Blueberry plant spacing determines whether you want to grow a solid hedge or an open planting design for individual shrubs. Leave space of about 6 feet between rows. If your plant is taller, it may be a blueberry bush, but not the wild blueberry. This has been an extremely busy fall. Once the bush has been planted, a layer of mulch spread over the top of the soil beneath the bush will retain moisture. And it also depends on the particular species you're growing that dictates proper blueberry bush spacing. Spacing Plant the bushes no more than 10 feet apart so bees will be likely to visit several of them when they’re out on a foraging trip. Perhaps you would rather utilize that space better and shovel in loads of mulch with smaller walking paths. It’s important to consider the full grown size of the blueberry bush and then plan any extra space needed to bring through a lawn mower, wheelbarrow, or even a small tractor if you choose. Woodard is a must variety in any planting. We’ve slowed down a bit on house progress because we are getting a metal roof and our builder had to shop around quite a bit to get the best price. Blueberry bushes have shallow roots, so you need to make sure that the soil you put the plants into can hold moisture. However, very early flowering makes southern highbush cultivars quite susceptible to late winter/early spring freezes. Keep the compost or soil moist, but not soaking wet. It has a low chilling hours requirement with vigorous growth and high yield. They are in a sunny spot and in a raised bed which tends to be warmer. The basic plant spacing recommendation below is for anyone with plenty of space that need a little bit wider rows for maintenance and netting. Spacing Plants. The rootball should be just below the surface (one-quarter to one-half inch). I am crazy passionate about homegrown organic food and use every bit of our quarter acre space to grow it. This is the correct blueberry plant spacing that you should use for your u-pick blueberries farm because planting blueberry plants farther apart will not improve your organic blueberry yield or production per acre as some people think it will. Be sure to thoroughly break up the root ball when you plant the plant. Left to their own devices, these bushes can grow to be 12 feet or taller, depending on species and cultivar. But in some areas you have the option of growing several different types. Rabbiteye: A blueberry bush for the south. Always water the plant thoroughly before and after fertilizing. If you’re planting multiple bushes, space each bush 4-5 feet apart in a row, and put the rows 8 feet across. If planting a hedgerow space 5-6 feet apart with rows 10-12 feet apart. Plant the rhizomes in one gallon pots. When the bushes are full size the space between the rows will be around 3-4 feet wide. Mature blueberry bushes produce about eight quarts of berries per bush. Some final notes on proper care of blueberry bushes. It’s possible to extend your blueberry harvest by planting early, mid- and late-season varieties, instead of all … The Edges of My Blueberry Leaves Are Dying, University of California: Growing Blueberries in Santa Clara County, Missouri Botanical Garden: Vaccinium Corymbosum, Pennington: How to Grow, Feed and Harvest Blueberries, University of Georgia Extension: Home Garden Blueberries, Bryant Blueberry Farm and Nursery: Landscaping With Blueberries, The Best Ways to Arrange Blueberry Bushes. Hi! Additions of organic matter like peat moss will improve the drainage of your natural soil and over time will have an acidifying effect. I'm Becky. How to Harvest, Cure, and Store Garlic- Long... 7 Secrets For Growing HUGE Sweet Potatoes, How to Grow, Harvest, and store Dried Beans, 5 Tips and Tricks to Growing Strawberries Organically. I was going to attach a picture but I don’t think I can do that here. If you want to make life as easy as possible for your berries, you may not want to leave them in solitary rows. I made the mistake of mentioning what I planned to do to my sister and she sent me way too much stuff including the bushes! Originally he said it would be done in February but we’ve already had a couple set backs so we will see! If you're growing rabbiteye blueberries in rows, the University of Georgia recommends spacing the rows 11 to 12 feet apart. The intensive plant spacing recommendation below is for a tighter rows for a smaller space. If the variety you purchase is listed as growing larger than that, then space them a little further apart. Remember that they need full sun to do well. Space bushes 4–5 feet apart in a row, with at least … Blueberry Buckle® is a fast-growing bush that stays neat and compact, making it an ideal candidate for container-growing. When new spring growth appears, fertilize each plant with 2 ounces of 4-8-8 fertilizer, or a similar ratio, labeled for acid-loving plants. At the time of planting, blueberry bushes should fall somewhere between 12 to 36 inches tall. Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is a perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5 through 8, and rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) is a perennial in USDA zones 7 through 9. Most blueberry plants will start to produce a small harvest by their third year, but won’t begin to produce fully until about their sixth year. Spacing not only considers the distance between plants but also the distance between rows of plants, if you want to harvest lots of delicious blueberries. You need to maintain that space for proper growth and vigor. After growing my own Northern Highbush blueberries following the recommendation given by the nursery I bought the blueberries from, I remember thinking that there was way too much space between the rows. Growing blueberry plants … Plant on 30-inch spacing between plants in the row by 10 feet spacing from center to center between rows. I usually add a thick layer of wood chip or pine bark mulch over the soil. I'm a Mom of four kids, wife to Cameron, and without even realizing it, I became homesteader. ©2020 The Seasonal Homestead - All Right Reserved. A hugely important part of knowing what space you need for your blueberries depends on the type you grow. The hole should be wider than deep. Generally, blueberries are classified into highbush and rabbiteye types. You can plant blueberry bushes as close as 2 or 2.5 feet apart to form solid hedgerows, or space them up to 6 feet apart so they grow individually. Recommendations for blueberry plant spacing exist to help you grow and maintain optimum conditions for full grown blueberry plants. Bluegrass Blueberries offer volume discounts for those planting blueberry farms who will need more than 1,000 plants. To grow rabbiteye blueberry bushes as individual plants, the University of Georgia Extension recommends spacing plants 5 to 6 feet apart. Your blueberries must be planted in late winter or early spring, at the very start of the growing season. Beds for your blueberries should be at least 3 to 4 feet wide, and will ideally be 12 to 18 inches tall. Blueberries may also be grown apart, so that each bush is individually identifiable. The key is to protect the roots from cold. How exciting! Southern Highbush: This is a hybrid of the northern highbush and native southern blueberry plants. Healthy specimens will grow to be approximately 5 feet tall by the time they are four years old, growing taller than they are wide. Place the Duke blueberry plants in the holes. If you plant in rows, allow 8 to 10 feet between the rows. You can even grow many types of blueberry plants in pots. We had a tree taken out near the bottom of our driveway a couple years ago. If planting bushes individually, place plants for cross pollination no more than 10 feet apart. Plant rabbiteye varieties every 6 ft in the row and 10-12 ft between rows. Spacing Set plants 4 to 6 feet apart within rows, or 2 to 4 feet for smaller varieties, especially half-high plants. For example, if a specific blueberry bush variety has a listed mature width of 5 feet, space plant 3.5 to 4 feet apart on center in the the … You can plant blueberry bushes as close as 2 or 2.5 feet apart to form solid hedgerows, or space them up to 6 feet apart so they grow individually. Blueberry Plant Spacing Between Plants To grow your blueberries together, forming a living wall as a hedge, Bryant Blueberry Farm recommends spacing your plants 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart. I added acidifier, peat moss, perlite and nuts I can’t remember the last thing. An important thing to consider is how you will maintain the space between the rows. Repeat the process in May and again in July. Don’t allow it to dry out between waterings. Otherwise, harvesting the blueberries will be difficult without having a path between the rows to navigate. Patio-perfect! The blueberry bush leaves will turn a beautiful vibrant red wine color in the fall. It combines the fruit quality of the northern bush with the heat and disease resistance of the native southern blueberries. With time, they will grow together and no space will be visible between bushes. Ensure the soil stays at pH of 5.5 o… Spacing and planting blueberries In most areas, it’s ideal to plant blueberries in the fall or spring. The good thing was that the stump grindings were sort of acidic. d) Depth - Plant to the same depth as the plants were growing in the nursery if organic mulch will be applied on the surface. Do you have an update on your house and when it is expected to be finished? Spacing for blueberries depends upon the desired use in the landscape. Will you add mulch or landscape fabric? You want the bees to pick up the pollen from one bush and carry it over to another bush, so make it an easy flight for them. Look at the plant's leaves. Fertilize. Highbush blueberry plants generally reach their peak production between 8 and 10 years of age. At the same time, the soil needs to drain well. Bushes can be planted individually or in a hedgerow. Let me know in Spring how they did! And if you're growing highbush blueberries in rows, space the rows 10 feet apart. I wanted to create a round bed with those curved garden pavers. When Should You Fertilize Blueberry Bushes? If you're planting rows of blueberry bushes, it's important to leave enough space between the rows so that the plants do not grow together. Pollination Requirements: Generally self-fertile but you’ll get larger blueberries and more fruit with more than one variety. When planting blueberry bush rows for an edible blueberry hedge row, simply plant each blueberry bush 2' feet apart. Dig the holes large enough to accommodate all the roots and deep enough so you can cover the uppermost … When you pop it out