Blueberry

Plant family

The Heath (Ericaceae)

Season Overview

Details

Light requirement

Shady

Water requirement

Very humid

Soil

Medium (loamy)

Nutrient requirement

Low

Seeding distance

150 cm

Row spacing

150 cm

Seeding depth

0Not specified

Instructions

Description

Blueberries belong to the heath plants. The perennial dwarf shrub reaches growth heights of 10 to 60 cm. Its lifespan is up to 30 years. Depending on the variety, blueberries have different requirements for soil and location. Cultivated blueberries differ greatly from wild blueberries in this respect.

Growing tips

Blueberries have special requirements when it comes to their location. Depending on the variety, this should be full sun to partial shade and sheltered from the wind. They normally grow in moors or forests and are naturally adapted to acidic soils. Garden soils are generally not acidic enough. To make the soil more acidic and permeable, mix bark, sawdust, sand, leaves or shredded coniferous wood into the soil. The shrub will also appreciate a portion of compost. If this is too time-consuming, you can also simply buy blueberry or rhododendron soil from a specialist store. The ideal planting time is in the fall. However, you can also plant out the shrub in spring from March to April. You should then remove the flowers after planting. Heather plants are very sensitive to being planted too deep. The root ball should still protrude about 5 cm. Finally, apply a layer of mulch about 10 to 15 cm high. This keeps the bed sustainably moist. It takes around 6 to 8 weeks from flowering to harvest.