BRING ON THE BERRIES
eat and sticks them partway into the soil below
his berry plants. Simply pulling the stick out of the
ground reveals whether it’s time to give the plants a
drink. Thirsty plants are easily detected by Popsicle
sticks that are even in coloring and bone dry. Wait to
water the ones that have a stick showing off a subtle
shade difference or a touch of dampness.
GROWING BLUEBERRIES IN CONTAINERS
Dwarf varieties of blueberries can be a great choice
for container gardens, although other types can
also live and produce quite happily in pots. Look for
drought-resistant berries like Bluecrop or those that
best suit your climate. Northern Highbush Top Hat
tends to do well in zones 3 through 7 while Southern
Highbush Sunshine Blue thrives in zones 5 through
10. Cross-pollination between plants can boost
overall plant fruiting and production, so plan to
grow at least two if possible.
Choosing the Right Container: When beginning with blueberries, choose a five- to 10-gallon
container. This size provides plenty of room for blueberry bushes, which have root systems that tend to
be shallow and wide-spreading.
Planting the Berries: Blueberries prefer more acidic
soil, so fill the container with acid-lovers potting
mix or a 50-50 blend of potting soil and peat moss.
Avoid mixes containing redwood sawdust as it is
not recommended for blueberries. Test the soil pH
throughout the growing season to ensure it falls into
the optimal range of 5.0 to 5.5. If needed, you can
amend the soil with fertilizers to gradually increase
the acidity of the soil.
“
LOOK FOR DROUGHTRESISTANT BERRIES LIKE
BLUECROP OR THOSE THAT
BEST SUIT YOUR CLIMATE.”
128
Maximum Yield USA | January 2017