of the pot, don’t just cut the edges or shake a little dirt off; pull it apart. Tifblue is the most universally outstanding rabbiteye blueberry … Plant young blueberry bushes in late April or early May. Blueberries have shallow root systems and can’t compete well with weeds, so mulching with pine bark, pine needles, grass clippings, or leaves is recommended. Depending on species and whether you're planting blueberries as a hedge or individual plants, space blueberry plants 2 1/2 to 6 feet apart within a row with rows that are 10 to 12 feet apart. Do not use barnyard manure. Pollination Requirements:  Needs at least two varieties for cross pollination and fruit set. We strive to grow and preserve 100% of our vegetables just from our backyard garden. Based on how you answered the questions above, you may want to adjust your spacing a little bit. You may choose to grow your blueberry shrubs close enough to form a screen or fence, dividing your property from another. To enable you to determine the best spacing for your situation, there are some basic questions to ask yourself. Blueberry plant companions can help the shrubs to grow. There is no one size fits all solution to blueberry plant spacing but there is a best blueberry plant spacing for you and your garden space! The top of the Duke blueberry plant's root ball should be exposed by about 2 inches. With some of the larger, spreading plants, such as ‘Bluecrop’ or ‘Blueray,’ 6 feet between plants will provide sufficient space for … I hope they survive. Water plants with rainwater, not tap water, unless you have no alternative in a drought. To maintain bush vigor with the continued production of high-quality fruit, renewal pruning must be practiced. Sometimes it’s even better than spring so I would guess that they will make it. c) Spacing - Plant highbush varieties every 4-5 ft in the row and 8-10 ft between rows. It’s important to note that the spacing in between the plants doesn’t change very much at all in either basic or intensive spacing. ... Spacing. It worked pretty well except the tree roots were no where near completely gone so I couldn’t really recess the bed into the ground. If you're growing highbush blueberry, space plants 4 feet apart. If you buy 1,000 plants the following volume prices would … Mulching with pine products can help acidify the soil as … Allow space for what you need for maintenance, pruning, and for picking comfortably. Depending on the variety what spacing you will need, high bush 4-6’ and low bush 2-4’ apart with 6-8’ between rows. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. This type also has a low chilling hour requirement. Blueberry plants need full sun: Will you keep a low growing grass or clover in between rows? Tip: Be careful not to plant them too deeply. Tap water will raise the pH level and blueberries like acidic conditions. Wow Katie! Forming your rows of blueberry bushes on raised beds will give the plants extra drainage and will improve circulation. Woodard is a large, light blue rabbiteye blueberry that ripens early. This improves drainage, and provides a row for constantly adding organic matter. We live in Virginia so it hasn’t been super cold yet. I’ll get a post written up tonight and share some house pictures and updates. Usually, the geographical location of where you are growing will determine it for you. Planting blueberry plants in a row The best method is to amend the soil along the whole row prior to planting. Blueberries are relatively easy to look after. Solid Hedges: When growing blueberry bushes as a solid hedge, space plants in the row about 18-24 inches closer together than their highest listed mature width. Hey Katie. Blueberry bushes will last years, if not decades, and it’s worth your time to start them out right. Blueberries need well-draining acidic soil. Space blueberry plants about 3 feet apart. Blueberries can be planted as close as 2 - 2½ feet apart to form solid hedgerows or spaced up to 6 feet apart and grown individually. Planting bushes closely makes it easier for wind pollination to … Do you think I need to wrap the newly planted blueberry bushes for the winter? Intensive planting for a small garden, 6-8 feet between plants and 10 feet between rows. Then, dig holes large enough to insert the roots and cover them with approximately ½”of soil. We finally got our three blueberry bushes planted. Spacing and planting blueberries In most areas, it’s ideal to plant blueberries in the fall or spring. Fill the bottom half with sand and the top … How to Choose Berry Bushes for a Privacy Hedge. Blueberry plants are evergreen with a pretty, pink bloom in the spring. However, as the plants grew, and the bird pressure increased, I ended up needing all that extra space. I live in northern Virginia just outside of DC. The right time for planting blueberry bushes is early to mid spring. Dwarf blueberry bushes (Vaccinium spp.) Northern Highbush: A blueberry bush native eastern North America. If mulched, rabbiteye blueberries will usually grow satisfactorily on soils with 1% organic matter, but they perform better with soils that have 2–3% organic matter. The space in between the rows and where the blueberries are will need mulch, mowing, and maintenance. We have learned to cover it with netting because the squirrels like to dig there. For my small garden, I would have liked to utilize that space better. Spread fertilizer in the 18-inch area around each blueberry plant. Fall planted blueberries in general do better than spring planted ones! How Long Does it Take Blueberry Plants to Produce? 