Blueberries are one of the most popular fruits in North America. These tough and hearty perennial bushes, when treated right, will reward you with surprisingly large harvests. It's that time of year when your blueberry bushes are getting ready to bud out, if they haven't already. A sure sign that spring is finally on its way. If you don't have any blueberry plants yet, don't worry, pretty soon they're going to be available to buy everywhere.

Today, we're going to talk about blueberry growing and show you how to make blueberry soil. We have a couple of three-year-old blueberry plants in need of some attention, and we're going to repot these guys into larger containers.

Blueberry plants in North America come in two different varieties - High Bush and Low Bush. The vast majority of the plants we grow and that are grown commercially are High Bush. The Low Bush types from the eastern part of the continent are a bit of a crazy bunch. They prefer swampy woodlands, and they're mostly harvested wild or managed in place rather than a truly cultivated crop. So, we'll be talking mostly about the High Bush blueberry requirements, and that's what you're likely going to be growing anyway.

Blueberries are a cold-hardy perennial plant that relies on winter dormancy to stimulate fruit and bud formation, a process known as vernalization. While blueberries can self-pollinate, they're not very good at it. It's essential to grow more than one blueberry within 10 feet of each other to ensure bees and other pollinators can carry the pollen around from plant to plant, resulting in bigger and more reliable harvests.

Location is also crucial for blueberries. They're sun-loving plants and require at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. While they don't like high winds or exposure, a little projection is appreciated. Blueberries need moisture to produce plump berries, but High Bush kinds can't tolerate soggy, wet conditions. Standing water is a no-no, so ensure the area where you plant your blueberries drains free of excess water. If you're growing blueberries in pots or containers, make sure there are adequate drainage holes.

In conclusion, when planting blueberries, make sure to give them enough space to allow for pollination and plant them in an area with plenty of sunlight, protection from wind and exposure, and adequate drainage. Following these guidelines will help ensure a bountiful harvest of delicious blueberries.

For how big they grow, blueberry plants are very shallow-rooted. A nice thick mulch layer is extremely beneficial for all plants, but especially blueberries.

Now, for the big daddy of blueberry requirements - soil. Soil is pretty important for all plants, but blueberries have some unique requirements. Most of our crops are going to thrive in a neutral soil, which would be about a pH of 7. Blueberries, on the other hand, are acid lovers. To really thrive and grow properly, their pH needs to be way down to about 4.5 to 5.5. This is likely a way lower pH than any of the soils in our garden and much more acidic than any of the soils we'd ever buy at the store. Because of this, when growing blueberries, we're likely going to need to amend. Fertilizer designed to lower the pH can be helpful, no doubt, but it's also very short-lived. For a longer-lasting approach, there are some amendments that we can use,