Blueberries make a great addition to the backyard garden. Blueberries can also make attractive landscape shrubs. Plants will  produce white to pink, urn-shaped flowers in the spring and provide excellent fall leaf color. The fall foliage consists of shades of yellow, orange, and red.Once they are established, blueberries require little attention.Fresh blueberries are one of summer's best-tasting treats.

 There are several different types of blueberries but the most common  are the highbush and the lowbush variety.Highbush blueberries are the cultivated type of blueberry  and Lowbush blueberries are the native or "wild" type of blueberry.Highbush blueberries develop into 6 to 8 foot shrubs. Suggested varieties include ‘Blueray,' ‘Bluecrop,' ‘Patriot,' ‘Jersey,' and ‘Elliott.' Lowbush blueberries possess greater cold hardiness, are relatively small, usually only 2 to 3 feet tall ,and produce small to medium size berries. Suggested varieties include ‘Northblue,' ‘Northcountry,' and ‘Northsky,' 

 Blueberry plants need a sunny location and well-drained soils high in organic matter. Avoid wet, poorly drained soils.Poorly drained soils will cause root rot in blueberries. Soil pH is also extremely important. Blueberries need an acid soil of pH 4.0 to 5.5.  Home gardeners can lower their soil pH by adding peat moss and ferrous sulfate to the soil. Sulfur can also be used to raise the pH, but since sulfur reacts slowly with the soil, it should be applied and worked in a year before planting. Aluminum sulfate may be used, but be aware that large amounts of this compound can be toxic to blueberry plants

Blueberries may be planted in the spring or fall, however, spring is considered to be the best. The roots of dormant, bare-root plants should be soaked in water for about an hour before planting. Prune back the plant to 1/2 by removing the small side branches and by heading back the main branches.Planting 2 or 3 blueberry varieties will insure good pollination and fruit set.

To plant blueberries dig a hole approximately 12 to 18 inches deep and 2 to 3 feet wide. Set the plant at the same depth as it grew in the nursery. Then backfill with a 50:50 mixture of soil and moist peat moss. After planting, water each blueberry plant well.

Highbush blueberries should be spaced 4 to 6 feet apart, however, a 3 to 4 foot spacing  for the smaller lowbush blueberries is fine. Blueberries have a shallow, fibrous root system.They will quickly become stressed during hot, dry weather. To help retain moisture and control weeds, apply 2 to 4 inches of mulch around blueberry plants. Sawdust, wood chips, pine needles, and shredded leaves are great mulching materials. During hot,dry weather, water plants each week.

More blueberry information

Blueberry plants should not be allowed to bear fruit the first 2 years after planting. Any blossoms which form should be removed. Removal of the flowers will maximize vegetative growth and increase yields in later years. Blueberry plants should come into full production by the fifth or sixth year. Gardeners can expect to harvest 5 to 10 pounds of fruit per plant from mature highbush blueberries. lowbush blueberries generally produce 1 to 3 pounds per plant.

Once established, an annual application of an acid-producing fertilizer, such as ammonium sulfate, in early spring is sufficient for blueberries. Apply 1/2 to 1 pound of ammonium sulfate per 100 square feet of garden area. Ammonium sulfate supplies nitrogen to the plants and also helps to maintain soil acidity.  Blueberries generally have few insect and disease problems. Birds are the greatest threat to the crop. If left unchecked, hungry birds may devour much of the crop. Netting seems to be the most effective way to protect the blueberries. Netting should be placed over the plants when the fruits begin to turn color. Drape the netting over some type of framework with the edges of the netting buried in the ground to prevent birds from getting in underneath.

On The Spot Garden Tip The very best time to plant most annuals is during the late afternoon.