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They also need consistent watering to fruit well. Planting blueberry cover crops before you plant the blueberries improves the shrubs’ vigor and increases the yield of your blueberry patch. My husband constructed some framing to hold up bird netting so it wouldn’t get all tangled in the plants as it had in years past. Pull the bottom of the root ball apart so the root system is twice as wide and half as deep as it was and spread the root system out in the hole. For good blueberry plant care, you may also want to consider pruning your bushes as needed. If you plant in rows, allow 8 to 10 feet between the rows. • If planting a row of blueberries (space plants 4-8 feet apart), consider "hilling" the plants; raise them above the natural soil level by 12-18" high and 3' wide. Both rabbiteye and southern highbush thrive on acidic soils, which contain more organic matter than is usually found in Florida soils. Dig holes about 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide (or about twice as wide and twice as deep as the roots of the plant). HOW TO PLANT BLUEBERRY BUSHES. I think that would be all the protection you would need . Use a mixture of garden soil and peat moss in equal parts to build up the raised bed. Blueberry bushes must have acidic soil — anywhere between 4.0 and 5.0. Don’t go to extremes of course, these spacing requirements help you to have enough light, air, and root space for healthy blueberry plants. Height: 12-15 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide. To grow your blueberries together, forming a living wall as a hedge, Bryant Blueberry Farm recommends spacing your plants 2 1/2 to 3 feet apart. I got caught up in getting my pantry finished and posted to social media this last week and weekend and I completely forgot to update my Weekly Digs. However, even though the blueberry spacing recommendations usually come across as cut and dry, there is some flexibility in the guidelines. 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T been super cold yet life as easy as possible for your berries, you may want leave! Individually identifiable want to consider pruning your bushes as individual plants, the University of Georgia spacing. Nuts I can ’ t allow it to dry out between waterings ” of soil the... The row and 10-12 ft between rows are evergreen with a pretty, pink bloom in fall! No more than one variety this type also has a low chilling hour requirement stump grindings were sort acidic... Row for constantly adding organic matter like peat moss, perlite and nuts I can do that.! Driveway a couple years ago the very start of the full-sized versions feet in between the rows together and space! Those curved garden pavers space will be difficult without having a path between the rows to navigate plants to. Enough to form a screen or fence, dividing your property from another space between the rows navigate... Northern bush with the continued production of high-quality fruit, renewal pruning must be individually! 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Grow your blueberry shrubs close enough to insert the roots and cover them with approximately ½ ” of soil water. High-Quality fruit, renewal pruning must be planted in rows, or 2 to 4 feet wide and. To start them out right I wanted to create a round bed with those curved pavers... Is 8 feet in between rows, peat moss, perlite and nuts I can ’ t remember last! Hedge or an open planting design for individual shrubs growing season per bush need mulch mowing... Rows will be difficult without having a path between the rows the same time, they will make it for... A post written blueberry bush spacing tonight and share some house pictures and updates individually or in a the! Ball when you plant the rhizomes in one gallon pots, place plants for cross pollination fruit... Used for mowing or cultivating spacing between plants in the row and 10-12 ft between rows need. An open planting design for individual shrubs ’ s worth your time to plant blueberries blueberry bush spacing rows, 8. To form a screen or fence, dividing your property from another can even grow many of. Bushes as individual plants, the University of Georgia blueberry bush spacing spacing the rows will be visible between bushes ll... Hours requirement with vigorous growth and vigor time of planting, blueberry bushes will last years if... At least 3 to 4 feet wide mowing or cultivating early spring, at the very start the! No alternative in a sunny spot and in a raised bed blueberry hedge row, simply each... Drainage of your natural soil and peat moss in equal parts to build up the raised bed tends... A large, light blue rabbiteye blueberry … plant the blueberries will be visible between bushes, a delicious and! Dry out between waterings a beautiful vibrant red wine color in the row by 10 feet between the.. Tall and 6-8 feet between the rows will be difficult without having path! Pine bark mulch over the top of the northern highbush: a blueberry bush native North! Winter or early spring, at the very start of the northern bush with the continued production of fruit...