[ThatsNice]

Hi all, I bought 2 blueberry plants from wilko for my allotment. I mentioned to my plot neighbour yesterday that I had them and he said they'd do best in pots not planted in the ground. I know they prefer acid soil really but is he right?

[Mrs Bee]

I have our blueberries in pots in acid compost and they do very well.

Do make sure you net them tho as the ruddy birds got our last year after the net came adrift.

Wouldn't mind  but we put out proper bird seed and nuts for them.

[Trillium]

Either way will work depending on how much space you have and how long you intend to stay. Pots will require more and regular watering but are very portable if you leave.

[plot53b]

I've bought 3 plants and was having the same thoughts myself, however, after talking to my allotment neighbour who grows very successful fruit, I have dug a trench, lined it with polythene (forked holes in the bottom for drainage) and have filled it full of acidic compost. It seems to work for him!

My plot has very good drainage, not sure if it would work so well in soil which didn't drain so well.

[agapanthus]

I did the same Plot53b , a few years ago and to be honest they didn't grow splendidly. Moved about 18months later and put them in pots and they have been quite prolific.....they even survived another moved and fruited last year

[devonbarmygardener]

I had one plant in a pot in the garden and it did ok, got plenty of blueberries or so I thought.

When it became a bit potbound I made a bed on the plot framed with those little wooden fences to keep the ericacious soil in one place and bought 2 more blueberries to add to the bed and all three have flourished.

So either is good - it's fairly temperate down here compared to some other places which is why they might do ok on my plot.

[Willow_Warren]

Good to read, I'd like go grow some blueberries but I don't like to eat them! But as they seem to do well in pots I think I might have to teach myself to like them! Do they need a large planter?

Hannah 

[Ema]

Ive just got 2 plants don't want to have them in pots as they'll just be another thing to have to water. I even though i may well end up movig out of the area in a couple of years and will probably want to take them with. was planning on buying a bag of ericacious compost and mulching with a load of pine needles

[JohnB47]

I did roughly the same as plot53b. I used a mixture of peat, wood chippings, bfb and sulphur chips and have watered with rain water always. Also fed with ericaceous type feed.

They've done OK but they did better in pots. One difficulty I have is that I can't keep them watered enough during dry spells (remember them?). And there was me thinking that I wouldn't have to water them every day if they were in the ground!

I'll leave them there to see how they go. I've now 'mulched' them using that black ground cover sheeting - perhaps that will help keep the moisture in. I'm actually thinking of buying a couple more, specifically to put in large pots around the back garden. They produce wonderful leaves, particularly in the autumn and the berries are good too!

[yogijiva]

HI, it depends where you live and what soil you have. We are on chalk and they wouldn't survive here; conversely I was very envious of a crop on Dartmoor where they thrived on the acid soil there.
It's worth knowing your soil type!

[ThatsNice]

Definitely not chalky! I'm in the east mids and we have quite a bit of clay here. I've not ph tested it but I'm assuming as my neighbour said to grow them in pots, its probably not acidic. I am sure I read somewhere about adding, was it sulphur,? to the soil a day or two before planting them in the ground? I may have dreamt that, lol!  My dads bought a ph kit so we need to test the soil really and make a decision from there. Interesting to hear the success stories. Bit of both really for pots and ground!   :blink:

[devonbarmygardener]

Ooh - you guys probably know this but they don't like tap water.
I either use my water butt rain water or if I have to use tap then I fill the cans and leave them in the shed for 2 days so the chlorine and stuff is gone.

Mind you, I find at the top of my plot in a good 8 inch deep bed, they don't need watering much at all.

Hope this is a help to anyone

[boldondig]

I have two blueberry plants which I have at my allotment in two large "smithy pots " filled with ericaceous compost with gravel at the bottom for drainage .  I have then buried the pots in my fruit cage - they are doing well - fruited last year - but this is the second year and I am expecting loads of blueberries this year.

[muckyboots]

Hi ,I had 3 in pots but lost 1 for some reason the leaves fell and it just withered ,the 2 lates were ok . I would like to replace the  one that passed away, it was an early variety can anyone suggest one.

[devonbarmygardener]

Isn't 'Bluecrop' an early blueberry?

It crops well I know that!