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Grow blueberries in container


How to Grow & Care for Blueberries in Containers

By

Kerry Michaels

Kerry Michaels

Kerry Michaels is a container gardening expert with over 20 years of experience maintaining container gardens in Maine. She specializes in writing and capturing photography for gardening and landscape design for print and broadcast media, including the Discovery Channel, Small Gardens, and Disney, among others.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 01/05/22

Reviewed by

Debra LaGattuta

Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a gardening expert with three decades of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a Master Gardener and lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

The Spruce / Kara Riley

Growing blueberries in containers is so easy and effective that you might want to try it even if you have enough in-ground garden space where you can plant this antioxidant-rich fruit. Growing them in pots is the answer, however, if you want to grow blueberries but your soil isn't optimal for producing the fruit. Blueberry plants can thrive and bear fruit in containers in any area that receives full sun. Just be aware that growing blueberry plants in pots (or anywhere else) requires some patience. As with most fruit-bearing species, it can take a few years for plants to produce fruit.

Common Name Blueberry bush, rabbitteye, lowbush, highbush
Botanical Name Vaccinium
Family Ericaceae
Plant Type Perennial shrub
Size 24 in. to 4 ft., depending on variety
Sun Exposure Full sun
Soil Type Sandy and well-drained
Soil pH Acidic (4.0-4.8)
Bloom Time Summer
Hardiness Zones 3-10 (USDA), depending on variety
Native Area North America, South America, Europe, Asia

 The Spruce

How to Grow Blueberries

How to Plant Blueberries in Containers

When to Plant

Plant blueberries in containers in the spring or late fall in most areas. In the coldest zones, wait to plant the bushes in containers until early to mid-spring.

Selecting a Planting Site

Luckily, you may need to move your containers around during the day to ensure the plants get the required amount of sunshine. With big pots, putting the containers on rolling casters makes it easier to follow the sun.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

You'll have more than one container of blueberries in order to pollinate, but replicate the spacing, depth, and support for all of them. Plant one blueberry bush per pot. Put it into its container, burying it as deep as it was in its nursery pot. If necessary, top with additional soil, leaving the top inch or so of the container empty. Immediately water the pot thoroughly to settle the soil and eliminate any air gaps around the plant's roots. The bushes will not need support to grow.

Blueberries in Containers Care

Birds love blueberries just as much as people do. The best way to protect your fruit from feathered poachers is to surround your bushes with bird netting a few weeks before the berries are ripe. While the process may be cumbersome, it works.

Light

Blueberry plants need six to eight hours of sunlight per day. It's easy to overestimate how much sun an area gets, so it's important to accurately measure the sunlight in your garden. One simple method is to use a watch to time the hours of full-sun exposure on a typical day during the growing season. However, if you live in an area with hot afternoon sun, be aware that blueberry plants can overheat. They likely will appreciate some light shade during this part of the day.

Soil

Blueberry bushes like very acidic soil, and a pH level between 4.0 to 4.8 is required for the plants to absorb water and nutrients and produce berries. Because most garden soil is not naturally this acidic, planting in containers enables you to better control your soil's acidity levels. You can buy or create an acidic blueberry-friendly potting mix to ensure your plants will thrive.

To get started with the right soil mix, fill your pots two-thirds of the way full of regular potting mix, adding a potting mix designed for acid-loving plants (such as rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias). You can find this mix at most nurseries and garden centers, as well as in the houseplants section of some home centers. If you can't find a high-acid potting mix, add a fertilizer blend designed for acid-loving plants to a third of the soil instead.

If you have trouble finding a commercial potting soil for acid-loving plants, consider using a recipe developed by Cornell University. Mix equal parts peat moss and vermiculite, then add in a granular 11-5-11 fertilizer. Test the soil's pH level using a test kit, and adjust the pH level if necessary by adding limestone to raise the pH or iron sulfate to lower the pH.

An equally effective potting mix uses equal parts garden soil, well-rotted compost, and coarse sand. Test the mixture's pH balance, and add iron sulfate as needed to increase acidity.

Water

Blueberry plants have shallow roots that dry out fast so they need a lot of water, but they also like sandy, well-draining soil. In other words, they don't like to be sitting in water, so keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy.

