[3759allen]

Hi All.

I'm wondering if any of you have had any experience or growing blueberries?

I basically need to know how much room they take up (height, if they bush out, how the roots spread etc.).

All I seem to have found is that they like acidic soil and need a large amount of sun.

I'm hoping I may be able to grow them the lawn boarder with is also similar to a raised bed. I don't want roots damaging a nearby wall or the lawn though.

Any help and advice appreciated. Thanks.

[Gardener and Rabbit]

I've got a couple of blueberries growing in tubs to give them the acid soil they like. They're a dwarf variety called Tophat, and aren't very large at all. No more than a couple of feet at most. The other benefit is that this is a self-fertile variety.

[BabbyAnn]

When I moved some established blueberries from my garden to the allotment, I was struck by how shallow the roots were but spread out despite initially digging deep holes and filling with ericaceous compost.  The bushes on my plot range from a dwarf 18 inch to some just over 3 feet tall, with a spread of about 2 feet (with the odd horizontal branch a bit longer)  The root ball was about 3 feet in diameter. 

Sun-wise, they can tolerate some shade (I always think of blueberries as being a woodland plant or at least on the fringes) but they don't do so well if the soil dries out too quickly (my biggest berries always seem to be during a wet year ...)

[Trillium]

Like BabbyAnn, I have all range of sizes, from 12" to over 4 ft tall. So it's a matter of choosing the size you want. I wanted lots of cropping so I chose the largest I could get hold of, along with different varieties for good pollination. And they do pollinate very well....provided I can beat the birds to them    I've started growing them in their own cages and am now winning the battle.

[Fisherman]

Best to grow blueberry plants in ericaceous compost. They can easily be grown in large pots that can be topped up with compost each year. Keep the compost moist through the summer with an occasional feed and the plants will get covered in fruit from August - October. They will need netting as Blackbirds love them.

[BabbyAnn]

And they do pollinate very well....provided I can beat the birds to them    I've started growing them in their own cages and am now winning the battle.

oh, forgot to mention that blackbirds love them too ... I've even had territorial blackbirds guarding the bushes from other birds while they help themselves so yes, netting the bushes would be a good idea

[Growster...]

And put them where you can see them, as the autumn colours can be stunning!

[Trillium]

That's true, Growster. They resemble Burning Bushes when fall comes.