We always wonder when we hear people say that they don’t like blueberries whether they’ve ever had ripe, freshly picked blueberries. They taste quite different from blueberries picked a little green and refrigerated for a week or two. Fortunately, here in the South, they are pretty easy to grow. Blueberries just need to have their basic needs met. If you’ve had difficulty with growing blueberries in the past, make sure these conditions are met before you give up.

Soil

Blueberries need soil with a pH of less than 5. Most soils in our part of the world fit this requirement. Guesswork isn’t necessary because it’s very easy to get your soil tested. Your local agricultural university or extension service are good resources.

Water

Blueberries like regular irrigation, especially when they have fruit on them. Adequate water makes for bigger berries. Blueberries have fine roots, and the plants don’t thrive in dry soils.

Light

Blueberries prefer full sun. Sun equals sugar in terms of fruit. Although the plants will grow and produce fruit in partial shade conditions, the fruit may be quite tart. The more sun the plants get, the more sugar they produce.

Diversity

You should plant two blueberries that are not the same variety in your garden for cross-pollination. For example, we grow native rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum, Zones 6b–9) here in central Alabama. There are quite a few varieties of rabbiteye to choose from, including early, midseason, and late-ripening varieties. Some of our favorites are ‘Premier’, ‘Climax’, ‘Brightwell’, ‘Powder Blue’, and ‘Austin’.

Spacing

Give each plant about 6 feet of space. Be certain to plant them at the same level they are at in the pot. A bunch of extra soil on top of the root ball may cause them to struggle.

Maintenance

Mulching every year helps keep weeding down and helps with soil moisture retention. Twice yearly fertilization in March and June helps the plants grow plenty of new wood for next year’s fruit. Blueberries like a fertilizer that is acid-forming, such as an azalea/camellia fertilizer. When choosing a fertilizer, make sure the nitrogen is not in the nitrate form. We prune blueberries in late summer to remove old, dead wood and reduce the height of the shrubs.

Try something new

There are a couple of other choices of blueberries for the South besides the go-to rabbiteye. Native Southern highbush (V. darrowii, Zones 8–10) is very low chilling and may flower before the last frost, but if you can protect it, it gives you early fruit. ‘Top Hat’ (V. ‘Top Hat’, Zones 3–8), or ‘Tophat’, is a Northern highbush blueberry that can be grown in our area. It is mostly self-fruitful and grows great in a container since its mature size is 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

Plant your own blueberries and try them fresh and ripe. If they still aren’t on your menu, at least the birds will be happy. Need more help with your blueberry bushes? Read Growing Blueberries in the South.

—Jason and Shelley Powell own and manage Petals from the Past, a garden center in Jemison, Alabama.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

Gardener's Log Book from NYBG

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features: · Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil · Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds · Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when · Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening · Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting · Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.

Buy at Amazon

Hunter Industries MP-1000-90 Hunter Nozzle

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- 8' to 15' radius with an adjustable arc of 90° to 210°, radius can be reduced by up to 25% to fit landscape needs
- Double-pop technology flushes the nozzle during start-up and shutdown to prevent clogging
- Wind-resistant, multi-directional streams provide even coverage

Buy at Amazon