When it rains, don’t assume that you don’t have to water your plants. The leaves of the blueberry plant can act as an umbrella, preventing water from making it to the base of the plant and into the container. Always check the soil with your finger to see whether it’s wet an inch or two below the surface. Potted blueberry bushes like 1 to 2 inches of water a week.

If you're not able to water your blueberry plants for a week or more, move the plants into a more shaded area to conserve water. It can also be helpful to add a layer of compost with a topdressing of pine bark to retain some moisture.

Temperature and Humidity

Containers of blueberries need to be placed in a sheltered spot between December and March when winter winds are at their worst. Blueberries do not like overly dry conditions, and that includes dry winds in addition to cold winds.

Consider the important chill factor, or chill hours, when planting blueberries in containers. Every cultivar has a different chill factor requirement. A chill hour is time when the temperature outside stays between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fertilizer

Blueberries don’t like too much fertilizer, so a single feeding in the early spring typically works well. Opt for organic fertilizer, like cottonseed meal or a blend specifically designed for acid-loving plants.

Furthermore, don't just fertilize and forget. Test the soil's pH regularly to ensure it is between 4.0 and 4.8. Because acid washes out of the soil over time, you may find that it's more effective to start with a half dose of fertilizer in the spring and then add a light monthly dose throughout the growing season.

Pollination

When choosing blueberry plants, be aware that they need friends. For them to produce fruit, at least two plants of two different varieties are required for cross-pollination—three plants are even better. Place the pots fairly close together, about 2 to 3 feet apart. It’s also a good idea to grow different varieties of blueberries that produce fruit at different times of the growing season to extend your blueberry harvests.

Most important, choose two to three varieties of blueberries that bloom at exactly the same time or overlap so that bees can easily cross-pollinate the plants. Choose varieties within the species, however. You can't cross-pollinate a variety of rabbiteye with a variety of highbush, for example.

Types of Blueberries

Moreover, it's important to choose a blueberry species and cultivar that's right for your climate. The four main blueberry species (highbush is one species divided into northern and southern) and a few of their popular cultivars include:

There are more cultivars within the species. To learn which ones will thrive in your area, contact a local farmer or a nursery professional. You may also decide to choose a variety based on the desired size of the fruit. Larger specimens are great for eating berries from the bush, while small berries are usually preferred for cooking things like pies, crisps, and preserves.

Blueberries vs. Bilberries

Blueberries and bilberries look nearly identical, they are both edible, and they are related, as well. Bilberries, sometimes called European blueberries, are smaller than blueberries and dark blue to nearly black. You will rarely find a bilberry bush elsewhere other than in the woodland wilds of Northern California and Pacific Northwest. A raw bilberry will taste tart and acidic with a hint of sweetness, almost like a sour cherry.

Harvesting Blueberries in Containers

It's most likely you won't have to harvest blueberries within the first year of planting blueberries in your containers. You should expect to be able to harvest a full crop of potted blueberries in five years. Pick them between June and August, but they should be easy to harvest as they fall off the bush and right into your hand.

How to Grow Blueberries in Pots

If you've grown other fruit-bearing plants, you know you're in it for the long haul. Your plants can happily produce fruit for years with relatively little care, but you'll want to start them off right. For blueberry plants, that means opting for the largest pot possible, planting one plant per pot. Choose a container that's at least 18 inches deep and boasts ample drainage holes. For even better drainage, place pots on top of bricks. Wooden half-barrels and other deep, wide weatherproof containers work well for keeping blueberry plants in for the long term.

Pruning

Blueberry bushes can grow large, but they won't need pruning until their fourth year in the pot. The pruning will stimulate more growth. Prune the bushes before it begins its new growth phase. Use sterilized, sharp garden tools to cut dead, weak, low-growing, and unruly branches in the late winter or early spring. Pruning thins out the old growth, allowing light into the middle of the bush.

