Talk

Flip

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Gardening

Growing blueberries in a pot

6 replies

WhereAndHow · 02/02/2014 17:02

I've very little experience of gardening but would like to grow blueberries in a pot outside my front door (south facing, I think).

Is there any special knowledge I need? My wish is to get lots of blueberries, not for it just to look pretty by my door.

OP posts:

Report

MrsPennyapple · 02/02/2014 17:07

They need acidic soil and lots of sun, that much I know. Use a big pot so it has enough room to grow, as fruit production will increase over the first few years.

I have read that you needed at least two plants as they are not self pollenating, but one of my plants died and the other vone still fruited the following year.

Report

Castlelough · 10/02/2014 18:06

Hi Whereandhow I just have a single blueberry bush in a pot by my door. It fruits by itself, but maybe some varieties need a second bush for pollination? I amn't sure! Be sure to plant it in a heavy enough pot. Mine was blown over repeatedly last year, and as a result I had a tiny blueberry crop this year. Last year was much better. All the same the entire crop was less than a punnet of blueberries from the supermarket. I think you would need a good big container to grow a decent sized bush!

Report

PandaFeet · 10/02/2014 18:10

Complete novice here. I would love to grow blueberries. I grew chillies and some herbs a few years ago.

How does one get acidic soil for a container?

Report

blueberryboybait · 10/02/2014 18:15

you need eracacious (sp?) soil, which you can buy at any garden centre then they need feeding with a high potash feed (I use tomato feed) and they like having their feet wet during fruit season so don't let them dry out.

Report

ouryve · 10/02/2014 18:19

Pots are perfect for blueberries - I've had some in my back yard for several years now.

I never get a huge crop, though (about 1/20 of the yield of a similar age blackcurrant bush, in my garden) and do lose loads when we get the late summer winds, as the fruit makes the bushes quite top heavy. I also had a problem blackbird take a shine to them, one summer, but it's not been back. Probably because I dug all my strawberries up!