How to Plant Duke Blueberry Bushes
- 1). Choose a sunny planting site that is sheltered from wind. Blueberry bushes prefer well-drained, sandy loam, but will grow in peat and compost amended soils.
- 2). Remove the bushes from their containers and gently loosen the outside surface of each rootball.
- 3). Dig planting holes two times the diameter of each rootball. Space the hole 6 feet apart for individual plants. Space rows 10 feet apart if planting a grove.
- 4). Set the plants in the holes 1 to 2 inches deeper than they grew in the nursery. Backfill the remaining soil and tamp to firm.
- 5). Provide the plants with enough water to moisten the top 12 inches of the soil immediately after planting. Thereafter, provide the bushes with 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Do not allow the water to puddle as Duke blueberry bushes are sensitive to high moisture levels.
- 6). Spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of pine bark mulch or straw under the bushes to retain moisture and prevent weeds.
- 7). Apply an acid fertilizer three to four weeks after planting. Spread the fertilizer 15 inches around the base of the plant.
- 8). Prune all first-year blooms to prevent the bushes from bearing too much fruit. Over-fruiting wears the plants out in a few years.