Planting guide and Care of Blueberry Plants

Blueberry plants are one of the easiest bushes to grow for the home gardens or allotments.  They are full of vitamins and high in antioxidants making them a very popular grow your own fruit.  Proper soil conditions are important for blueberry plants, but they will also thrive in pots so even areas without adequate garden space can grow blueberries in pots!
One of the most important facts to remember about blueberry plants is that the pH conditions must be correct for thriving plants.  And of course, plenty of water during the dry periods and on a regular basis, as all fruits they are about 90% water.
Make sure your soil is pH 4.5 or close enough.  If planting in the ground, amend soil with ericaceous (rhododendron / azalea) compost and mix well before planting.  If using pots, use the same blend of compost. 
 
Select your Blueberry Spot
Select a sunny location with well-worked, well-drained soil that is free of weeds.  A sufficient water supply nearby is essential for the root zone to be moist during the growing period.  Avoid planting near trees, which block out sunlight and suck up the moisture in the soil. Where the soil is poor or marginally drained, raised beds 3-4 feet wide and 8-12 inches high work very well for blueberries.
 
Prepare the soil
The key to a good blueberry crop is to properly prepare the soil first before you start planting! A fail-safe way to grow blueberries in almost any soil is to incorporate some ericaceous compost into the planting medium.  Work the mixture well to ensure a good mix.  Make sure the planting hole is big enough to accommodate the plant, about 21/2 ft diameter and 1ft deep.  Remember blueberries thrive in acid soils!
The shrub should be potted in a container two times larger than the rootball.
 
Space and Planting
To plant the blueberry bush, remove the plant from the pot and lightly roughen up the exterior rootball. Place the topsoil line of the pot approximately one-half inch higher than the ground level. Mound the prepared soil up along the sides of the roots and around the base of the plant. Water well. Spacing should be about 1.5-2m apart to accomodate the eventual width of the plant.
 
Fertilisation
Fertiliser should be for acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons or azaleas.  Never use tomato plant feeder or anything that is not specific for blueberry plants or is rhododendron / azalea feed. Using a granular type of feed is the best choice.
One of the best feeds you can use is the ericaceous compost for acid loving plants or Rootgrow.  If usiung a granular feed, and feeding after planting, lightly scratch the surface of the planting area, spread the correct amount of feed, and then cover with compost or light amount of soil and water well. This will leech the feed to the plant. Another way to feed your blueberry shrub is to place an ericaceous compost around the planting area and then water.
Remember to water well throughout the growing season because the fruit is almost 90% water.