Blue Berry Bushes

BlackGun

BlackGun

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I want to plant some blue berry plants that are already three feet tall. Is there some better than others.
What are the types?
Should different types be planted together.
Distance apart necessary and how tall and wide do they get?
Sun requirements?

Basically what is your experience here in NC for planting and selection? I plan on doing it this weekend? My soil is red clay that is not fertile from where construction removed dirt pretty deep.
 
I am interested in the same thing. From what I have read, they need to be At least three or four that are a heat tolerant variety and of different types or varieties . This is so they can cross pollinate . I would plant them in a triangular pattern. I think they can get about 4 feet in diameter so allow spacing for that. I got my info from one of the sites that sell the bushes and the old farmers almanac website.

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https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/growing-blueberries-in-the-home-garden
Lots of info here. I think you are too late to plant this year. Pay particular attention to soil prep. Full sun is preferable. Water is the key to all berry production. Will type more tomorrow.
I've got 12 with 4 or 5 varieties, 4 high bush and 8 rabbit eye. Believe me, I would plant no closer than 6 feet apart. Those suckers spread out. I've got two that are over 8' high now. Getting ready to do a massive pruning next February, mine are out of control. Between the heat, birds and other critters we only got 15 gallons last year and the year before. Go to a good nursery and get at least the three gallon age plants.
 
@beamernc has a bunch of them...maybe he can offer up some advice
 
That's who I've been trying to think of, thanks Waylon. I( need his help on dome drastic pruning I need to do.
 
What bushes are most tolerant for heat here. Especially since August temperatures last to mid October.
 
Thanks beamer, exactly what I was looking for. That is some scary pruning though. Looks like a lot of opportunity to screw the pooch. Come February I'll sharping the pruning shears and hope not to kill the things.

Blackgun, most people will tell you that rabbit eyes are the only thing that grow here, I beg to differ and have proven that high bush will grow. The whole key IMO to blueberries is water. You are better off at your elevation than I am plus I think you average temps are a little cooler. Whatever you do don't go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the little bushes. Go to a nursery and get at least 3 gallon rooted plants and at least 2 varieties. I went cheap early on and paid for it for a couple years.
 
REELDOC said:
Thanks beamer, exactly what I was looking for. That is some scary pruning though. Looks like a lot of opportunity to screw the pooch. Come February I'll sharping the pruning shears and hope not to kill the things.

Blackgun, most people will tell you that rabbit eyes are the only thing that grow here, I beg to differ and have proven that high bush will grow. The whole key IMO to blueberries is water. You are better off at your elevation than I am plus I think you average temps are a little cooler. Whatever you do don't go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy the little bushes. Go to a nursery and get at least 3 gallon rooted plants and at least 2 varieties. I went cheap early on and paid for it for a couple years.
Click to expand...
My elevation and temps are just like yours actually if you reside in Clemmons. Thanks for the response and I never buy any plants from box stores that go in the ground. I will check to se what these in the nursery are here locally. The plants I saw were in a 3 gallon pot and about three feet tall. Blue berry bushes are complicated from the info you guys forwarded. But I’m going to make a go of it with my brown thumb skills.
 
Not complicated if you start them off right. Big enough hole at least twice the size of the pot, ph adjusted with amendments. Last time I planned the planting for spring I dug the holes in November, filled the holes with peat moss and let it set until I was ready to plant. That helps drop the soil Ph naturally. In the spring I pulled the peat moss out, mixed it about 1 part moss to 2 parts soil, planted and watered the crap out of it. Beamer can address this a lot better than me. That link that beamer put up is really good. You can also go on the ncsu.gov web site for a lot of good stuff. I use Miracle Grow Azalea food to lightly fertilize in later in the spring.Also, Blueberry Tome is a good organic fert. Make yourself some soaker hose rings to put around the plants when they get dry.

Good luck, just be patient with them for the first couple of years.
 
I started all of mine from rooted cuttings from Finch's Blueberry Nursery. I put them in 1 gallon pots to get them started, all 225 of them. That gave me a couple of years to get my field ready. I amended the soil and then planted them on mounded rows to keep the roots from being too wet. Then added drip irrigation, 4 rows 200' long each. I also put a fertilizer injector on my irrigation system to make fertilizing them a lot easier.

Even with the drip irrigation, I lost quite a few back in September and October when we were so dry.
 
Reviving this thread. I planted four bushes a few weeks ago after tilling in early March. Followed the advise above except I haven’t made drip irrigation yet. Have two more bushes to plant and that will be all I do until I see how these do. All the bushes were at least two years old in the 3 gallon buckets and had young berries on them.

My next step is to add Miracle Grow Azalea fertilizer as recommended by @REELDOC. I also set them mounded a little above grade like @beamernc did (maybe 4 or 5 inches). They are high bush and rabbit eye as recommended also.

Rain has been adequate so far. I plan to add a timer irrigation loop around all six within the next week. Last question- I put pine needle around the base of each bush to aid in keeping moisture and was told that’s fine because of the acidity it will keep the grass and weeds down. Is that ok?
 
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A PH reader is your friend. Keep the ground acid and add a little fertilizer a couple of times a year will have you fighting birds all through the bearing season, good luck.
 
I recently discovered, what I've been told, are wild blueberries in the woods all around our home. I've started clearing brush from around them. They're hearty buggers.
 
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