TURN A POT INTO A BERRY PATCH!
Growing blueberry plants in containers is perfect if you have limited space or if your soil is sweet (high pH). Blueberries thrive and produce best with all-day sun exposure, but will grow in an area with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
While all 17 of our blueberry varieties can also perform well in a container with extra TLC, we offer three standouts for container growing: Burgundy, Patriot, and Northsky.
Burgundy
Mature Size: 1–2 feet x 3 feet wide
Fruit Size: Small
Flavor: Classic wild
Why Choose Burgundy? Burgundy is a standout container plant that is small but mighty, putting on a colorful foliage display spring, summer, and fall.
What to Expect: Burgundy will give you small berries—the size of small peas—that are easy to pick and have a classic wild taste.
Recommended Growing Zones: Burgundy is best suited for hardiness zones 3–8.
Patriot
Mature Size: 3–5 feet x 3–4 feet
Fruit Size: Large
Flavor: Delicately sweet
Why Choose Patriot? Patriot stands out as a versatile blueberry variety, adapting to various soil types, including wetter soils. Its adaptability extends to container planting, making it an excellent choice for growers seeking versatility and reliable performance.
What to Expect: Patriot is a winter-hardy variety that is vigorous and grows to be three to five feet tall.
Recommended Growing Zones: Patriot is best suited for hardiness zones 3–8.
Northsky
Mature Size: 2 feet x 2–3 feet wide
Fruit Size: Small
Flavor: Fresh and wild
Why Choose Northsky? Northsky is an ideal container blueberry plant and the most winter hardy of all blueberry varieties, surviving extreme winter conditions, making it a perfect patio plant!
What to Expect: Northsky grows two to three feet wide and puts on a show with snow-white blooms in spring and dense, glossy green leaves in summer. It produces small blueberries with a fresh and wild taste.
Recommended Growing Zones: Northsky is best suited for hardiness zones 3–8.
Note: While most blueberry cultivars are self-fertile and don't require another cultivar for cross-pollination*, they produce slightly larger berries when grown near two or more cultivars.
*Cross-pollination is the transfer of pollen from one plant to another.
THE PLANTING MIX & pH
When growing in containers, use soilless media or potting mix.
The mix for blueberry plants typically consists of a combination of potting soil, peat, vermiculite, bark, coconut coir, and perlite. Do not use garden soil or topsoil. Garden soil or topsoil may contain weed seeds and pathogens, and it often lacks proper drainage for container growing, which can encourage root rot.
The pH of the growing mix is crucial for success. We recommend keeping it between 4.5 and 4.8. You can find potting soil with a low pH (such as Coast of Maine's Acid-Loving Plants potting mix) or create your own.
OPTIONS FOR SOIL RECIPE:
Option 1: 60% potting soil, 20% perlite, 20% pine bark
Option 2: 50% sphagnum peat moss, 50% pine bark
Option 3: 40% coir, 40% sphagnum peat moss, 20% perlite
Option 4: 80% potting soil designed for acidic plants, 20% pine bark
Add plain sulfur or soil acidifier if the planting mix does not test in the 4.5-4.8 pH range. Perform a soil test every 1–2 years and amend accordingly. Do not add too much sulfur or soil acidifier; the soil can become too acidic for blueberry plants. Do not apply aluminum sulfate to your soil.
THE CONTAINER
Select a container approximately two to three inches (2–3”) wider and deeper than the nursery pot and ensure it has adequate water drainage. Containers made of porous materials, like terra cotta, dry out faster than non-porous materials, like plastic or glazed ceramic. Terra cotta pots are heavier, making them harder to move or tip over due to strong winds or top-heavy plants. Avoid dark or metal containers, which can get hot in direct sunlight.
Note: Moist soil expands when frozen and may break the container over the winter.
PLANTING
Plant only one blueberry plant per pot. Transplant the blueberry plant into the container and ensure that root exposure to air and sun is limited when taking it out of its pot. Tease the roots if they are circling the perimeter. Leave at least one inch (1”) of space between the top of the soil and the rim of the container—water well immediately after planting to settle the soil and reduce transplant shock. At maturity, the plant should be in a container at least twenty-four inches (24”) deep and twenty-four inches (24”) wide.
WATERING
Check the soil moisture often! Plants growing in containers tend to dry out quickly, yet plants cannot always be in damp soil because the roots will rot. Allow at least the top inch of soil to become dry before watering. Drought-stricken plants will develop brown/cinnamon-colored blotches on the leaves.
FERTILIZING
Do not fertilize at the time of planting; wait at least five (5) weeks to fertilize a newly transplanted shrub. After five weeks, apply one ounce (1 oz.) of ammonium sulfate around the edge of the pot or apply Espoma's Holly-Tone or other fertilizer formulated for acidic-loving plants.
HARVEST
Remove flower buds for the first year or two to help the plant develop a big, healthy root system and strong canes.
Tip: If critters enjoy your blueberries, cover the plants with bird netting or tobacco cloth as berries ripen.
WINTER CONSIDERATIONS
Roots have some protection from winter temperatures when they are below ground but are more exposed and vulnerable to winter damage when grown in containers. Winter protection for roots is necessary if regional temperatures dip below 28°F until spring when temperatures are consistently above 28°F.
Do not bring the plants indoors during the winter months. Plants need winter dormancy for flower production and will not get adequate exposure to cold temperatures to keep them dormant when inside. An option is to encircle the container(s) with chicken wire, hardware cloth, or burlap. Then, pack/stuff four to six inches (4–6”) of straw, fallen leaves, or pine needles around and between containers.
Annual pruning should be done late in the winter.
