What Size Pot Container for Blueberries?

Pot Size

• Plant young blueberry plants in 2- to 5-gallon pots. Transfer the plants after a year or two to larger pots, preferably 20-inch pots or even a barrels. Gently lift the blueberries out of the small pots, taking care not to damage the shallow roots. Replant the blueberries at the same level they were previously planted. Use fresh potting mix rather than recycling the mix from the smaller pot.

Potting Mix

• For blueberries to grow successfully in containers, plant them in a soil-less, acidic potting mix. Make your own by mixing four parts coir, four parts peat and two parts perlite. Find coir, or shredded coconut husks, at nurseries specializing in greenhouse care or through online sources. Other mixes that work well include one part sphagnum peat moss and one part shredded pine bark.

Protection

• Pots don't provide the same insulating protection from winter winds and cold temperatures that the ground does. To prevent blueberries from drying out or sustaining winter damage, store pots in an unheated garage over the winter or wrap them in burlap. Sink pots into the ground if you prefer after planting them. They may still need winter protection, such as a pine bark mulch or burlap, but the surrounding soil will insulate them and provide some protection.

Nutrients and Water

• Pots tend to dry out and lose nutrients quickly. Water blueberries frequently, but shallowly so the plants don't become dried out or water-logged. Aim for evenly moist, but not soggy soil. Give plants an acidic slow-release fertilizer, according to package directions in the spring when the plants begin to bloom. In addition to the slow-release fertilizer, apply a water-soluble acidic fertilizer every two weeks during the growing season.