How to Raise Blueberry Plants Indoors
Most varieties of blueberry plants are hardy down to USDA Zone 3, meaning they can withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees Fahrenheit. Although blueberry plants can be grown in most cold regions, you may want to raise your blueberry plants in containers indoors if your soil is of poor quality or too alkaline for blueberry bushes. Whether you’re growing your blueberry plants indoors or outside, the key to successful growing is planting them in acid soil with a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5. With enough space and the right care, you can raise blueberry bushes indoors easily.
Select a large container for your blueberry plant, such as an oversized planter or a half whiskey barrel. Ensure that the container has sufficient drainage holes in the bottom.
Fill the container with a mixture of two parts regular soil, two parts chopped or shredded, dried leaves, two parts coarse builder’s sand and one part organic compost.
- Most varieties of blueberry plants are hardy down to USDA Zone 3, meaning they can withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Although blueberry plants can be grown in most cold regions, you may want to raise your blueberry plants in containers indoors if your soil is of poor quality or too alkaline for blueberry bushes.
Place your blueberry plants near a sunny window, in a sunroom or on a patio, where the plants can receive full sunlight in the morning and early afternoon but have some shade in mid- to late afternoon.
Water your blueberry plants deeply, twice each week from spring until autumn, to keep the roots cool and moist at all times. Cut back on watering during the winter, providing water only once a month or less.
Feed your blueberry plants once a month during the growing season with a fertilizer that is made to keep the soil acidic. A fertilizer made for fruiting, acid-loving plants will work well. Follow the dosage instructions on the label exactly.
Sprinkle used coffee grounds or place tea bags onto the soil in the container once or twice a month during the growing season. The acidity in the coffee grounds or tea bags will keep the soil pH levels optimal for your blueberry plant.
- Place your blueberry plants near a sunny window, in a sunroom or on a patio, where the plants can receive full sunlight in the morning and early afternoon but have some shade in mid- to late afternoon.
- Feed your blueberry plants once a month during the growing season with a fertilizer that is made to keep the soil acidic.
Prune to remove all the flowers during the first year so your blueberry plant can use all of its energy to grow strong and bushy. In the following years during winter, prune away the oldest branches and prune back the twigs to space the fruiting buds on the plant farther apart.
Tip
Plant at least two different varieties of blueberry plants in containers and keep them side-by-side to improve pollination and fruit production.
Instead of the soil, dried leaves, sand and compost mixture, you can use a commercial potting mix designed for acid-loving plants.
Warning
Don’t use sandbox or beach sand, because these are too alkaline for blueberries. Use only coarse builder’s sand.
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Tips
- Plant at least two different varieties of blueberry plants in containers and keep them side-by-side to improve pollination and fruit production.
- Instead of the soil, dried leaves, sand and compost mixture, you can use a commercial potting mix designed for acid-loving plants.
Warnings
- Don't use sandbox or beach sand, because these are too alkaline for blueberries. Use only coarse builder's sand.
Writer Bio
Sarah Terry brings over 10 years of experience writing novels, business-to-business newsletters and a plethora of how-to articles. Terry has written articles and publications for a wide range of markets and subject matters, including Medicine & Health, Eli Financial, Dartnell Publications and Eli Journals.
