Growing Blueberries From a Cutting

Purchase sterilized peat from a gardening store, or heat unsterilized peat to 140 degrees Fahrenheit killing any disease-causing organisms.

Soak the peat in water for a few hours.

Fill a propagation box, or a homemade wooden tray taller than the cuttings, with peat.

During the early spring, cut off a healthy-looking shoot from last year's growth. The cutting should be about 4 inches long with four buds. Cuttings taken in the winter also work, but require a cool storage area until spring.

Stick the cutting into the peat so that it stands up vertically with only about one-third of the cutting sticks above the peat’s surface.

Put the lid on the propagation box, or cover the box with clear plastic. The lid or plastic will help keep the cutting consistently moist so that it can sprout roots.

Keep the propagation box in a slightly warm location, such as a greenhouse. Make sure the cuttings do not freeze.

Check the peat’s moisture level regularly. Mist or sprinkle water on the peat whenever it does not feel moist.

Wait three to four months for the blueberry cutting to take root.

Transplant the blueberry plant into a pot full of soil with good drainage.

Water the plant regularly no more than every other day. Keep the soil beneath the surface slightly moist, but allow it to dry out in between waterings.

Apply some azalea or balanced fertilizer to the surface of the soil in the plant pot after the cutting grows leaves. Use a small amount of fertilizer in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, because blueberries are very sensitive to fertilizers.

Transplant the blueberry plant to an outdoor garden or yard when it is about 2 years old. Plant it in an area with a soil pH below 5.5 with good soil drainage. If the soil does not have good drainage, add compost or other organic matter to the soil before planting.

Water the plant regularly, especially during warm seasons. Large, mature blueberry plants can require up to 35 gallons of water per week.