Propagating Blueberries

Growing blueberries in containers may be so much fun that you may want to propagate a plant to continue growing in pots or in the ground. This woody shrub is easily propagated by rooting cuttings. Take softwood cuttings (may wilt faster because it's from fresh new growth) in the early spring and hardwood cuttings (firmer and more mature) in the late winter. Do propagate with cuttings, take these steps:

  1. With a sharp, sterilized garden cutting tool, remove the last 5 inches of growth from a healthy branch.
  2. Remove most of the leaves from the branch, leaving the top two or three leaves. Dip the cut bottom of the branch in rooting hormone.
  3. Set the cutting in moist soilless potting mix in a small pot that is then placed in a consistently warm space.
  4. The pot should stay in bright but indirect light and the soil should stay moist but not waterlogged.
  5. New leaves should grow in a few months and the roots should be settling in enough to transplant the seedling to a larger pot.

Growing Blueberries From Seeds

Blueberry seeds are hidden inside the fruit and need coaxing to separate them from the interior pulp. You can grab seeds from existing fruit or buy them in order to start your container garden. Just make sure you are buying or taking seeds from pollinating varieties. You will want to start the process in the fall in warm regions and the spring in cool climates. Once you have the seeds, take these steps:

  1. Put the seeds in the freezer for 90 days.
  2. Take them out of the freezer. Use a flat tray filled with moist sphagnum moss. Sprinkle the seeds on the moss and lightly cover them with more moss.
  3. Cover the tray with newspaper.
  4. Put the tray in an area that consistently stays between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. Keep the moss consistently moist and you will see seedlings in about a month.
  6. Remove the newspaper but keep the tray in bright, indirect light until the seedlings are a few inches tall.
  7. Plant seedlings in a moist mix of peat moss, sand, and soil until they can be placed in larger containers.

Overwintering

Once your growing season is over, you'll want to protect your blueberry plants for the winter season. Blueberries are tough plants, but if you live in a cold-winter climate you should move your containers against the side of your home or into a protected area to keep them out of the wind. You can also mulch your plants with straw or wrap them in burlap. In the winter while the plants are dormant, they don’t need much water, but you shouldn't let them dry out completely.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Insect and fungal problems can sometimes occur on blueberry plants. If you need to treat your plants, make sure to use a fungicide or pesticide that is safe for edible plants. Blueberry maggots and cherry fruit worms can also be occasional problems. While these pests are treatable with systemic pesticides, be wary of their use, as many are toxic to pollinating insects.

If yellowing of the leaves occurs, it's probably a sign that the soil pH is too high and is causing chlorosis. To rectify the issue, acidify the soil with fertilizer made for acid-loving plants.

The Spruce / Kara Riley

The Spruce / Kara Riley

The Spruce / Kara Riley

FAQ

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Problem Insects in Blueberry Fruit. New York State Horticulture Society.

  2. Leaves are Turning Yellow and Drying Out. Plant Village, Pennsylvania State University.

Tips for Growing Blueberries in Containers

There is nothing quite like picking a ripe blueberry or two, popping a warm berry into your mouth, and enjoying the moment when it bursts onto your tongue with that distinct, sweet, sun-ripened, homegrown flavor.

Maybe your mouth is watering while you’re reading this.

But for those of you who only have a balcony or a small patio, or maybe the wrong soil type or garden plots that are already full to the brim, the dream of growing your own blueberries can seem out of reach.

Until now! Blueberries will grow, bloom, and yield fruit quite happily in a container.

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

You just need to know how to treat them right. In turn, your container-grown plant will treat you with a load of sweet fruit.

In our guide to growing blueberries we cover how to cultivate these shrubs in your landscape.

Below we share everything you need to know to grow these delicious berries in containers in whatever outdoor space you have.

Here’s what’s ahead:

What You’ll Learn

Getting Started

You’ll probably encounter several types of blueberries while looking for a bush to put in a container.

The lowbush or wild blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, is native to Canada and the northeastern US, while the rabbiteye, V. virgatum (aka V. ashei), is native to the southeastern US. 

The type most commonly grown in containers, though, is the highbush.

The northern highbush, V. corymbosum, is the most commonly planted type in the world.

Southern highbush is a cross between northern highbush and V. darrowii, which is a southeastern US native.

There are a variety of dwarf highbush cultivars specifically developed for growing in containers, and we’ll cover some of the best in the Cultivars to Select section below.

