Growing Blueberries in the Winter

Taking care of blueberries in the winter is important to their growth. In Arizona we like to grow a sunshine blue blueberry, but it needs to be grown in a pot because it doesn’t like the alkaline soil that Arizona has. You will need a pH between 4.5 and 5.5, which is the most important component to growing blueberries. Blueberries like acidic soil, they don’t mind it being too damp so long as there is some good acid in the soil.

If the pH is too high the blueberries can get these black tips on the ends of the leaves and then they will die. Pay attention to the leaves when you are growing blueberries. If you see this, it means your soil is not acidic enough and you need to lower the pH and add some soil acidifier.

We recommend in the winter months that you increase the acidity and lower the pH at least a half of a pH just to help survive the winter months because as it gets colder you need the acid in the soil to help draw up the nutrients better. It will improve the viability as well as its resistance to the cold and the wet.

In Arizona the best type of blueberries to grow are sunshine blue, misty, and O’neal. If you are in another part of the county, be sure to look up what grows best in your area. You will want a pot with at least 2 foot diameter and 1.5-2 feet deep of soil.

The best recipe for blueberry soil is:

3-5 parts fine pine bark (composted – also called pathway pine mulch of chips that are 1/2″ or smaller)
1 part peat moss or coconut core
1 part perlite
2″ composted mulch
1 cup of aluminum sulfate per 10 gallon pot

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