[lozenge]

Blueberry plants delivered last night, bed prepared for them to go in, but it's freezing here. Can I plant them or will they die straight away?

[sunshineband]

If the ground is frozen, then you cannot plant them, becasue the soil will not settle properly round their roots.

If the ground is still soft, and they plants have no leaves, they will be fine to plant imho, especially as you have the bed ready for them.

[JayG]

If the soil is frozen it will be almost a physical impossibility to get the soil to settle round the roots.

Two things can kill otherwise hardy plants (including blueberries) in winter - waterlogging which deprives the roots of oxygen, and prolonged freezing which in effect deprives them of water.

You've missed the autumn window of opportunity whereby you can hope to get plants to at least begin to establish their roots - personally I'd pot them up into ericaceous compost and give them a little protection at least until a milder spell seems likely.

[mumofstig]

If the temps don't improve over the next few days, you'll have to pot them up.

Although the soil here is frosted and frozen in the mornings by afternoon it's thawed and you can plant stuff. Just put a bit of sacking or old fleece over the soil around the plants for protection for while.

[Goosegirl]

If the temps don't improve over the next few days, you'll have to pot them up.

Although the soil here is frosted and frozen in the mornings by afternoon it's thawed and you can plant stuff. Just put a bit of sacking or old fleece over the soil around the plants for protection for while.

I agree - pot them up into a pot suitable for their root size using ericaceous compost, then keep them protected from the frosts.