Companion Plants For Blueberries: 13 Perfect Pairings For Productive Blueberry Bushes
- Evergreen Trees. Almost all types of evergreen trees like spruce, pine, yew, fir, and juniper act as excellent companions for blueberry bushes.
- Dogwood Trees & Shrubs. Dogwood is an excellent tree to pair with blueberry bushes. ...
- Rhododendron & Azalea. ...
- Heather. ...
- Thyme. ...
- Cranberry Bushes. ...
- Columbine. ...
- Mountain Laurel. ...
- Fern. ...
- Holly. ...
- Basic Plant Spacing is 8 feet in between plant centers and 12-14 feet in between rows.
- Intensive planting for a small garden, 6-8 feet between plants and 10 feet between rows.
How to plant blueberries in the garden?
Planting Blueberries 1 When Planting Blueberries, Consult the Experts. ... 2 Identify the Best Blueberry Plants. ... 3 Select Your Blueberry Spot. ... 4 Prep Your Soil. ... 5 Space and Plant Your Blueberries. ... 6 Fertilize Your Blueberry Plants. ... 7 Mulch Your Blueberry Plants. ... 8 Build Your Blueberry Knowledge. ...
What kind of plants go with blueberries?
Mountain Laurel is a classic blueberry companion plant. The gorgeous leaves of this shrub tend to complement the small leaves of lanky blueberry bushes. These low-maintenance shrubs certainly deserve consideration for planting alongside or behind your blueberries. This ostrich fern brightens up the shadier spots of the woodland blueberry bed.
What is the best ground cover for blueberries?
Clovers (genus Trifolium) can also serve as a self-seeding ground cover, although they sometimes carry viruses that affect blueberry plants.
Can you plant strawberries and blueberries in the same area?
Plant strawberries as a low-growing groundcover in your edible berry garden. Like blueberries, these plants love moist, yet well-drained soil, as well as adequate sunlight. Use strawberries between the blueberry bushes, along pathways, or to edge the berry garden.
What should I plant between blueberry bushes?
Herb Companion Plants for BlueberriesBasil. Basil works well as a blueberry companion plant. ... Thyme. As a perennial herb, thyme grows low to the ground and serves as a fine ground cover for blueberry bushes. ... Parsley. ... Dill. ... Borage. ... Strawberries. ... Pineberries.
How do you plant blueberry spacing?
Blueberries can be planted as close as 2 - 2½ feet apart to form solid hedgerows or spaced up to 6 feet apart and grown individually. If planted in rows, allow 8 to 10 feet between the rows depending on equipment used for mowing or cultivating.
Can you plant anything with blueberries?
It tolerates moderately acidic soil and offers clusters of small, purple flowers in early summer. Other acidic-soil plants include yew, pine trees, and grape hyacinth. Additionally, plants having adaptable tolerance to various soil and pH types, like catchfly, work well with blueberry plants too.
How many blueberry plants should you plant together?
You'll get the best blueberry crop if you plant at least three bushes with similar bloom times. They can mix and match their pollen that way.
How close do blueberry bushes need to be to cross pollinate?
The hole should be no more than 5 feet from another blueberry bush; proximity is necessary for cross-pollination. If you are planting several rows of blueberries, space each bush 5 feet apart and space the rows at least 10 feet apart.
How do you grow blueberries sweeter?
The fruit size and sweetness increase very quickly at the end of the ripening process. Ensuring that your blueberry plants are grown in acidic soil and keeping them fertilized annually will also help to sweeten the blueberries.
How do I get more fruit on my blueberry bushes?
Blueberry plants need full sun. If not, you will be disappointed. Like most plants grown for food, the light blue berries do best in full sun (at least 6 hours). They can take some partial shade, but too much shade will decrease flowering and fruiting.
Can I plant strawberries and blueberries together?
Both strawberries and blueberries are easy to grow garden fruits that you can plant once and reap from for many years. They both can act as beautiful landscape plants and they can be grown together. Strawberries act like ground cover to keep the soil around the blueberry shrubs moist and weed-free.
Can you plant raspberries next to blueberries?