When choosing between northern and southern highbushes for your own patio, you need to keep in mind that blueberries have specific chill requirements.

This means they require a certain number of chill hours (or the number of hours per year with temperatures of 45°F or below) for the bush to leaf out, bloom, and fruit properly.

Northern highbushes need over 600 chill hours, while southern highbushes are considered “low chill” and, depending on the cultivar, may require only 150 to 500 chill hours.

If you live in a warmer climate, say in Zone 9 or higher, low chill varieties are for you!

Why Grow in Containers?

If you are itching to develop your green (berry stained) thumb but don’t have any more space in your garden, only have space on your patio, or are limited to a balcony, there’s your why!

It’s easier to control and manipulate both the moisture and pH level of the potting medium in containers than it is in the ground, key factors in growing blueberries because they are picky about having acidic soil, and are sensitive to overly wet or dry conditions.

Growing in containers is also a good option if you don’t have naturally acidic soil, or struggle with waterlogged soil.

Plus, birds are less likely to target ripe berries that are safely positioned on a patio than ones growing out in the quiet of a garden.

Not only are the berries delicious, but blueberry bushes are beautiful ornamental plants. Think loads of sweet white-pink blooms in the spring, green foliage and purple-dusty blue fruit in the summer, and a riot of red or orange foliage in the fall.

Choosing the Right Container

Size and drainage are the most important considerations when choosing a container to house your blueberry bush.

Pick one that has drainage holes and is weatherproof. For example, a large wooden barrel makes a perfect planter.

Keep in mind, though, that the larger and heavier the container is the harder it will be to move around. Either pick a perfect permanent spot, or choose a smaller pot that will be easier to move when necessary.

For most mature cultivars, the container size should be about 24 inches deep and 24 to 30 inches wide. If you buy a younger plant, you can start with a smaller pot and plan to repot as it grows.

No patio or balcony space left at all? Trying a dwarf variety in a hanging basket isn’t as crazy as it sounds. We’ll talk about this in the cultivar section below.

Planting

Plant or repot your bushes in the late summer or early fall, so the roots have time to develop and spread into the new soil before the winter.

Prepare your container by filling with a 50-50 mix of azalea or hydrangea potting soil and peat moss. Wet thoroughly.

Create a hole in the potting medium that’s double the size of the original pot. If your shrub is pot bound, gently tease out the roots to encourage them to grow into the new medium.

Plant so the surface of the soil is at the same depth on the stem as it was originally. Water in well, and continue to water regularly as needed while your plant is becoming established.

How to Grow

Unlike most plants, blueberries don’t have root hairs, which increase root surface area. This is why they are very sensitive to changing soil and water conditions.

These bushes need acidic soil, with a pH of 4. 3-5.5. Consider doing a soil test annually to track pH, since these plants are particularly sensitive to changes.

Acidic fertilizer can help keep the soil pH low and nutrients available while feeding the plant, but the source of nitrogen and other elements that make up that NPK ratio in your chosen fertilizer can also make a difference, if you select a blended product.

Urea fertilizer is half as acidifying as ammonium sulfate, so use a urea- based product if the soil pH is less than 5.0.

A fertilizer such as blood meal (12-0-0), which you can find at Arbico Organics, is also a good choice.

Down to Earth Blood Meal

Try to avoid fertilizers that are high in chlorides or nitrates, with nitrogen sourced from ammonium nitrate or potassium nitrate, for example.

Fertilize in the early spring as the leaves begin to emerge. Apply fertilizers according to the package instructions. You can work granular fertilizers into the surface of the medium or just broadcast on the surface.

Be careful not to over fertilize, as this can burn the foliage and roots, cause weak growth that is more prone to insect and disease damage, and encourage the growth of leaves at the expense of fruit.

Get more tips on fertilizing blueberry bushes here.

Blueberries do best in full sun, but providing some late afternoon shade is a good idea in hot climates. Place on a patio or balcony, or in a sunny spot in your garden.

Keep the soil moist but do not allow it to become waterlogged. Shrubs growing in the ground need about an inch of water per week, but container soil tends to dry out quicker, so keep an eye on them.

