How to Grow Blueberry Plants in Minnesota

Choose a sunny growing space with good soil drainage, as the University of Minnesota and the National Gardening Association suggest.

Test the soil pH using an at-home testing kit from a gardening store or by sending a soil sample to the University of Minnesota Soil Testing Facility. Blueberries grow best in soils with a pH between 4.0 and 5.0, and most Minnesota soils have a slightly higher pH than this range.

Add a sulfur soil amendment to lower the soil pH, if the results of the soil test show a pH above 5.0. Gardening stores sell soil amendments designed to adjust pH levels to accommodate different plants. Use 1 lb. of sulfur to reduce the pH by one point for every 50 cubic feet of sandy soil. Alternatively, the University of Minnesota suggests mixing 4 to 6 inches of acidic peat into soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.0 to adjust the pH.

Prepare a mixture of equal parts compost and peat moss to for the blueberry plants. According to the National Gardening Association and Michigan State University, blueberries grow best in soils with lots of organic matter.

Dig planting holes in a row spaced about 5 feet apart from each other. The National Gardening Association suggests digging holes about 18 inches wide and 18 inches deep. Growers in Minnesota should plant blueberries during the spring, in late April or early May, according to the University of Minnesota.

Fill the holes with about 14 inches of the compost and peat moss mixture. The blueberry starter plants have small roots that don't require large holes, and the compost and peat moss mixture improves the drainage and nutrient content of the soil.

Place the blueberry plants in their holes and cover the roots with more of the compost and peat moss mixture.

Water the plants thoroughly.

Apply a layer of mulch over the surface of the soil. Mulch helps the soil retain moisture and also prevents weeds. Reapply the mulch layer before winter if it becomes thin, because mulch helps keep the plant roots at a consistent temperature during winter. Maintain a layer around 4 inches thick.

Cover the plants with a windbreaker during the coldest parts of winter, as Cornell University suggests.

Fertilize the blueberry plants once per year during the spring. The University of Minnesota suggests using a fertilizer for azaleas or rhododendrons, because they also like acidic soils. Apply the fertilizer based on its packaging instructions.

Prune the bushes early each spring to remove dead or damaged branches, and shape the bush. The University of Minnesota warns that too much pruning can reduce berry output, but also explains that growers should thin out bushes on occasion by removing some of the oldest stems.