How to Plant Blueberry Bushes, Step by Step

Blueberries are a 30-year decision planted in an afternoon. Extension guidance across the University of Georgia, Ohio State and Maryland programs agrees on the fundamentals below.

1. Site

Full sun — at least 6–8 hours, more is better — and drainage. Blueberries like constant moisture but not standing water; on heavy or wet ground, plant on a raised mound or bed 6–12 inches high.

2. Soil first

Test and adjust pH to 4.5–5.5 months ahead if you can (see the pH guide). Till a band 3–4 ft wide and mix in peat moss or pine bark.

3. Spacing

Highbush: 4–5 ft apart in the row. Rabbiteye: 5–6 ft (they get big). Half-highs and dwarfs: 2–3 ft. Hedge plantings can go a little tighter.

4. Planting

Soak bare-root plants for about an hour first. Set each bush at the same depth it grew in the nursery — never deeper. Loosen pot-bound roots well before setting container plants. Water deeply, then mulch 3–4 inches deep with pine bark or needles, keeping mulch a few inches from the canes.

5. The year-one rules

Prune back roughly a third to a half of the bush at planting, and pinch off every flower in year one (most growers also limit year two). It feels wasteful; it is the difference between a bush that fruits a little forever and one that builds the root system to fruit heavily for decades.