We hope to answer the vast majority of questions on this page. If you
dont find the answer you're looking for, please use our contact page.
Do I need acid soil to grow blueberries?
Very Definitely, Yes. Blueberries need the same soil as Rhododendrons
and azaleas and are slightly more fussy on soil than camellias. If you're
on chalk or clay then we advise against growing blueberries in the ground.
Can I grow blueberries in tubs?
Yes. All blueberries will grow in tubs, using very coarse ericaceous
compost. We recommend mixing woodchip, such as tree surgeons' waste,
preferably from conifers, into a standard ericaceous compost. This gives
the roots their favourite texture
What size container should I buy?
That depends on the size of plant you start with. We recommend only potting to a few sizes larger than the original pot.
This avoids the need to water compost with no roots in, which wastes water. For 2 litre pot size, pot up to 12 inches diameter maximum.
The plants can finish in a 1/2 beer barrel or similar.
Will I get the same amount of fruit if I grow in tubs?
Tub growing naturally restricts the roots, which produces a more
compact bush. Whilst this is desired in many patio situations, there
is an inevitable drop in yield, but this is not normally significant
Do I need more than 1 plant? I've heard something about pollination.
Technically there are some blueberry varieties which are more
self fertile than others, such as Sunshine Blue. There are no reliable
figures for each variety, so growers have always recommended more than
one variety to assist with cross pollination
In general, blueberry varieties will all flower at similar times and there will be some overlap, so choosing varieties is easy.
Do ask your retailer if you want to make sure
On the subject of yield, how much fruit can I expect?
For a bush in good condition, pruned properly and aged over 10
years old, we expect yields of 4 to 5kg per bush for a standard highbush
variety
How big will my bush get?
There are different types of bush. Most varieties are classed as 'highbush' blueberries.
Left alone, in perfect soil and not in containers, some of these can reach 6 feet, but can be pruned to a manageable height.
You can also buy more compact varieties, based on 'lowbush' or 'half-high' blueberries. These are more closely related to wild blueberries and generally grow no more than 3 feet. You will get less fruit though!
How do I prune my blueberry?
Blueberries fruit on 2nd year wood. If your plant has old, twiggy
wood with no fat fruit buds, then this wood has to go. Look for lovely
pink / burgundy growth, with fruit buds on. Thats the wood to keep.
We always teach our pruning teams - "If in doubt, cut it out" as hard pruning only improves fruit size of whats left
