blueberry bushes are really suffering this winter - too cold with not enough snow cover to insulate them. Also, the bunnies found them last week and ate one entirely to the ground! Eep! Two larger bushes are just fine (I think), but two are in doubt as to their survival, especially the one eaten to the snow line.

What's the chances of these bushes surviving?

When it's not -20 outside, I'm going out to stake a hardware cloth enclosure around them (if I can push the t-posts in well enough).