How to Grow Blueberries in Raised Beds

Prepare the Site

• 1

  Select a sunny spot for your blueberries. It should be convenient for watering since blueberries love moist soil during their growing season.

• 2

  Open the bale of peat moss and add it to your raised bed frames. Mix in your planting soil. The combination of the two will create an acidic environment that blueberries thrive in.

• 3

  Keep a soil acidifier (ask your local garden center to recommend one) on hand to maintain the proper pH level as needed. Blueberries do best at a pH of 4.5 to 5.5.

Planting and Caring for Your Berries

• 4

  Remove your berries from their pots and use your fingers to rough up the outer surface of the root ball. Dig a shallow hole in your raised bed for each plant. Set the plant in the hole so 1 to 2 inches of the root ball sits higher than the surrounding dirt. Space your plants 2.5 feet apart for a hedge or up to 6 feet apart for individual bushes.

• 5

  Add 2 to 4 inches of mulch over the roots to prevent moisture evaporation and weeds. Sawdust, compost, grass clippings or bark will all work as mulch. Add mulch gradually each year until you can maintain a depth of almost 6 inches.

• 6

  Apply 2 tbsp. of a 10-20-10 fertilizer late in the spring once the plants have established themselves. Organic fertilizers like cottonseed meal or blood meal work well with blueberries.

• 7

  Prune off any blossoms the first year so your plants can work on growth instead of fruit. Prune heavily every year after the third year to prevent over-fruiting.

• 8

  Cover your bushes with a light netting to protect your fruit from birds. Set up a light wood or PVC frame to keep the net off the plants so birds cannot steal fruit through the net.