Growing Blueberries in Minnesota

Photo from Wikimedia Commons,
 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blueberries_on_branch.jpg

We just planted 3 new blueberry bushes in the garden! To celebrate, I thought I would write a little about how to grow blueberries in Minnesota.
1. Choosing a site: Blueberries love sun. The sunnier the spot, the more blossoms and fruits the plant will produce.  Select a site away from large trees to reduce competition for water and nutrients. Also, make sure there is good air circulation to avoid disease damage.
2. Soil requirements: Blueberries prefer a well-drained soil high in organic matter. They REQUIRE acidic soil. If you have neutral soil, amend it with peat moss before planting. You can do this in an entire bed, or by digging a hole larger than your plant and mixing in peat moss.
3. Planting: Blueberries are best planted in spring, about 3' apart. Dig the hole deep enough to cover the top roots with a few inches of soil and mulch with a couple inches of peat.
4. Care: In the first few years, it is recommended that flowers be removed to encourage the plant to grow, rather than expend energy on fruit and flowers. Pruning should be done minimally at first, to only remove dead wood, or wood that doesn't seem to be growing. Blueberry bushes are slow to grow, so be patient. On a mature plant, pruning can be done in the spring to shape the bush and encourage new growth.
5. Potential problems: Birds love blueberries. If this is a problem in your yard, netting can be used to keep them off of your crops. Sometimes rabbits will girdle the bush in the winter; fencing can prevent this. Overall, there are relatively few problems with pests and disease for blueberries.
The University of Minnesota has several blueberry cultivars developed for northern climates. Check them out! Blueberry Varieties
For more information on growing blueberries, visit the extension page:
Extension Article on Blueberries

Citation:
Hoover E, Rosen C, Luby J. Blueberries for Home Landscapes. University of Minnesota Extension. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG3463.html. Accessed 8/9/13.