Planting Vaccinium Corymbosum

Soil Preparation

• After removing the weeds and debris from the planting site, test the soil with a pH testing kit, which you can buy from most garden centers. If the soil pH ranges between 4.8 and 5.3, the site is suitable for the blueberries. If the pH is closer to 7.0, then the soil is too alkaline and needs to be conditioned with sulfur, which takes months to work. Add 1/2 pound of sulfur for every 10 square feet of space to lower the pH of a loamy soil by 2.0 points. Check the sulfur bag for rates and pH levels for different types of soil.

Digging the Hole

• Highbush blueberry shrubs need full sun for at least six to eight hours each day. Choose a site that is somewhat protected from winds. Well-draining soil that holds onto moisture is the best for these plants. Dig the hole three times as wide as the root ball and only as deep so the plant is only as deep as it was previously growing. These fruit bushes benefit from the addition of 1 gallon of peat moss into the soil removed from the hole. If you don't have peat moss, use fir sawdust or shredded bark.

Planting

• Do not break the stems when removing the highbush blueberry plant from its container. Spread the roots out in the hole to encourage the roots to grow out of the planting hole. Fill the hole with the amended soil and pack the soil firmly around the roots. The soil should be deep enough to cover the top roots with 3 to 4 inches of soil. Plant highbush blueberries 3 to 4 feet apart.

After Care

• The soil around the base of the highbush blueberries needs to be soaked enough so it turns muddy. This helps remove air pockets from around the roots. Mulching the plants with 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch helps keep the soil temperatures cool during the summer and prevents the rapid evaporation of soil moisture. Keep the mulch 4 inches away from the trunk. Good mulch for highbush blueberries includes sawdust, peat moss and chopped straw.