Growing Tips

Pruning and Maintenance

Prune mature plants in late February or March to maintain the perfect shape and desired size. Remove any dead or diseased twigs and branches.

In addition to fertilizing, discussed above, every two to three years you can scrape out a third of the old potting soil, and replace it with fresh acidic potting soil or compost to maintain the low soil pH that’s required.

Mulch pots in the fall with two inches of an acidic mulch, such as pine needles, conifer wood chips, or bark chips, to protect the roots during the winter and maintain soil moisture.

Keep the mulch two inches away from the stem.

Cultivars to Select

If you only want one patio blueberry, make sure to check whether the cultivar you are purchasing is self pollinating.

While most northern highbush and some southern highbush cultivars are self fertile, placing another variety nearby that blooms at a similar time allows for cross pollination. This usually results in bigger fruit, and larger yields.

Dwarf varieties work great as patio and balcony container plants, but if you have a little more room or want to create a hedge or screen, taller varieties work well too.

Jelly Bean

The Bushel and Berry™ collection of berry cultivars are compact, and self pollinating, so they make great container choices.

Named for the fruit that tastes as if it’s been sweetened, ‘Jelly Bean®’ is a dwarf northern highbush cultivar that grows to one by two feet and is hardy in Zones 4-8, but note that it requires over 1,000 chill hours.

‘Jelly Bean’

From the Bushel and Berry™ series, ‘Jelly Bean®’ (aka V. corymbosum ‘ZF06-179’) produces high yields and features year-round foliage.

You can find plants in one- or three-gallon containers available at Nature Hills Nursery.

Midnight Cascade

Remember that crazy hanging basket idea I mentioned earlier?

‘Midnight Cascade’ (V. corymbosum ‘FC12-187’) is the perfect cultivar for it, another northern highbush option from the Bushel and Berry™ series.

It has a unique trailing and spilling habit and grows to only one and a half to two feet tall and wide.

‘Midnight Cascade’

Hardy in Zones 5-9, this variety needs 450 chill hours, and is a high yielding cultivar.

Find yours in a one-gallon basket at Nature Hills Nursery.

Northsky

As its name suggests, this variety, a hybrid of V. corymbosum and the wild lowbush V. angustifolium, is very cold hardy and will grow happily in Zones 3-7.

‘Northsky’ grows from two to four feet high and wide and needs over 800 chill hours.

‘Northsky’

Though yields can be quite small, the taste of these berries is reminiscent of the wild variety.

‘Northsky’ is available in one-gallon containers at Nature Hills Nursery.

Patriot

Another northern highbush type, ‘Patriot’ is a popular choice for both containers and in-ground plantings. It grows from four to eight feet tall and three to five feet wide.

‘Patriot’

And, hardy in Zones 3-7, ‘Patriot’ needs 800 to 1,000 chill hours. It’ll produce a lot of delicious berries for you.

Find dormant bare roots as well as live plants in three- or six-gallon containers at Nature Hills Nursery.

Peach Sorbet

This northern highbush cultivar (also known as ‘ZF06-043’ ), also from Bushel and Berry™, displays pastel leaf colors and is very small, only growing to one and a half feet high and two feet wide.

‘Peach Sorbet’

It is hardy in Zones 5-10, requires only 300 or less chill hours, and is high yielding.

Find ‘Peach Sorbet®’ in one-gallon pots available at Nature Hills Nursery.

Pink Icing

Hardy in Zones 5-10 and requiring 500 chill hours, ‘Pink Icing®’ (aka ‘ZF06-079’), another northern highbush variety from the Bushel and Berry™ series, will grow three feet high and four feet wide.

‘Pink Icing’

It produces a moderate yield, and features colorful foliage with streaks of pink in the springtime for added ornamental value.

You can find ‘Pink Icing®’ in one-gallon containers available at Nature Hills Nursery.

Sunshine Blue

On the opposite end of the spectrum from ‘Northsky,’ this southern highbush cultivar is hardy in Zones 5-10 and needs a mere 150 chill hours. It grows three to four feet tall and wide, and has moderate yields.

