Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, or on the balcony, blueberries are a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing blueberries.
Jump to:
Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Blueberries Belong To?
Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) belong to the Ericaceae family, also known as the heath family.
Some of their relatives include cranberries, bilberries, and heather.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Blueberries?
The minimum container size recommended for young blueberries is a 5-gallon planter.
For mature blueberries, the container should be a minimum of 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Blueberries?
Some of blueberries' best companions are as follows:
- Dock
- Sorrel
- Chives
- Mints like peppermint and spearmint
- Lavender
- Lemon balm
- Thyme
- Basil
- Chervil
- Parsley
- Rhubarb
- Lettuce
- Endive
- Lingonberry
- Cranberry
- Strawberry
- Dewberry
- Ferns
- Lilac
- Chicory
- Oats
- Wheat
- Sorghum
- Camellia sinensis and other Camellias
- Raspberry
- White pine
- Red pine
- Oak
- Clover
- Laurel
- Yarrow
- Radish
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Blueberries?
Blueberries are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with blueberries are as follows:
What Soil Conditions Do Blueberries Need?
Blueberries prefer loose, well-draining, rich, acidic soil. Their ideal pH is 4.5, but they typically tolerate a pH range of 3.8 to 5.5.
How Long Do Blueberries Take to Germinate?
Blueberries take 1-3 months to germinate at a temperature of 60-80°F.
How Much Sun Do Blueberries Need?
Blueberries grow best in full sun. They tolerate dappled shade in most cases, though they may be less productive in dappled shade than in full sun.
Although the bush itself may survive in shadier conditions than this such as part shade, it is unlikely to fruit. If it does fruit in part shade, both the quantity and the quality of fruit will be lower. See our How Much Sun Does My Plant Need? article here for more information.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and blueberries grown in hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need more shade.
How Much Water Do Blueberries Need?
Blueberries need 1 inch of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Blueberries?
Blueberries grow fastest in temperatures of 65-85°F.
This is their ideal temperature range. Although they will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some blueberries varieties are bred for later harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Do Blueberries Get?
The average height of mature blueberry bushes is 6-12 feet.
Are Blueberries Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Blueberries grow on a perennial bush, meaning that the plant lives for longer than a couple years.
More specifically, many blueberry bushes live for about 50 years.
How Do Blueberries Reproduce?
Blueberries reproduce by seed, suckers, and cuttings.
How Many Blueberries Are Produced Per Plant?
For blueberries, how many are produced per plant (also called the yield) largely depends on the type of blueberry and, at times, the variety.
Many blueberry varieties produce 5-10 pounds per plant per year when mature. Dwarf varieties produce closer to 1-3 pounds per year.
Can Blueberries Be Ingested?
Blueberry fruits (berries) and leaves are edible.
Blueberry leaves have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and can be used in herbal preparations. The most common preparations are tea and tinctures. A herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:5 at 40% alcohol is suggested for a blueberry leaf tincture.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting blueberry fruits or leaves.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of blueberries rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for blueberries here!
Blueberries are featured in these Plant to Plate articles: