How To Plant Container Blueberries for Small Spaces
Vložit
- čas přidán 1. 11. 2020
- Get your notepad out for this one, as Tom Spellman and Phil Pursel demonstrate and discuss the finer points of growing Blueberries and other berry plants in a container. Tom and Phil give you all the information you need for container growing success.
Blueberries make the perfect container plant, and other berry types, like blackberry and raspberry in our Bushel and Berry collection have all been hybridized specifically for container growing.
Anyone else mesmerized by the 1980's intro music? "Dee lishous"
😄😃
In the wild, blueberries grow on the rock covered by pine needles and lichens.
I always mulch my berry bushes in pine straw, and the do very well.
Wild short, bush, and highbush are vastly different in terms of growing conditions
@@jordanlai3102I'm trying to grow blueberries in India, really worried about not killing my plants during our hot summer and monsoon. If they live through these two seasons, I will be really happy
Thank you! I think I'm ready to write a thesis on blueberry plants, I've read so much. But your video is the best I have found. I am so glad I found you guys!!!
In Australia recommendation for blueberry soil is 50% coarse pine bark and 50% acidic soil( Azelia and camellia one) if you don’t have peat moss
Thank u! man I’ve been yearning for this knowledge
God bless you Tom. You are awesome.
You guys are great! Thank you for this video.
Great video guys very informative love my blueberries .
Great video! But I was not aware that blackberries need acidic soil like blueberries do. Also, "pathway" bark chunks are fairly large; wouldn't they actually rob nitrogen as they break down? I always put a piece of window screening over the drain hole(s) in any potted plant, to keep the soil in and bugs and slugs out of the soil. I'm in Southern California where our water is very high pH, so I toss a little Epsom Salts around the base of each plant, maybe just a half handful, at the beginning of each growing season in Spring to help drop the pH and provide a little Magnesium to help with sprouting of new wood (same thing with roses). Lastly, I use pieces of slats cut from a cheap vinyl miniblind as plant marker tags, to keep variety info along with potting and fertilization date info close at hand. Plenty of space to write whatever you like on the tag.
Use coconut fibre instead of peat moss if you want to be environmentally aware and proactive. Coconut is a never-ending product renewing itself every year. Whereas peat moss is running out very fast as it takes 100s of years to replenish. The coconut fibre needs to be soaked or wetted first as it comes in a large dry compressed block.
I note Dave talks about rinsing the coconut fibre. This is new to me but may explain some interesting issues I have had with it. I will test this myself. I'm in Australia and use heaps of coconut fibre. But I had to change supplier and this change in plant habit might be the side effect of that.
👍
Agreed in practicing sustainability. There's no worth in destroying our environment just to keep our gardens green. There are much healthier options, like the free mulch our cities produce from all the green waste bins.
@@ChadGardenSinLA Unfortunately here, we could not use our green waste for potplant uses. It contains everything such as used drug needles and hospital waste. Over and over they tell us they have fixed these issues. But over and over we discover this type of waste in the green waste. So if we are going to be putting our hands in it, we can't use it for the garden. It is best suited to mulching large areas by machine.
@@ClissaT By statute, our green waste must be "burned" at such a high temperature for X amount of time that it becomes sanitized . This is where our black gold comes from. All the trees and shrubs that are trimmed by the city turns into our chunky mulch grades.
What a great video! Thank you for sharing this content!
I'm a first time blueberry grower an would love to get more knowledge from you. {VOTE FOR MORE BLUEBERRY VIDEOS} PLEASE🙏
Super video. I wish I had found you years ago!
Thanks for the great info 💕
Great stuff, Tom and Phil! Thanks for this excellent blueberry information...
Thank you so much! Now I know what I did wrong when planting my berries last year. I'll be heading to my nursery to buy some of the varieties shown here to try again.
Wow awesome info Thankyou I need to get some blueberries again. I lost my 2 last year in that wretched summer Australia had
Looking forward to doing this winter here at the moment. S
Thnakyou this info is so clear
well done guys thank you
Wonderful helpful video 😅🎉
You should end it with- I'm Tom Spellman and I Approve this message.
Saving this video! I’m new to blueberries but with all the videos I have watched, I never seen anyone plant two or more blueberry plants together in a pot. In fact most say to plant in even a bigger pot than this even starting with a small plant. I like this method because less money if I can plant together.
Awesome! thanks for the info and video. i know what i was doing wrong now. Thank you so much
great video. i might try one more time to grow blueberries. I never saw the hole on the bottom, and whether you should place the pot directly on the ground. Is there any reason to not make the bottom hole very large (3" or more)? When it grows through the hole to the ground below, di you just trim the roots to get it out?
Reading a book you're featured in and this shows up in my feed.
Can I put these in the ground as a property line hedge? Would I use the same blend when planting? Thanks for all the great help
Thankyou very much for the info. on blueberry fertilizer company.
The only size I can get is 50 lbs around here in San Joaquin Valley and it’s quite expensive and takes day or two to get, since Gro Power is based in Chino, CA.
Unless you know of smaller quantity sizes for backyard growers.
I have currently 5 maturing 2-year old plants + 2 more new ones to put
into one pot.
Christine
I just bought a Minnie Royal and a Royal Lee Cherry tree produced in your nursery!
Same
I like it!
Very informative. One of the challenges I see is location. This is filmed in Southern California in a very mild climate. I on the other hand am located at 4750 feet in the Central Oregon Cascades. My earliest blueberries ripen in September and I get temperatures below 32 degrees soon afterwards. Concepts are the same but way different timing and conditions.
Great point, in late harvest climate your going to loose fruit or fruiting wood when you prune. So opposed to my hedging style in August your going to selectively prune in early summer and/or fall. Your using more of a thinning style instead of the hedging style. Remove select branches low into the structure. Look for interruptive, criss crossed, unbalanced branching and remove to enhance air movement and light exposure. So the style is more thinning than overall structure reduction. The concept is never remove any more than 1/3 of the total structure in any given year. This will always allow for two thirds of the plant to be productive. Larger better quality fruit. Remove dead, diseased or broken branches any time you see them.
@@DaveWilsonTrees Thank you for your quick reply. Your CZcams Channel is my go to source of fruit growing information for the home gardener. So many good ideas and then my challenge is to modify concept to my location and climate.
Love the video! Got a question, How do you clone/propagate blueberries?
They are usually grown via softwood, but can be grown via hardwood or Tissue Culture
Perfect timing I need to repot or at least add fertilizer to my blueberries! I would love to buy a couple more. Glad to know I can prune them. The summer. Thank you! Did you send some to Houston!?
Send me a message on our Facebook page and I can help you find blueberries in Houston.
Can I container blueberries with moss, bark and perlite only and put two similar blueberry plants side by side in seperate pots?
very informative and a hardy Tucson thanks
Would mind tell about Jujube plant, excellent video
Is pathway bark addition okay to add especially for blackberry plants? Does not the bark strive away nitrogen from soil as it wants to decompose .
For those beginners who want to grow blueberries in buckets:
01. Bucket 55l (15 gallon)
02. Soil from a pine forest
03. Mix the soil with pieces of sticks and pine bark
04. Pine bark mulch
Purchased soil is dead soil. No doubt.
Purchased fertilizer is not as good as slowly decaying sticks with pine bark. They gradually give the blueberries nutrients. If you really want to take care of the blueberry, it is a good idea to let pieces of pine bark stand in water for several weeks. As soon as the water "rusts", it also has a low ph, then water them. If you have blueberries in black buckets, they will heat up a lot in the sun and the roots will suffer. Either use white buckets or simply paint the black ones white or wrap them in paper or aluminum foil. One last piece of advice: the more varieties of blueberries, the more fruit you will have.
Failure is not possible with this procedure
Thank you❣️
I have been listening to Gary Matsuoka of Laguna Hills Nursery and in the lectures he has on youtube he talks often of not wanting organic matter near roots, only ever added to the top layer of soil, because they will decompose and the decomposition process will consume the available oxygen and subsequently will rot the roots. Does orchid/pathway bark not do this?
Thanks just wondering if they can handle winter in the pots
Thanks! I got question about keeping blueberries, i buy Blueray and Bluecrop because i live in city thats have cold winters. I pot it into 7 Gallon ceramic pot do you think its okay?
Would love a video of half wine barrels with 3 blueberry plants in each. If that works of course!
Yes, half wine barrels are perfect.
Hi, I am trying an experiment to see if I can grow blueberries from a pot, but I live in the Caribbean. This blueberry bush was purchased as a cut. I am wondering how long it should take to grow some leaves, or even grow at all ... or know if I wasted money on a dead on arrival plant. It has been roughly a month with the correct PH soil and I haven't noticed anything. I have however also purchased a raspberry bush and it is thriving.
Thank you very much for having this informative video how to grow blueberry. I have killed at least 6 plants before. Now I am ready to try again, and I will follow your instruction and will waiting for the berries harvesting.
Can I put 1 or 2 blueberries plant (same size as yours) straight to the 15 gals ceramic pot? We're not planning to do the transplanted. Thanks
Yes, That is perfectly fine.
@@DaveWilsonTrees thanks so much for replying. Also, can I replace the peat moss with plants starting?
Please post a video on how to prune top and roots.
Do you recomend a premix for acidic plants?
What's the brand of bark you used in the video? Thank you.
I am so grateful for this well done video!! We are just starting our blueberry venture and still learning. We are in northern Illinoise zone 5b. Soil is loamy ph 7. Preparing a 8 ft x 25 ft sunny strip with mix of soil, organic potting soil, sphagnum peat, pine bark and sulfur pellets. Will add starter fertilizer with humic base. The plants arrived and do not look at all like the gorgeous plants in your video. They were from a grower in Georgia. They are northern high bush. They are supposedly 4 yr old bushes. Small root strands wrapped in moist paper and plastic, each of the 3 plants had 2 branches each with a few green leaves.
DAVE WILSON NURSERY, please tell me how I can have you send me plants full and gorgeous like these in video?? CAN I ORDER NORTHERN HIGHBUSH FROM YOU?
You can’t buy direct from us, but here is a list of berries, many northern high bush varieties- click on a variety to see a list of retail sources- www.wheretobuy.davewilson.com/home-gardens/where-to-buy/variety-finder?field_product_fruit_group_value=vine_bush
So if you sift bagged Garden Soil, you get bark left in the top of the sifter and the soil thats been sifted is Potting Soil. (I do this all the time; I use a sifter (made from 1/4 inch metal cloth that's on a frame), laying over a wheel barrel).
With that, can't you just add 1/3 portion of Peat Moss to 2/3 Garden Soil & add a bit of sand & perlite??
What about the winter time and cold freezing weather? Should the pots come inside? Thank you for a great video.
Blueberries in a container can handle down to about 28 degrees, but only for about 8 hours. Longer exposure will result in root damage. So protect them if you can.
@@DaveWilsonTrees what about half wine barrel for a plant? We get cold nights to 16 F night time temps some winters in central coast valleys.
@@DaveWilsonTreesthis is my first time growing blueberry plants. I followed your vid when planting and they were doing great early this summer. Here in SW Idaho we experienced record breaking heat (100/114 deg) for almost 2 months. The planting instructions said to set them in full sun and I did. About August the leaves started to yellow at the base then turned brown and fall off. They continue to yellow up the stem and I have no clue how to stop this process. I have 2 high bush and 1 low planted in the same container and all 3 are are doing the same thing. Do you have any ideas for me??
@@johncarothers8546 Put them in light shade asap. Check and amend the pH of the soil in your pot. Apart from that, they may be going dormant anyway. But with the heat you guys have had I would give them shade. And check the pH anyway.
I love your 4” x8” pots. How much are your plants. I live in WA. Do you ship
Didn’t know you could squeeze both of those plants in that small of a container
The trick is to keep the plants pruned to no more than 150% of the container size, and we will shift to a larger container in a couple years.
@@DaveWilsonTrees Hi! Where you say you have 4 blueberry plants in your half wine barrels, how many times a year do you prune those to keep them to 150%? This means you do lose a number of fruits since you also said pruning means losing fruits? And do you repot those 4 plants after how many years? Thank you!
@@edgegamboa9540 prune once a year, right about this time. Repotted once in 12 years.
Great video! Is this information good to plant Honeyberries as well?
The Honeyberries don’t need acidic soil like a blueberry
Thank you SO much for sharing! I am curious about a couple of things...will bushels bear fruit in the same location on branch if berries were eaten by squirrels well before their ripe stage? Also, would coco coir be a sufficient substitute in place of peat moss?
The berries can re bloom and set a second crop but not always. Only time will tell. Make sure your feeding with a low nitrogen, high P & K fertilizer to promote bloom. I’d be more comfortable using Coir as another component in your media mixed with peat moss rather than a replacement for peat moss. Be careful to leach coir throughly. Many of the suppliers soak it in sea water and it can come in very salty. Leach it out several times with clean water. If you have a PH meter give it a test before and after leaching.
Hello, I don’t have access to store bought fertilizer but I do have the following; chicken clean-out from their coop, cow manure with bedding mixed, goat manure and horse manure. Question can I use any of these manures to the potting soil as a fertilizer? I’m sorry to ask but I just don’t know which is higher or lower in acidity or which will help. Many thanks.
No, don’t add manure to the mix. It would be better spread on top after planting.
Do you have a word of advice in regards to what type of fertilizer to use for mature blueberries for best optimum production?
Gro Power Flower and Bloom is Tom’s favorite.
@@DaveWilsonTrees where can I find the fertilizer used in the video? I’ve searched for it online and cannot find it.
What about zone 5 do I need a frost resistant pot? Should I just dig a hole and put the pot into the ground I'm wondering if that would be sufficient?
Stick with mostly northern high bush varieties and you’ll be fine.
What do you do over winter. Live in snowy Michigan. Also, Can i plant in a raised garden?
Plant in containers that you can move inside in winter. Or go with Northern Highbush varieties like Bluecrop, Blueray, Elliot or Legacy, they can probably handle the winter, especially if you cover them.
I plant the pots in the ground and cover with plastic, chicken netting, and leaves.
I just started with some blueberries and red raspberries in pots/ but I have no idea as to what to do with them in the winter. Do I leave them outside? It does freeze here sometimes and wondered if it would get too cold in pots? So what do people do with them when dormant?
Depends how cold, and for how long. You can move closer to the house, or wrap with frost cloth.
Is it best to start in the largest container you find or work up to the largest by repotting blueberries every few years? Thank you.
Plants do best when you start small and increase container size as they grow.
This is a stretch but I hope yall see this, I really need advice! 😥 So I bought a duke highbush about 5 weeks ago and I was too eager to pot it and didn't do the proper research on what soils/matter it required. Now its been sitting in a large pot of Miracle Gro garden soil for a month with 0 amending. It's growing and fruiting but I'm noticing a lack of new flowering, maybe the bees just arent interested 🤔 Anyways, have I set this blueberry up for failure? Should I unpot it and properly amend the soil or will it become stressed? Any advice is super welcome!! (p.s. I recently purchased a Legacy in hopes that it would cross-poll w the duke, will definitely be giving it the proper housing this time!) Thank you so much for your time!!
How is it doing now? Probably best to let it go dormant, and then re pot in better mix.
Excellent video, especially when you measured all parts of mix. And discussed container restrictions.
What are your thoughts on West Central Texas for blueberries? I've been researching and seems highbush variety and rabbit eye only do well here. I will be planting in containers, since our soil is clay, and high PH.
Thank you
Thanks, where is your nursery.
What zone are these berries for.
I'm looking forward to growing 4 plant in a 1/2 whiskey barrel.
I would say they should be the same variety for cross pollination.
What about planting Raspberry and black berries, can they be planted together?
Raspberries don’t need acidic soil like blueberries do
Azalea fertilizer really raised my fruit production
Great video! I've learned a lot. Such an excellent video!!! Could you tell me the size of the pot you planted the 2 blueberries in? Also will blueberries do well in a 7 gallon grow bag? Lastly where can I purchase the blackberry and raspberry container variety you talk about in the video? They will be perfect for my patio. I live in Atlanta,GA
Blueberries would probably work in a grow bag. We used around a 5 gallon container. Here’s a link for where to find our berry plants- www.wheretobuy.davewilson.com/home-gardens/where-to-buy/variety-finder?field_product_fruit_group_value=vine_bush
Hi! What kind of weather is suitable for blueberris?
