Timeline of Blueberry Bushes

Just watched a cooking show on PBS and was so disappointed (& surprised) to hear that blueberry bushes will not produce a berry for 16-20 years!!! WOW! Can you believe it?! I had bought one of those small bushes from Lowe's and potted it already but I guess I have a long time to wait. =(

Has anyone else had good luck in getting a blueberry bush to maturity and can you recommend a favorite variety...or are they all just as good?
Thanks in advance.

I think you misunderstood the show. Wild blueberries (low bush type) produce after one year, and the cultivated rabbit eye types after 2 or 3. The low bush are what grows naturally in Maine and the Canadian provinces bordering that state (and now grow in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, among other places). In some places, the bushes grow for 2 years and then are burned after the 2nd crop is picked. This prevents tall woody species (trees, shrubs) from gaining a foothold. The year after a burning there are berries to rake.

Because of our climate/zone differences, I would not comment about varieties for your area. However, every type of blueberry I have planted has started to fruit the year after planting, assuming proper condiditons. I would be surprised to see you have to wait too long before your plant started blooming. However, I would strongly recommend getting a second variety/plant to help assure good polination.

Both rabbit eyes and southern high bush, bear a small crop the second year and get into full production after that for me.

Wow, thanks for all the info on blueberries folks!

Penn....it really was what the show had said...it was Caprile and John's Kitchen on PBS 9/16 but they were in Oregon at a family owned blueberry farm and that was what the farmers had said. I guess all varieties are different. Interesting that they burn the fields. Do the bushes come back through the burning? I suppose so...like forest fires huh?

SO GLAD to know I can have blueberries MUCH SOONER than thought! I have the Rabbit Eye right now.

I bought my friend some blueberry bushes that she keeps in big pots. Year two they produced lightly. Year three was much better! The southern type.

Yummy! That's how I planted mine: in a large large pot.

Maybe you mis-heard and what they said is the bushes will produce for 16-20 years (and then will die).

Scott

That must be it.

I want to do blueberries next year. How large a pot do you need for them? Can they stay outside in the pot all winter? Should you get two completely different types of blueberry for them to pollinate successfully?

And how are huckleberries related?

With so many trees on my property already, I really don't have room or sun for another tree or two, but a couple blueberry bushes would be perfect.

Can anyone tell me if Blueberry bushes/fruit do ok in the shade? I dont have hardly any sunny spots left in my yard for planting but i'd love to plant some more Blueberry bushes. I have 5 now along a sunny fence.

I too am planning on putting in some blueberries. The local extension service has recommended 2 varieies for our area and I have found sources online.

Glad I read this thread, as now I'll get bigger plants so won't have to wait so long. I am reading that they should be planted in spring. Is this right?

justfurkids carol

I need help with a potting mix for blueberries. The soil here is heavy, red clay and mixed with small round rocks. So, I want to put the blueberry bushes in large pots, 25 gallon. Or I could make a raised bed, too. Blueberries, I understand, need acid soil, 4.2-4.7 PH.

The online nursery I am buying the plants from told me to use Azalea/Camellia potting mix. Okay. No such thing here in Tuscaloosa/Birmingham area. Calls to 10 nurseries all produced the same answer: We only have "regular" potting mix. Anyone know how to amend "regular" potting mix for blueberries? I can get Fafard 52, Promix BX, Miracle Grow, or Sta-Green. Which of these would you recommend and what and how much should I put into it?

Karen

I'm new to blueberry growing but I recently put in 100 rabbiteyes so I did a lot of research on them. Your native clay soil is probably acid enough for them as it is. My soil in North Georgia is similar, heavy clay with lots of rocks. It tested out at ph 4.8. Have you had yours tested?

The problem with the heavy clay and rocks is that it's tough for them to get their roots going in it. So what I did was to mix in a lot of pine chips and sawdust into the top 6-8 inches of soil with a tiller. This breaks up and lightens the clay so they can get started and they have shallow root systems so you don't have to break up the soil too far down. Also pine chips/bark/needles will all add acidity to the soil.

I made my own pine chips since I was clearing land, but have since found out that the local city and county govenrments both sell chopped leaves and wood cheaply by the pickup load.

If you still decide to use pots, I would probably mix sand, peat moss and pine chips together for them. Anything that is nice and light. Both the pine and peat will acidify it i believe.

Jeff

Also mix plenty of shredded oak leaves in the potting mix. It may help to use azalea/rhodo food a few times a year.

Jeff, how big were the rabbiteyes, and did you get a good price? I'm still thinking of planting a bunch in my acidic clay soil.

The first set I bought I paid $7 apiece from a local nursery. They were potted and 3 years old. They're about 2 feet tall. Then I found someone who has a upick blueberry farm that would sell them to me for $1 apiece but shipped bare root. Also, I haven't tried them yet but someone else posted this web site and they seem very reasonable:
http://www.danfinch.com/order3.htm

Jeff

Thanks Jeff.