Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are in the Ericaceae family and a member of the genus Vaccinium, which includes cranberry, bilberry, and huckleberry. Blueberries are native to North America, and before the 1900s were only found growing in the wild. Commercial blueberry production is a 20th century invention, but you can now find blueberries being grown and sold around the world. In Florida, there are eight wild species of the evergreen blueberry that grow in natural areas throughout the State where soil pH is below 7.0. For commercial production, low-chill cultivars have been developed that are adapted to the mild winter temperatures in Florida. The two types of blueberries grown for commercial production in Florida are Southern Highbush (Vaccinium spp.) and Rabbiteye (V. virgatum). Both species can be grown in Alachua County and require acidic, well-drained soils. Popular Southern Highbush varieties include ‘Emerald’, ‘Jewel’, and ‘Windsor’; and popular Rabbiteye varieties include 'Beckyblue', 'Bonita', and 'Climax'.

Blueberries bushes are shrubs with shiny, oval-shaped green leaves. The height of the plant will vary depending on the variety but can range from a few feet to 12 feet tall. Rabbiteye bushes can grow as tall as 15 feet, with a diameter of 8-10 feet. Southern Highbush are not as large as Rabbiteyes and tend to be less vigorous. In addition to the fruit produced, blueberry bushes can also provide an attractive addition to your garden. The foliage can be yellow or red in the fall, and flowers are creamy-white, and bell-shaped. The berries are green at first, then develop into a deep blue color with variable sizes depending on the variety.

Blueberries are perennials that can grow for 10 or more year. The best time to plant is from mid-December to mid-February, using bare-root or container grown transplants. While it takes about 10 years for blueberries to reach maturity, harvesting can begin after 2 or 3 years. Blueberries are slow growing, but it is worth the wait for these beautiful, delicious berries!

Blueberry plants are usually purchased from nurseries in one- or two-gallon containers or as bareroot plants. Both Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush thrive in well drained acidic soils, with 2-3% organic matter, needing a soil pH of between 4.0-5.5. A soil test is recommended before planting, as it can help determine whether your soil needs to be acidified. If soil acidification is deemed necessary, granulated sulfur can be incorporated into the soil before planting. However, fertilizers will also lower soil pH over time, so consider accounting for this when applying sulfur.

The best time to plant blueberries is from mid-December to mid-February. It is best to use plants about 1.5- to 2-feet tall with well-developed root systems that are not pot-bound. Keep the roots of bare-rooted plants moist but not overly wet prior to and during planting. The root balls of potted plants should be broken up slightly and the roots of bare-rooted plants should be spread out evenly in the planting hole. The roots should be set at the same height as they were in the nursery.

After planting, the bush should be mulched with pine bark as it aids in the establishment of young plants. Generally, blueberries will grow well where azaleas, camellias, and other "acid-loving" plants are proven performers.

An alternative to planting in the ground is to grow blueberries in containers. There are many commercially available high-acid soil mixes that provide a suitable pH, organic matter and nutrients.

Plant blueberries in an area of your garden that receives full sun (4 to 5 hours per day), and away from buildings and roots of trees. If your garden has poor drainage, plant blueberries in raised beds or containers where the soil will not be water-saturated for more than a few days.

Most blueberry cultivars grow in Florida require cross pollination. Meaning they will need to be grown with another cultivar of the same type, i.e., Rabbiteye with another cultivar of Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush with another cultivar of Southern Highbush

• Beckyblue: extended harvest season, grows 6 -10 feet tall, berries are pink before turning blue

• Bonita: early flowering and ripening, moderate growth, produces flavorful berries

Recommended Southern Highbush cultivars include:        

• Emerald: grows well from Gainesville to Sebring, high yield potential with early ripening, large, high-quality berries

• Jewel: grows well from Gainesville to Sebring, low chilling requirement, produces firm and tar berries

• Windsor: grows well in North-Central Florida and as far south as Hardee County, high-yielding, produces large, flavorful berries

Blueberries should be pruned at the time of planting. If plants have a well-developed root system and irrigation is used, pruning should not be severe. Select the tallest, strongest cane and leave it unpruned. Remove the weak, "twiggy" growth at the base of the plant. If the plant has a large top compared with the root system, remove about one-third of the top by selectively pruning the least vigorous growth and cutting back the tops of vigorous canes by several inches.

Blueberries require 40 inches of water every year when they are mature, with low requirements during the winter months. The stage of blueberry production with the highest demand for water is from early fruit set into the end of harvest, and plants can benefit from irrigation to keep up with water needs.

Blueberries respond best to light but frequent fertilization and can be killed or damaged by over-fertilization. It is best to be conservative and gradually increase fertilizer rates over time. Granular 12-4-8 fertilizer is optimum, like that used for azaleas and camellias. Plants can be fertilized in April, June, August and October with the fertilizer spread in an area around the plant about two feet in diameter. Monitor plant responses to fertilization and adjust as necessary.

During the first growing season, remove all flowers before fruit set occurs. This will prevent fruiting during the first year to promote strong vegetative growth and good plant establishment. This is especially important with some Southern Highbush cultivars that flower heavily as young plants.

It is also important to prune blueberry plants to maintain healthy growth. Pruning requires cane thinning and removal, as well as an overall reduction in plant height. If blueberry plants are not pruned, they eventually become dense, twiggy, and nonproductive. The objective of pruning mature bushes is to stimulate the proper balance between vegetative and reproductive growth. Cane removal pruning stimulates the development of new canes, which tend to be more productive than older canes. Once the plant is four to five years old or older, a general rule is to remove about 1/4–1/5 of the oldest canes each year (usually 1 to 3 of the oldest canes). This will result in continuous cane renewal so that no cane is more than three or four years old. Mature plants are usually topped by removing several inches to a foot or more from the top of the canopy immediately after fruit harvest.

Blueberries are shallow-rooted, and do not compete well for water and nutrients. Therefore, weed control is extremely import for blueberry production, especially during establishment when the plants are young. Maintaining several inches of acid-forming mulch (such as pine bark, pine straw, or oak leaves) helps control weeds and acidifies the soil in the blueberry plant's root zone. Take care not to pile mulch around the base of the plants.

Blueberries are fairly resistant in the home environment but can be susceptible to Phytophthora root rot if overwatered. Botrytis flower blight (gray mold), caused by the fungus, Botrytis cinerea, can destroy large numbers of Rabbiteye flowers when periods of rainy, cloudy weather occur during bloom. Blueberry stem blight is not typically seen in Rabbiteye cultivars but can develop in some Southern Highbush cultivars. It is important to maintain healthy plants, as plant stresses can increase susceptibility of blueberry plant to stem blight.

Several insect pests damage blueberries in Florida, but, as with diseases, chemical treatments are usually applied only where serious damage is being inflicted. Some insects that can occasionally cause serious damage include flea beetles, various scale insects, cranberry fruitworms, caterpillars, root weevils, thrips, and blueberry gall midge. Birds are the most serious “pest.” Small blueberry plantings in the garden provide both food and cover for many attractive songbirds. Many homeowners welcome the bird life that blueberry plants attract to their property, but few blueberries may be harvested from these garden plants unless they are protected by nets. Keep the net up off the ground since bird nets tend to trap snakes.