Care

Step 1 – Soil Preparation:

Blueberry’s prefer Sandy, well-drained soil.  Your plant came from ground that has topsoil across the first 8 or so inches which then slowly transitions to sand.

The PH of the soil needs to be between 4 and 5.  Typically soil has a PH of 6 or 7.  You will need to check your soil and till into the earth ammonium sulfate to amend the soil until the PH is correct. 

Check the soil PH every few weeks for the first summer the bush is transplanted, monthly the second summer, and then in the spring for year 3.

Luckily a large piece of earth comes with your plant!  This will aid in the success during the transplanting process.

Step 2 – Dig the Hole:

The tree spade pulls a plug of earth 28” across at the top and 16” deep.  Dig your hole 32” across and 18” deep to give yourself some adjustment room.

If you need to amend your soil, you may find you need to dig a larger/deeper hole or to till a larger area to plant these bushes.

If you are planting multiple blueberry bushes,  We suggest you plant them on 6 foot centers.  If you are planting multiple rows of bushes or planting the bushes, we suggest keeping the bushes on 14ft centers.  This will allow you to mow between the rows without the branches scraping against you too much.

Suggestion: If you are planting the bushes against a tree line, we suggest you plant them at least 20 feet away from the tree line.  This will allow you to effectively move mowers or equipment behind the blueberry row and prevent large branches from falling onto the bushes.

Feel free to change your method and spacing for planting, just remember these plants are going to reach heights of 10-14ft tall.

Step 3 – Cut the Burlap

The wire cage can stay on the plant, it serves to protect the rootball, it will rust and turn into dust around the plant over time (5 years).  If the wire basket is sticking up above the soil, it can be trimmed down or removed.  If the idea of planting a wire basket in your yard drives you crazy, feel free to remove it.

The burlap (and any Twine if there is any) will very quickly breakdown into the earth.  Please make 10, 4” slits in the burlap along the sides.  The burlap may stick out above the wire basket.  Trim this off with scissors or a knife as it is excess and not necessary.

Step 4 – Mulch

The plant should be mulched with pine bark, pine shavings, or oak leaf litter.  Each of these will contribute to lowering the ph of the soil and help with water retention.

 

Step 5 – Water

Watering is perhaps the most important factor in new bush establishment.  Once planted, a blueberry bush needs the right amount of water to establish its roots and begin a long and healthy life.  Too little water and the plant will wilt and die, but too much water can drown the roots and kill the bush just as easily.  Watering is also dependent upon the season and the amount of rain.  A good watering plan accounts for both the time of year, and the amount of rainfall.  The most important thing to remember when watering your blueberry bush is that regardless of what method you use to bring water to the tree, watering should be deep, slow and often to ensure that the entire root zone of the plant has been saturated.  A fresh bed of mulch (no more than 6 inches deep) is also valuable for helping the soil hold more water and replenishing the nutrients in the soil.

The best watering system for a newly planted tree is soaker or drip hose.  This should be placed in concentric circles around the root zone of the tree.  Be careful not to place the soaker hose too close to the trunk, you want the ROOTS to get water NOT the top of the bush.  If the plant is constantly wet, disease, fungus and other harmful pathogens will grow.  The duration of watering depends primarily upon the season.

Spring:  This is the main growing season for the plant and thus you want to supply the plant with ample water.  A blueberry bush needs about an inch of rain per week during this season.  This equates to about 10-15 minutes of watering (depending on the pressure of your system) every OTHER day.  However, no watering should take place on a rain day or the day after a rain day.

Summer:  During the hot and dry summers the bush needs lots of water to survive.  Two inches of water per week is recommended during the summer months.  Watering should take place every day for approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on the pressure in your system.  Of course, if it rains that day, no watering is necessary.  It is best to water in the evening or early morning when the sun isn’t up.  This cuts down on evaporation due to the high temperatures and helps you get more out of each watering.

Fall and Winter:  During the dormant season when the leaves are off the plant, your newly planted bush needs much less water.  Only 5-10 minutes of watering a few times a week when the temperature is over 40 degrees.  If the temperature is under 40 degrees, no watering is necessary.