I live in Georgia and I planted two early elberta peach trees last year and after I planted them I measured 18 inches from the bottom up and cut the top off and nothing has grown back is that normal or should I have not done that
my elberta peach has been always the last peach to have leaves . I don't remember if it was an early one or not but my other trees all have leaves and peaches on track for a May harvest while my elberta looks like it thinks its the dead of winter. hopefully yours are fine. Good luck to you.
Flower bloom. Please tell me an organic fertilizer that I can use
Could you please share information on frequency of fertilizer to apply.
Lightly, about 6 times per year. February through august in container.
I just transplanted my 2 blueberry bushes, I used espoma soil acidifier how long will it take for the ph to drop ?
I’m not familiar with espoma.
I planted some in the ground in sunny sandy soil. They didn’t do well. I moved them to the border, shady sandy-ish soil. This is third year and they are spindly and sparse (your year olds look better). Question - can I transplant them now (May 17 in MA) into a 1/2 barrel? I have 3 plants. Or should I just start with new plants?
If they are still dormant it’s ok to transplant. If leafed out already they may not survive.
@@DaveWilsonTrees thanks for your response. Sadly they are doing the leaf thing. Maybe next year.
Can you do anything when blueberries get overwatering
Hi. Not sure if you're checking replies. I'm in ohio, zone 6. Can I leave the new plants in nursery pots until next year. Planning to garage them so they're not buried in snow. Thank you.
That will probably be fine, just don’t let them totally dry out.
Can you do this with other berries like Blackberries, Raspberries, Gooseberry etc?
You can, we plant a blackberry in this video.
@@mastergardenerlivingstontr7672 You’re contradicting Dave’s cohorts? Really? It’s amazing how many people tell other people that what they’ve been doing successfully over many years “can’t” be done (whether they have a screen-name like “Master Gardener”, or not)
Did you miss the title of the video??? Not everyone wants or has the space for the type of sprawling habit you describe.
And btw... you mean **their roots, not “there” roots, don’t you? 😂
@@mastergardenerlivingstontr7672 Definitely not a master gardener, I've done blackberries and raspberries in containers for decades.
@@rrbb36 teacher's pet
How close together can i plant them?
Hi Dave , please I would like to know about the blueberries plants , please can I plant any kind of blueberries plants together , thank you for the answer❤
It doesn’t hurt to plant any together but if you are doing this to increase your yield of blueberries, they must be plants that bloom at the same time so the pollen of each plant can pollinate its partner when it is in bloom.
Hi Dave Wilson Nursery - What do you do to keep the birds away? Netting, or? I am Australian, my blueberries were just colouring up, and then a magpie arrived, took a lovely blue blueberry and took off, in front of me, just this morning. The birds aren't sharing! :( I wondered what was happening to the fruit. :( :D
Yes, bird netting is a must.
Su zi, have you seen this?
czcams.com/video/2VYVg3E5WPY/video.html
I have also used tulle fabric from the craft/fabric stores over the tops of plants
Any thoughts on planting in ground
Blueberries are picky about soil Ph, and are easier to grow in containers for most people.
Can you plant blackberry and rasberry together in the same garden bed?
I would recommend keeping a clear separation between the two but if you don’t mind them intertwining then go for it.
If you put the blueberries in pots, can they survive the winter outside?
I’ve read in online that the pots won’t insulate sufficiently and must be healed in, that is cover with enough soil to protect the roots from a freeze. You can lay them over a bit, they don’t have to be vertical so it takes less soil. This should be done in a location out of the wind and in the sun.
I was told that the roots grow so far out that bare minimum is 25 gallons per plant. How are you planting 2 in what looks like a 5 gallon pot?
We’re going to keep the plants pruned to no more than 150% of the container size, they key to growing plants in a container. Plus, we can always shift to a larger container in the future.
Will blueberry plants grow in an earthbox?
Can you make a video on how to pot your new dwarf fruit trees in pots?