Blueberries need very acidic soil in order to thrive, while raspberries need mildly acidic soil. For that reason, the two should not be grown in close proximity.
Can you plant blackberries next to blueberries?
Blueberry shrubs work well for planting near blackberries. They won't find themselves shaded out since they are about the same height as blackberries. Like blackberries, they prefer a sunny location. You could also plant lower shrubs that will tolerate the shade of higher brambles.
How do you make a blueberry bed?
4:2812:41How to GROW Blueberries in a RAISED Garden Bed - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we're fairly early stages. Yet i started with a standard birdies round raised garden bedMoreSo we're fairly early stages. Yet i started with a standard birdies round raised garden bed hugelkultur method where i put logs old banana stalks and leaves crushed into the bottom.
Should you prune blueberry bushes?
Any pruning of blueberry bushes, especially mature bushes, is required for successful production of blueberries. Blueberry bushes that have not been pruned on an annual basis may become overgrown and less fruitful (Figure 1). Proper training of blueberries is essential to maintain plant size, shape and productivity.
How wide do blueberry bushes get?
Here are the widths of blueberry bushes by variety. Northern Highbush Blueberry – grows 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters) wide at maturity. Southern Highbush Blueberry – grows 1 to 3 feet (0.3 to 1.2 meters) wide at maturity. Lowbush Blueberry – grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide at maturity.
What month do I plant blueberries?
Blueberries should be planted either in fall by mid-October or in early spring after severe freeze danger has passed. When you receive your plants, check them to make sure that they look healthy and the roots are moist. For best results, planting should be done within a day or two of arrival.
Where is the best place to plant blueberry bushes?
Your plant would love a sunny place with well-drained, fertile soil. But it will be quite satisfied with six to eight hours of sunlight. Good drainage is required to keep your plant “happy.” If your soil has high clay content, use our Coco-Fiber Potting Medium or add one-third peat to the soil at planting time.
Do blueberry bushes spread?
Blueberry plants will gradually spread from their growing location through a process called suckering. New, fast-growing shoots grow out of the soil from the main root cluster a few inches from the main clump. Over time, the size of the blueberry bush grows gradually as new suckers form.
What to plant with blueberries?
Plant strawberries as a low-growing groundcover in your edible berry garden. Like blueberries, these plants love moist , yet well-drained soil, as well as adequate sunlight. Use strawberries between the blueberry bushes, along pathways, or to edge the berry garden.
What are the best companion plants for blueberries?
The best companion plants for blueberries have the following characteristics: Thrive in acidic soil (like blueberry bushes) Attract pollinators during the spring blueberry blossom season. Grow in same climate zone and relative environmental conditions. Aesthetically beautiful when paired with blueberries.
What kind of soil do blueberry bushes need?
Almost all types of evergreen trees like spruce, pine, yew, fir and juniper act as excellent companions for blueberry bushes. These trees grow well in similar acidic soil like blueberries. They require a pH of about 5 to 6. They can provide shade to the berry plant from strong afternoon sun and help to create the acidic soil conditions that blueberry plants love.
What is the best groundcover for blueberries?
Thyme is another low-growing groundcover-type plant to match with blueberries. This herb looks beautiful around the blueberry plants and can be a bit of a deterrent to pests due to its herbal scent. There are tons of different varieties of thyme to choose from, so there’s just got to be one that suits your taste!
Why is columbine a good companion for blueberries?
Another reason that columbine is such a great companion plant for blueberries is that it blossoms around the same time as the blueberries.
What pH do blueberry trees need?
These trees grow well in similar acidic soil like blueberries. They require a pH of about 5 to 6. They can provide shade to the berry plant from strong afternoon sun and help to create the acidic soil conditions that blueberry plants love. Consider a large evergreen to anchor your blueberry patch:
What flowers grow well with blueberries?
Columbine. Columbine is an excellent perennial flower to grow around blueberries. These perennial flowers come in white, pink, purple, blue and red. Their foliage can grow about 15 to 20 inches tall in good soil conditions.
What is the best soil for blueberry plants?
So what to plant with blueberries? The best buddy for a blueberry plant is a rhododendron since these plants also thrive in sunshine and acidic soil.
