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Oh, the blueberry, such delicious and beautiful fruit, and how lucky we are since blueberries thrive in East Texas. Blueberries have inspired poems (Blueberries by Robert Frost), Songs (Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino), and even artwork (Bluebell-Blueberry Cow by Abigail Lynn Arts), and rightly so. Blueberries are a very popular fruit in the United States and are perfect for jelly, jam, pies, pastries, or juice. Therefore, to start your blueberry-picking party there are some things to know.

Blueberries are acid-loving plants and need a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.5 with full sun and well-drained soil. There are southern and northern types of blueberries, and the southern type is considered the best type to plant in East Texas. Additionally, you want to plant at least three different varieties to produce berries at the same time with good cross-pollination. The table below from Texas A&M Agrilife Extension shows the different varieties, pollinators, and harvest seasons. Further, winter is the best time to plant your new plants with regular watering to establish and encourage root growth. With all the right elements in place, your mature blueberry plant can produce up to 15 lbs. of blueberries per season. Most plants reach mature size in 7 to 8 years when they will be 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Agrilife also recommends three months before planting new plants, using glyphosate herbicide to kill all the grass and weeds in the row, and cultivating the soil to loosen tight areas. Because of their acid-forming properties, shredded pine bark and peat moss are good sources of organic matter to use with blueberries. Space the plants at least 6 feet apart in rows that are at least 12 feet apart. Water is as important as the soil for these plants. The irrigation water for blueberries must have little to no calcium bicarbonate. Rabbiteye varieties are also extremely sensitive to sodium. The initial spring watering should be relatively light; once in full growth, give 1-year-old plants about ½ gallon per day. Light-textured soils (sands) hold less water and dry out more quickly; for them, irrigate more often and for shorter periods.

In closing, just think of all the fun you will have when you invite your friends and family over to harvest your blueberries. Sit back and just like Huck Finn, and his fence painting, you’ll be grinnin’ while they’re a pickin’.

To read more and start your own “blueberry hill” visit: https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/blueberries/blueberries.html