What To Consider When You Buy Blueberry Bushes

Know how to buy blueberry bushes in order to maximize the fruit yield in your home garden for years to come.

Step 1 – Select the Right Variety for Your Climate Zone 

If you buy a blueberry bush that’s not right for your particular climate zone—say a variety suited to the northern U.S. when you live in Florida—you’ll be disappointed. Your plants either won’t grow or they won’t flourish as you’d like. Be sure to select a variety that’s specified for your state’s climate area. For example, in southern areas, grow Rabbiteye or southern highbush types. In the northern U.S., select northern highbush varieties. In Zones 6 or 7, the Mid-Atlantic, North Carolina, the Pacific Northwest and parts of California, you can grow both types. The good news is that there are blueberry bushes that can be grown in zones as far north as Zone 3 (northern U.S. and Canada) and as far south as Zone 10 (Florida). 

Step 2 – Buy Plants Free of Pests and Disease 

Inspect the plants to ensure that they’re healthy, free of all pests, spots and noticeable diseases. Also check to be sure the blueberry bushes don’t look as if they’re drought-stressed. Those plants will be destined to do poorly and should be avoided. 

Step 3 – Buy Blueberry Bushes the Right Age 

If you purchase blueberry bushes that are too young or too old, they aren't likely flourish as you’d like. Too young and they’ll take years to ripen and produce blueberries. Too old and they’re likely container-bound and prone to disease and blight. Blueberry bushes are best to buy when they are 2 to 3 years old.

Step 4 – Buy Container Blueberry Bushes vs. Bare Root 

Many companies sell blueberry bushes as bare-root plants. Avoid these if you can, since it will take time for them to reach the right stage to ripen and bear fruit. Container-grown blueberry plants are a better bet. Search for a nursery or organic gardening nursery that stocks blueberry bushes that are appropriate for your climate zone. Buy blueberry bushes in 5-gallon containers for the best head start. 

Note that you can extract blueberry seeds to plant your own bushes, but it could be years before your planted blueberry bushes will mature enough produce fruit.

Step 5 – Know Where You’re Going to Plant Your Blueberry Bushes 

Blueberry bushes are great for planting along a fence, in your garden or next to your house. They also grow wild in very poor soil and on hillsides. They do best, however, in acidic soil and in full sun. They’ll also tolerate heat and cold, but they don’t do well with poor drainage. Buy some peat moss or pine straw to help with drainage. Also recognize that some types will grow 7 to 10 feet high. You’ll need to allow space in between to cultivate, so prune the plants and keep weeds at bay. Thoroughly investigate the height and width of the plants before you buy.

Step 6 – Buy Blueberry Bushes in the Right Blooming Varieties 

You want a consistent supply of delicious, nutritious blueberries throughout the growing season. The key to this is to buy three types of varieties: early, mid-blooming and late blooming. 

Step 7 – Buy Blueberry Bushes in Sufficient Quantities 

Depending on the size of your garden, buy enough blueberry bushes to ensure adequate cross-pollination. This means you need to buy at least two bushes. If you have larger space, consider the height and width requirements of the bushes and plan your purchase accordingly.