What are some good companions for blueberries?
Some of the best companions for blueberries are cover crops . Many of these work best if you grow them and plow them under well before the blueberries are planted. These types of blueberry cover crops also improve the structure of the soil by adding organic matter. Good blueberry cover crops for pre-planting include grasses and grains.
Why leave blueberry shrubs alone?
Why leave your blueberry shrub alone in your garden? The best blueberry cover crops and appropriate companions for blueberries will help your shrubs stay thrive. You’ll need to pick blueberry plant companions that share a blueberry’s love for acidic soil.
What herb is good for blueberry bushes?
Thyme is another herb that works well and looks pretty around blueberry bushes. It tolerates moderately acidic soil and offers clusters of small, purple flowers in early summer.
How high do blueberries grow?
What to Plant with Blueberries. Blueberry shrubs grow happily in small groups and also work well in a hedge row. These berry plants get about three feet (1 m.) high and almost as wide. They tolerate cool weather, which means that gardeners in many regions around the country get bumper crops.
Do rhododendrons help blueberry plants?
Rhodies are generous with their beautiful blossoms, adding ornamental value to your garden. The foliage of the rhododendrons offers valuable shade to the sensitive blueberry roots during the summer heat. This means that they are great blueberry bush companions. Herbs also make good blueberry plant companions.
Can you plant blueberries in solitary rows?
Blueberry plant companions can help the shrubs to grow. If you want to make life as easy as possible for your berries, you may not want to leave them in solitary rows. Planting blueberry cover crops before you plant the blueberries improves the shrubs’ vigor and increases the yield of your blueberry patch.
How to grow blueberries in a sunny area?
Avoid planting near trees, which block out sunlight and suck up the moisture in the soil. It’s best to grow blueberries in an area where water is readily available so you can keep their roots moist throughout the growing season.
What is highbush blueberry?
However, the highbush blueberry classification covers a range of different blueberry varieties, each of which is unique in its season, size, shape, color and taste.
Do blueberries like acidic soil?
Soil preparation is crucial to the health of blueberry plants. Blueberries prefer acidic soil, and if the soil in your area is not acidic enough, you may need to make adjustments, with guidance from your local garden center or Cooperative Extension.
Where do sage plants grow best?
Depending on the climate and ripening season in your area, certain varieties will grow better than others. Some tend to grow best in southern climates (like the West Coast, the Southeast, and the Southern Hemisphere), and some fare better in northern environments (Northern U.S. and Canada).
Do blueberries need fertilizer?
Follow the instructions on the label carefully – blueberries are sensitive to overfertilization! You’ll want to apply fertilizer one month after planting, not at the time of planting. For best results, fertilize your plants once in early spring and again in late spring, always watering thoroughly afterward.
What type of blueberries will you grow?
A hugely important part of knowing what space you need for your blueberries depends on the type you grow. Usually, the geographical location of where you are growing will determine it for you. But in some areas you have the option of growing several different types.
What is a highbush blueberry?
Northern Highbush: A blueberry bush native eastern North America. Pollination Requirements: Generally self-fertile but you’ll get larger blueberries and more fruit with more than one variety. Rabbiteye: A blueberry bush for the south. It has a low chilling hours requirement with vigorous growth and high yield.
How will you maintain the rows?
An important thing to consider is how you will maintain the space between the rows.
Do blueberries need to be cut and dry?
However, even though the blueberry spacing recommendations usually come across as cut and dry, there is some flexibility in the guidelines .
Do plants need to be spaced in between?
It’s important to note that the spacing in between the plants doesn’t change very much at all in either basic or intensive spacing. You need to maintain that space for proper growth and vigor.
Is a southern highbush a blueberry?
Southern Highbush: This is a hybrid of the north ern highbush and native southern blueberry plants. It combines the fruit quality of the northern bush with the heat and disease resistance of the native southern blueberries. This type also has a low chilling hour requirement. However, very early flowering makes southern highbush cultivars quite susceptible to late winter/early spring freezes.
Sheet Mulching
The first step in the sheet mulching process is to cut down any weeds in the row of blueberry plants. Then add a layer of cardboard or newspaper that is at least ten pages thick. These should be overlapped by at least six inches to prevent the grass and weeds from growing up between the areas of overlap.
