How to Cross-Pollinate Blueberries
- 1). Plant blueberry bush seedlings in late winter, when the soil warms. Blueberries are hardy to light frost, so don't follow frost dates. Plant blueberries in the fall only in warmer U.S. Department of Agriculture growing zones 7 and 8.
- 2). Find outdoor spots for blueberries to take advantage of wind and insects for cross-pollination. Plant the seedlings in full sunshine, in areas with quick year-round drainage and good air circulation. Set aside 4 to 6 feet of space in the row for each bush, with 8 to 12 feet between multiple rows.
- 3). Amend the soil before planting. Blueberries require highly acidic, nutritious, loose and quick-draining soil to thrive, with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5. Dig into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil and incorporate 2 inches of peat moss and 2 inches of organic compost to build a raised bed with deep, rich soil. Prepare sites 18 to 24 inches wide to give the bushes room to spread their roots.
- 4). Plant at least two blueberry cultivars from different varieties to encourage cross-pollination and a varied fruit harvest. Dig holes as deep and wide as the blueberry root balls, in amended soil, and spread the roots in the holes. Fill the holes slowly with amended soil and tamp down to eliminate air pockets.
- 5). Give each blueberry bush 1 gallon of water to settle the soil and establish the plantings, and put them on a schedule of 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Blueberries need consistently moist soil to grow and bear their fruit.
- 6). Give blueberries 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 granular fertilizer in late spring, at a rate of 1 tbsp. per plant. Sprinkle the fertilizer in a 1-foot circle around each bush, and mix it into the top 6 inches of soil. Water the bushes immediately after feedings. Repeat fertilizer applications every six weeks until late summer. Resume feedings the next spring, before growth starts. Double the amount of fertilizer in the blueberries' second year, and use 1 cup of fertilizer per application starting in the third year.
- 7). Mulch blueberry plants with 3 to 4 inches of sawdust, bark, wood chips or pine straw to maintain soil moisture and eliminate weed growth. This mulch breaks down over time to add more acidic nutrition to the soil. Replenish the mulch as necessary.