Genetic dwarf fruit trees are not good candidates for container growing. Only the scion is dwarf, they are all grown on standard rootstocks. There are dwarf rootstocks for apple and citrus that allow container growing, that’s about it for trees.
You don’t think it’s possible in a wine barrel?
@@AJ-by6pd maybe for a couple years.
Please come back, show use more about blueberries. Please come back to CZcams, I hope your doing well✌️
I would love to grow blueberries. I understand (I have read) if your local water is alkaline that even if you start with acidified soil using alkaline water will eventually cause the soil to become alkaline. So I try to not plant fruit trees that really need acidic soil. My well water is 7-8ph, and the native soil is 8ph and mostly clay. But IF I put Blueberries in pots with the soil medium you recommend won't the water eventually alkalize the soil? Should they be watered with rainwater? Or should I just forget growing blueberries? I tried once before in container with acidified soil, but failed. Still thinking of trying again. I would appreciate your advice. TIA
I was curious as to what you decided to do. It seems as though the acidified soil would be great although more expensive and then use a rain barrel to water with
1 teaspoon plain vinegar per 1 gallon of water .
Hello, I would like to ask how big do I let my blueberries(misty variety) grow on a 12 inch deep pot and 12 inch wide pot?
12x12 Pot is too small.
That’s probably too small, but as a general rule when growing fruit trees or berries in containers- never let the plant to grow more than 150% of the container size.
To my previous comment, these are blueberries mature blueberries grown in pots set on drip.
Will you ship to Alaska
We can’t, but many of our customers offer mail order.
Do you ship plants out if I order them?
Can you add in coffee grinds?
Not a good idea.
Could you please guide me I ordered a plant online which I planted directly on soil and it's been 3/4 years and it hasn't grew a bit. I have no idea what did I do wrong.
Blueberries only tolerate a specific soil Ph. Best to grow them in containers.
Why is it important to leave a portion of the root ball exposed and above ground?
Just to allow the plant to oxygenate.
oops! I think I need to repot my blueberries. Not sure where I got it into my head that they need alkaline soil.
no new updates on he orchard????
What is the best time of year to repot?
Early Spring.
can I grow blueberries in the hot Arizona climate ???
Grown in a container, with acidic fast draining soil, afternoon shade and excessive heat protection they will work fine.
What can one one use in australia a soil mix as ingredients. Are different
You can buy an additive, soil acidifier, to add to your soil mix or top off the soil in the pot. Check your garden store or online.
Any suggestions on 8 acres? Is it cherry good investment for U-pick? Thanks
Might depend on where your 8 acres is?
Generally it’s best to have many varieties, ripening over an extended period for U-Pick. Unless you want to have one harvest, then go in vacation.
Thanks for your reply. My land is in Elk Grove city limit. Any consultant I can talk to?
Sure, send me you number in a private message and someone will contact you.
I just rescued my pink lemonade blueberry from beatle larva after just one yr in its pot it was infested by 10 worms i luckily took it out intime, im still wondering why it got that bad maybe just my luck 😅
Is it possible to get something already premixed. I just don't have it in me anymore to get all those heavy bags home, let alone trying to mix them
Hi Bonnie Endres - If you have a produce store (that supplies horses/stock) the Produce will deliver soil for you and put it where you would like it, for a reasonable price). That way, you can open up a bag and go from there. In Australia, we don't have available in the way of soil that is available for Dave Wilson Nursery, I have great success with Searles premium potting mix.
There is acid potting soil available (Blueberry Success mix) from Garden Way or Gurneys. Some bags list Azalea potting soil (also good for blueberries). A lot of garden supply stores have acid potting soil, call and ask them.
@@KMJCAN1313 thank you! I love in San Diego. Lots of horses here so I'll check it out. Thanks!
@@donbirkholz6842 thank you!
Can I use eucalyptus mulch as my bark?
Don’t use mulch. The bark aides in drainage, which is vital.
@@DaveWilsonTrees what about sand instead of bark?
Can you be so kind to share the names of the products you are using. I really can't see it on the video. Thank you!
Hope we Indian too get ur verities aprium peach and all available to buy in India on amazon