‘Sunshine Blue’

Also well named, ‘Sunshine Blue’ loves the sun and heat of southern California, so this is an excellent choice for warm climates!

You can find ‘Sunshine Blue’ in one- or two-gallon pots available at Nature Hills Nursery.

Managing Pests and Disease

Blueberry bushes are quite resilient and even if pests do appear, often it takes five to eight years for populations to rise high enough to cause significant damage.

 Below are a few pests that can affect your container blueberries. 

Birds

Notorious berry lovers, birds are enough of a problem to motivate commercial growers to completely cover their patches in bird netting.

These feathered berry gobblers have a knack for spying and gulping any ripe fruit before you can get to it.

Placing containers in higher traffic areas, such as on a front porch, might be enough to keep the birds away from your precious fruit.

Shiny silver tape wound around plant stems and fluttering in the breeze can also help to deter winged visitors.

You can learn more about how to protect your blueberries from birds in our guide.

Insects

Keep an eye out for the following insects in your container blueberries.

Aphids

Aphids can cause leaves, especially new growth, to curl and become deformed, their honeydew exudates can feed sooty mold on fruit and leaves, and they can transmit viruses.

Luckily, aphids have many natural enemies, from tiny wasps to predatory ladybugs, so nature may take care of biological control for you.

Organocide Bee Safe 3-in-1 Garden Spray

If populations continue growing you can try applying a product such as Oganocide Bee Safe 3-in-1 Garden Spray, available at Arbico Organics.

This product is safe for humans and their pets, pollinators, and beneficial insects, and can be used right up until harvest.

Learn more about how to manage aphids in our guide.

Spotted Wing Drosophila

Drosophila suzukii (aka SWD) is a serious agricultural fruit pest, a tiny vinegar fly (or fruit fly) that lays its eggs inside fruit.

Oviposition leaves scars on the fruit surface and the larvae feed inside the fruit, causing it to go mushy. This also increases susceptibility to fungal and bacterial infections.

Learn about organic ways to control spotted wing drosophila here.

Disease

The main cause of disease in container-grown shrubs is water related.

Phytophthora Root Rot

Overwatering and poor drainage can result in the water mold (oomycete), Phytophthora cinnamomi getting the upper hand in the roots.

Symptoms such as reduced new growth, leaf yellowing or reddening, eventual leaf drop, crown and root reddening, and necrosis may take years to become obvious.

A more subtle but immediate sign of root rot can be reduced vigor during hot periods.

Root rot symptoms can mimic iron deficiency, which causes leaf yellowing known as chlorosis. Iron deficiency is common when the soil pH is too high.

Before treating or fertilizing, do a soil test to determine if nutrient deficiency could be a concern or if the symptoms are related to root rot.

Phytophthora cinnamomi lives in the soil and only becomes a problem when soil moisture is high enough that specialized spores can swim to and infect the roots.

You can prevent this issue by making sure the potting medium is well draining and the container has drainage holes.

Lift pots off of hard smooth surfaces that might impede drainage and set them on some bricks or risers instead. Try not to water when the soil is hot.

Find more tips on identifying and controlling blueberry pests and diseases here.

Best Uses

What are the best uses for container-grown blueberries? Eating! That’s all I need to say, right? I won’t stop there, though.

Edible landscaping is in. Growing your blueberry bushes in containers opens a world of possibilities, especially when it comes to placement.

You can grow them on a sunny patio, porch, or balcony and simply reach out the door or window for a delicious snack.

Not only do they produce tasty treats, they are also highly ornamental. Surround your sitting area with interest and color throughout the seasons with these potted shrubs.

Thanks to their small, pretty blooms in spring, luscious berries in summer, and the bright red foliage of autumn, they are a delight to behold. Some cultivars will even keep their leaves over the winter.

Beautiful Balcony Berries

You don’t have to go on without ever having tasted your own homegrown, sun-warmed blueberries. Just pop them in a big pot and commence popping them into your mouth!

Photo via Alamy.

Growing your bushes in containers is an option for anyone who doesn’t have a garden, enough free space, the right type of soil, or whoever wants to add a pretty, tasty plant to their patio.

