Sue Sanderson – our horticulturist expert
Sue Says
Blueberries grow best in rich fertile, well drained acid soil. If you are gardening on acid soil, grow them in a sheltered, sunny position. Alternatively, if you dont have acid soil, simply plant them in patio containers in a compost mix of John Innes No.3 and ericaceous compost. If you have the space it is always better to grow more than one variety as this will improve pollination and increase your crop. Remember to cover fruits with netting in summer to protect your crop from birds.
Feed blueberry plants several times throughout the growing season with a potassium rich plant food such as tomato feed. Blueberries have shallow fibrous roots, so they tend to suffer during periods of drought. It is important to water them regularly from spring to autumn, particularly if you are growing them in containers. Where possible, use rainwater as the lime contained in tap water will reduce the acidity in the soil over time.
Blueberries fruit on stems produced in the previous year and should not need to be pruned for the first 3 years except for the removal of and dead, damaged or diseased stems. After 3 years, begin to prune out the oldest stems at their base between late autumn and early spring in order to encourage healthy new growth the following season.
