Naive blueberry question: can I underplant?

Hello,
I've just started with blueberries, have one each early/middle/late, in a raised bed. I'm eyeing what looks like an awful lot of wasted space between them (4' or so). I know they're shallow-rooted--would I have any success at underplanting something in between the young (3 yr) bushes, even for one season? Or are they best left by themselves? I was wondering about more deeply-rooted plants, and whether putting in (my 3rd and hopefully 3's the charm last bed) asparagus would work. Please, any thoughts on this, or any appropriate vegetables to underplant? What about annual herbs? Many thanks in advance!
judithht

1. Blueberries require a very acidic soil (pH 4.2- 5.5) 2. They have very shallow roots and dislike being disturbed. In the short term before the blueberry bushes occupy the space, You could plant something that likes an acid soil and can be planted and harvested with a minimum of soil disturbance. Blueberry soil is too acidic for most vegetables.

I did plant some low growing lingonberry as a ground cover between blueberry bushes mixed in my ornamental bed. They seem to like an acidic soil also. It is working alright so far (4 years). The lingonberry is easy to pull up from directly around the shrubs, so I can put a little compost mulch on. However,as the blueberries get bigger, I'm not sure how hard it will be to fertilize them in this way.

I've been thinking of trying some cranberries in between mine. Like the lingonberries, they're low-growing and like acid soil.

Last year I grew some bulb flowers in between a few of them, Dahlias and Iris and they did ok but I really don't know a heck of a lot about them.


Jeff

Hey,
Whatever you do, don't grow tomatoes between them. That's what I did, and actually created one heck of a weed problem. Of course, as God would have it (a gentle lesson, overall), the tomatos I had to rip out to keep from shading the berries were doing better than my field tomatos. I thought the acidity would keep them from thriving, but that peat rich soil just sent them crazy, and healthy.

We have about 100 blueberry bushes, and more going in each year. I gave up trying to see that space used, especially with the weed problems it introduced to the planting area. But, I might try the dahlia idea. How bad can they get? (There goes my foot again!)
brambledad

I have strawberries underplanted and it is working. They also like a bit lower pH. Now that my bushes are bigger I basically have a row of productive strawberries on the bed front only (the south side) and the strawberries further in don't produce much due to the shade. The strawberries may be "unhealthy" competition for the blueberries, that is the main potential problem. I got still good harvests every year except for last year when things got very dry and I didn't water enough.

Scott

Many thanks to all you kind respondents! Since writing I've done a bit of what I should have done some time ago, a little more research into the plant. What I've come up with for blueberry neighbors are radish and sweet potato. (Luckily DH & me love both). I wasn't able to confirm--'til now, thanks!--that strawberries would also work. I love the idea of lignonberries, but our Southeastern summers are devastating to plants needing cooler climes. I may try them, though (having the typical gardener's need to push plants' requirement envelopes!) Many thanks, to all, again!