Leave us a comment with any questions and share your experiences growing blueberries in containers. We wouldn’t mind finding a few delicious recipes below either (hint hint)!

And for more information about growing blueberries, check out these guides next:

SunGarden - Growing blueberries in a container

⌂ Growing blueberries as a business is a very profitable business

Blueberries can be successfully grown not only in open ground, but also in containers, and on an industrial scale. To make sure of this and tell the readers of "SontseSad" about it, we visited two companies that have a large amount of blueberries in containers.
The first is the Wilczewski family business near Bialystok in northeastern Poland, close to the border with Belarus and Lithuania. Here is the "North Pole" of Poland. The temperature in winter reaches -42 degrees Celsius. It was these frosts that caused Vilchevsky to grow blueberries in containers. In general, blueberries can withstand such frosts well. However, in the lowlands, the so-called "frost pits", where cold air lingers for a long time, she is no longer in the mood for jokes. The Wilczewskis have a huge scale - hundreds of hectares (thanks to the cultivation of blueberries on such large areas, they are one of the largest employers in this backwater of Polish Polissya). It turned out that there were enough such low-lying areas on their lands, so they decided to grow blueberries there in containers - so that they could be transported from there to greenhouses for the winter or enclosed in heaps protected from frost by thick fiber and straw. nine0005

⌂ Blueberries in containers are laid in Burta

⌂ Blueberry seedlings with a lump of Earth

⌂ Burt is covered with agrovo and hay

⌂ The naked field was taken by

9000 were one of the largest producers of cut roses, but with the entry of Poland into the European Union, their roses could not compete with the cheaper American ones that the Dutch fill Europe with. So pink greenhouses came in handy for winter storage of blueberries. You enter the greenhouse complex - and you can't see the end of the densely crowded rows with thousands of containers of blueberries. nine0005


⌂ Containers with blueberries are placed for wintering in the greenhouse , where in containers it gives excellent commercial yields. “In our experience, Duke and Draper are the most suitable for growing in containers,” says the founder and head of the farm, Mr. Jerzy Wilczewski. “Other varieties can become somewhat smaller and partially crumble when grown in containers.” nine0005

⌂ Chornika Dyuk

Pan Vilchevsky planted young blueberry plants in 10-20-liter containers, and three-year-old plants in 37-liter ones. Over time, depending on growth, you can transplant into even larger containers.

⌂ Blueberries in containers in the field in summer

Substrate contains acidic peat, sawdust and chips of coniferous trees.
Water the plants 2-3 times a day. Distances between plants in the fields: row spacing - 3.20 m, in a row - 0.7-0.8 m.

⌂ For better drainage, earth is sprinkled under the blueberries

Earth is sprinkled under the rows of pots, they stand on a hill - for better drainage. In the third year of cultivation, plants already give 0.5 - 2 kg of delicious berries.
The volume of blueberry cultivation both in containers and in the open field is constantly increasing at the Vilchevski farm. 330 hectares is one of the largest blueberry farms in Europe.

⌂ Container blueberry cultivation Holland Schrijnwerkers

Schreinwerkers, a Dutch company, also specializes in blueberries and their processing. The cultivation volumes are somewhat less - the land in Holland is almost the most expensive in Europe. However, even on super-expensive land, blueberries make big profits.

⌂ Alexandra Neumann, manager of the Dutch company Schrijnwerkers, which has large blueberry plantations in the Netherlands and Germany

To expand the farm, they bought more land in neighboring Germany (land is cheaper there). Some blueberries are grown in 45-liter containers, where they bear fruit well. nine0005

⌂ Schrijnwerkers container blueberry field

⌂ Some bushes in containers are already 10 years old. As it turned out, there are many who want to buy such large bushes in pots, from which you can immediately collect maximum yields. Their sale turned out to be one of the rather profitable activities of the enterprise.

