[JohnB47]

At last I am about to plant out my three blueberry bushes and I have a Cranberry plant to grow under them. I want another type of low growing berry plant to grow under them too.

I'll be planting each of them in a hole lined with polythene and filled with suitable compost, so I'll be giving each plant it's own best growing conditions.

I've read about a lingonberry - would that do? Any other ideas?

Thanks.

[kingdhesiii]

artic bramble, balloon berry, himalayan  bramble.
Im pritty sure these are low growing. !!

[JayG]

I'm far from being the world's leading expert on blueberries, but I do have a few of them and depending on variety they tend to be fairly low-growing, spreading bushes with quite shallow roots (typically 3-4' high and the same across.)

Don't really see the scope for underplanting, although I'll be happy to crawl off into the undergrowth if anyone disagrees! 

[Yorkie]

I too have concerns about underplanting them with what appear to be competing types of plants.

But I haven't grown any of them so am no expert at all!

[JohnB47]

JayG and Yorkie - I was about to say "Ha! I'm planning to underplant because I read that suggestion in my book called ...", and now I can't find where I read it. Blast!

Anyway, I did read that somewhere so I'm going to give it a go. I suppose my saying that I plan to plant them under the blueberry bushes is misleading. Sorry about that.

The blueberries will be around 4.4' apart and the cranberries, or whatever, will be between each blueberry bush - and each plant will be in it's own little (or actually quite big) self contained bag of ericateous compost. So there won't be any competition for root space. It's just that the cranberry bush will spread out under the blueberries.

kingdhesiii - thanks for those suggestions. Will Google for info.

Thanks all.

[bigben]

I am growing Blueberries for the first time this year. I have stuck with the instructions on spacing that came with them from T&M given that they are in their own "specialist" compost and about 4-5 feet apart I think putting something else in must have an affect on yeild. The question would be - is the reduction in blueberries made up for by the extra stuff your managing to grow? If space is tight then plant in the gap between two of them and leave the other at the right spacing to compare.

[waddecar]

I have 3 bushes in a 4mx1.2m bed, i under plant with garlic, shallots or onions.

Unless there is good drainage planting in bags risks creating a sump

[Trillium]

For the most part I'd avoid underplanting blueberries simply because the bushes will become large and outspread despite the variety, and will shade any perennials growing below.
Any veg growing below will draw out most of the nutrients from the blueberries' grasp and cause new problems for the blueberries. The berries prefer an evenly damp (not soggy) soil which most veg can't tolerate anyway so you're still not winning.

In my own blueberry beds I have a specific variety of low growing cranberry (not all are low growing) which I've planted to a sunnier side, but which I've also noticed isn't doing as well as it could after 2 years. I'll probably move it this year and my blueberry beds will remain simply that.

[JohnB47]

Thanks everyone.

Just a few points to make - I've made quite a few holes in the bottom of each bag, so drainage should be OK. Actually I plan to not make holes in the bag I plant the cranberry in - apparently it likes boggy conditions. There won't be a problem of nutrients - they'll all be in seperate bags.

Not all cranberries are low growing? Oh dear - my plant is simply labelled "vaccinium macrocarpon" and is described as a "prostrate evergreen shrublet with small pink flowers and red berries". Hopefully it's a low growing one.

[realfood]

Cranberries can spread for quite a distance very quickly.

[Chiswickian]

try bilberries

[Trillium]

There is a variety referred to as highbush cranberry, for obvious reasons.

I grow a sprawler called Stevens, and cranberries tend to root only in the top 4-6" of soil, same as blueberries, so there would be competition for nutrients.

[kingdhesiii]

JayG and Yorkie - I was about to say "Ha! I'm planning to underplant because I read that suggestion in my book called ...", and now I can't find where I read it. Blast!

Anyway, I did read that somewhere so I'm going to give it a go. I suppose my saying that I plan to plant them under the blueberry bushes is misleading. Sorry about that.

The blueberries will be around 4.4' apart and the cranberries, or whatever, will be between each blueberry bush - and each plant will be in it's own little (or actually quite big) self contained bag of ericateous compost. So there won't be any competition for root space. It's just that the cranberry bush will spread out under the blueberries.

kingdhesiii - thanks for those suggestions. Will Google for info.


Try kore wild nursery.

Thanks all.

[jolly jen]

i grow mine in very large pots on my decking,,,with the right soil.they have done well.

wouldnt grow them down my allotment,as the soil isnt to their liking there,and the rats like them,

[Christine]

As blueberries really need to be planted in ericaceous compost to thrive, this will limit the choice of anything in the area won't it? You are looking at that group of heathers and rhododendrons and camellias which are acid soil lovers.