How to Dig Up Blueberry Bushes to Transplant

Determine a new location for the transplant before you dig up the blueberry bush. Blueberries need a soil pH level around 4.8 to survive. The application of wettable sulfur or aluminum sulfate can help adjust soil levels, but you need to read the directions to ensure that you apply it properly. Avoid transplanting the blueberry bush until three months after adjusting the pH level to give the soil time to reach the proper level.

Inspect the location to ensure that it receives around six to eight hours of sunlight a day. The location also needs to remain isolated from other shrubs or plants so that they do not compete for nutrients.

Insert a shovel around the base of the blueberry plant carefully to determine where the roots are located. Work the shovel into the soil all the way around the bush so that you have a diameter outlined.

Dig around the blueberry bush in a circle around the roots. Insert the shovel under the roots to lift the blueberry plant out of the ground. Work the shovel in under the roots carefully until you loosen the blueberry bush. Remove as many of the roots as possible.

Wrap a plastic bag around the root ball of the bush to keep it moist. Store the blueberry bush in a location away from freezing weather where the roots will remain moist, such as the garage.

Space the blueberry bushes at least 4 feet apart. Dig a new hole large enough for the roots to fit. The top roots must remain 3 to 4 inches under the soil. Pack the soil around the roots firmly with the shovel and place a 2-inch layer of peat moss around the blueberry bush.

Water the soil after you transplant the bush. Water the bush to keep the soil moist until it becomes established in its new location.