⌂ This is what the water supply system looks like

⌂ In a conversation, the manager of the enterprise noted that when growing blueberries in containers, special attention should be paid to reliability water supply and good drainage : the water supply pipes can become clogged, then the plants are in danger of death, therefore, to avoid losses, it is worth checking the water supply to the pots regularly to avoid losses. At the same time, potted plants cannot withstand too much water, so reliable drainage is needed.
In the garden center "SontseSad", in the Kyiv region, blueberries are also grown in containers, but this method of growing does not require shelter for the winter in Ukraine, because we do not have such severe frosts as in some regions of Poland. nine0005

⌂ Containers of blueberries in the garden center "SunSad" Facebook

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Growing blueberries in an industrial production container - expert advice - AgroXXI

Anna Medvedeva

If the soil is alkaline and the blueberry business brings real benefits, it's worth experimenting

Commercial scale container blueberry production can be a reality for many who want to start this business and do not have acidic soils.

USDA grant winner Gary Gao has been testing containerized blueberries for three years at the Ohio State University South Center. Commercial blueberry production in the US is considered very profitable, as Americans eat blueberries all year round and there is always a demand for blueberries.

“We have a huge demand for blueberries. - Says farmer Jeff Thomas from Ohio. “But our soils are far from ideal for successful blueberry production, with a pH of 6.5 and a relatively low organic matter content of around 3%. This means that we must be able to economically achieve and maintain proper acidity and organic matter in blueberry production. In the case of container growing, this is achievable.” nine0005

“The good news is that quite a few innovative growers are already growing blueberries in containers in California and Florida in the US, as well as in other countries such as Australia, the Netherlands and South Africa,” says Gary Gao and makes recommendations.

Gary Gao (left) shows a container plant for blueberries and blackberries. (Photo: Pengfei Wang, Ohio State University).

“Here are a few things to consider if you want to grow blueberries in a container:

Type and size of container . “We tried biodegradable bags, plastic containers and a variety of pots. Conclusion: the final choice of container type really comes down to two parameters - cost and durability. In the end, we settled on 10 gallon HDPE blow molded pots because we wanted to see how the bushes would bear fruit for seven to ten years. It makes sense to purchase flat rather than tall containers, as blueberry bushes tend to spread more horizontally than vertically. nine0005

Pot mixes or substrates . In our study, we used 100% pine-refined mulch, as it was readily available to us in bulk at a reasonable price and has a naturally low pH of 4.6. It is also a by-product of the paper industry, making it a sustainable material. Even though this substrate worked very well, I feel like adding 30% peat would have made it better. Also, the clean mulch substrate was too porous, as the nutrients and water drained away very quickly. nine0005

I'd recommend considering commercial blueberry mixes or substrates, but since I haven't done any research on commercial products, you should definitely do a trial run before a large planting. Speaking of testing, here's an interesting example where a graduate student at Oregon State University did a two-year study on potting mixes that consisted of coconut coir, Douglas fir bark, perlite, and peat moss, and they showed good results. So don't be afraid to experiment."0005

Fertilization and irrigation . We used slow release fertilizers with micronutrients to fertilize containerized blueberry production systems. I'm not sure we've found the perfect solution. It may be best to talk to different container plant fertilizer suppliers, as the rate of fertilizer release depends on watering rate, air temperature, type of potting mix, and many other factors. The quality of water for irrigation is also very important. Be sure to check the alkalinity of the water. You will need to inject sulfuric acid if the alkalinity is high. We ran into this problem after our blueberry bushes showed many cases of intercellular yellowing during the first growing season. After we introduced sulfuric acid into the water, the bushes quickly turned green and grew much better. nine0005

Wintering. In cold climates, the roots of blueberries in containers can be damaged if you leave the containers outdoors without any protection. To protect our blueberry plants, we laid our containers on their side and covered them with two layers of covering material.

Although we were quite successful in protecting the bushes, the process itself took a long time.

In November 2018, we decided to plant some of our potted blueberry bushes in a raised bed covered in plant debris. nine0005

Photo: Gary Gao, Ohio State University.

We hope that this approach will save a lot of time, and the blueberry roots will be isolated and protected by the soil. It will also be interesting to see how long the bushes can stay in pots.”

“Producing blueberries in containers may be a viable option for growers with alkaline soils in many parts of the world. Since containers vary in cost and durability, and there are quite a few potted substrates available, growers may still need to do their own testing of containers and substrates, as well as decide on their own fertilization and irrigation.

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