Management of Weeds in the Rows
A common problem in blueberry culture for many growers is the control of weeds.
What is the best ground cover for blueberries?
Highbush blueberry varieties planted in wide rows can be partnered with weak perennials such as fescues (genus Festuca) or bluegrasses (genus Poa), which then must be mowed several times a year. Clovers (genus Trifolium) can also serve as a self-seeding ground cover, although they sometimes carry viruses that affect blueberry plants. Close relatives of the blueberry, such as cranberry and huckleberry (both also in the genus Vaccinium), also can be successful ground covers, as they are well-adapted to the acidic soils that blueberries require.
How tall do blueberries grow?
Ground cover may at times be needed for the taller “highbush” blueberry varieties (those that grow to more than 4 feet tall), especially when the blueberries are farmed in large, commercial settings.
Can blueberry plants be disturbed?
The shallow root systems of blueberry plants can easily be disturbed by the invading roots of more aggressive species. Low-growing blueberry varieties may be shaded by some types of ground cover, reducing their yield. Any type of ground cover plant will compete for the soil nutrients, although additional fertilizer usually can compensate for the loss.
Do blueberries need ground cover?
Blueberries (genus Vaccinium, section Cyanococcus) are perennial flowering shrubs that grow in acidic soil in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3 through 10. It is not necessary to grow ground-cover plants around most blueberries in home gardens. Many blueberry species grow low to the ground, and themselves are sometimes used as ground ...
What is the pH level of blueberry plants?
Blueberries like to grow in acidic soil conditions with a pH level between 4.5 and 5.0 and it may take a little work and time to get your soil in an optimal blueberry growing condition sometimes.
Why do we need companion plants?
Another great reason to companion plant is for an increased yield in crops. By utilizing all the space you have by choosing plants that will help each other and can grow well alongside one another your garden becomes much more productive.
Can you plant blueberries in acidic soil?
Because the perfect blueberry growing soil is acidic there are many plants you will want to avoid planting near blueberries. The fact is most plants love slightly alkaline soil for best growth. Although many can tolera te acidic soil , there are some that simply cannot grow well or possibly not at all in your blueberries soil .
Is companion planting good for your garden?
Companion planting can be a great way to increase the health and productivity of your garden but remember that knowing what NOT to companion plant is just as important as knowing what to plant.
Can you shade out blueberry bushes?
First, you need to be careful not to shade out your blueberry bushes. Blueberries love many hours of direct sunlight and many plants can grow taller than blueberry bushes.
Should You Grow Anything Around Blueberries?
Students of permaculture and organic gardening quickly learn the value of companion planting. By interplanting a variety of plants that are specially chosen, a gardener can accomplish many desired effects.
What pollinates blueberry flowers?
Blueberry flowers are pollinated by bumblebees and other bees.
How long does it take for blueberries to produce?
After their first season, blueberries are low-maintenance and will produce buckets full within a couple of years!
Why do blueberries dry out?
Blueberries have shallow root systems, meaning they will dry out if a thick mulch isn’t used to protect from evaporation. Plus, this mulch will help retain moisture already present in the soil from which the blueberry roots can draw.
What to put in soil to keep pH low?
You can also include pine needles and coffee grounds (many coffee shops will give you their used coffee grounds for free). Note that pine needles and coffee grounds won’t likely lower the soil’s pH, but it can help to add organic matter and keep the pH low.
What to plant in a garden if soil is acidic?
Even if your soil is acidic, it’s a good idea to amend the planting area with peat moss and other organic matter. You can also include pine needles and coffee grounds (many coffee shops will give you their used coffee grounds for free).
Do blueberries like wet feet?
Blueberries do not like “wet feet,” so choosing a site with good drainage is important when selecting where your blueberry bushes will grow.
Can you grow blueberries on a budget?
And for those on a budget, growing your own blueberries will save hundreds of dollars over the years compared to buying from the grocery store. If you’re successful, you may find yourself harvesting more than you can eat, and you can sell them to actually earn some extra cash!
