Growing blueberries from seeds is possible, but it tends to be restricted to lowbush blueberry plants. PrintPrepared by D. A. Abdalla, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, Orono, ME 04469. There are several different ways by which blueberries are propagated, including hardwood cuttings, softwood cuttings, tissue culture, and by removing suckers from the mother plant. Keep the compost or soil moist, but not soaking wet. If you don't have a blender, crush the blueberries in a bowl with a potato masher, and soak them in water overnight to loosen the seeds. During the first year of blueberry seed planting, the seedlings may get no taller than 5-6 inches (13-15 cm.) Move the nursery pots to a sheltered spot outdoors with dappled shade. Watch for germination in approximately one month. When propagating blueberries, all you really need is access to hardwood cuttings. Don’t allow it to dry out between waterings. It is better to purchase viable blueberry seeds for planting from a nursery, but if you would like to experiment, here is how to prepare blueberry seeds for planting. It may take several years when growing blueberries from seed before the plant will produce any significant amount of fruit. Blueberries are easy to grow in well prepared sites, require little care. Blueberries can be propagated from seeds, cuttings and by layering method. If your garden soil is alkaline (above 6.0), grow blueberries in containers of ericaceous compost. Add a little water to the berries as you do this. Place them in some damp paper towels and put them in the freezer for 90 days. Sign up for our newsletter. They are classified in the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. Cover each pot with a sheet of newspaper. Choose a sunny spot with well drained soil. When purchasing blueberries, select at least two varieties for cross-pollination. To prepare blueberry seeds for planting, the fruit will need to be macerated. Scoop out and discard pulp that floats to the surface. If compost is not available, use the finest bark mulch you can find, and add 10% peat moss. Fill 12-inch nursery pots with a moistened mixture of equal parts milled peat, coarse sand and loam. Thin the blueberry seedlings to two per pot once they grow to 2 inches. This can be done in a food processor, blender or mashed in a bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of blueberry seeds across the surface of the soil. Blueberries grow best in full sun all year round but will grow in partial shade. Lowbush blueberries can be propagated quite easily from seed. If lacking in sunlight, suspend a fluorescent light about 14 inches (36 cm.) is native to northern New England and Atlantic Canada. Blueberry species such as the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and lowbush blueberry (V. angustifolium) serve a dual purpose in landscaping as both an ornamental ground cover and edible crop. Cold stratification will break the seeds’ rest period so they are ready for planting. Plant blueberries in autumn or winter leaving about 1.5m (5ft) gaps between them and mulch with a layer of acidic peat, wood chippings or pine needles. Spread them out to dry on a sheet of newspaper. Collect several berries from your favorite blueberry bush to increase the likelihood of locating viable, intact seed. In selecting a site, it is essential that adequate water is available for irrigation during the growing season. Maine’s lowbush, or wild, blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) Once the blueberry bush seed plants are big enough to transplant, move them into pots in a sunny, warm area and keep moist. This species of blueberry grows as a field crop in acidic, well-draining soils. These seeds will actually produce new plants just as they do in the wild setting, slowly carpeting the area with new plants. Growing blueberries is really easy and can produce great results. Remove the blueberries from the freezer after the cold stratification period has ended. How to grow blueberries from seeds. Transplant the blueberries into a sunny or lightly shaded bed with moist, acid soil the following autumn. No, the seeds are inside the fruit, and it takes a little work to separate them from the pulp. Place them in some damp paper towels and put them in the freezer for 90 days. Check the pH of the soil in spring and add sulphur chips if it needs lowering. Pour the blueberry pulp into a large mixing bowl and let it stand for five minutes. Best results are obtained if started inside in late winter or early spring, but they will germinate anytime of the year provided they are given ample light and warmth. They are grown for their use in the canning industry, and for making various desserts, teas and juices. Blueberry shrubs also make for attractive ornamental plants and are frequently seen growing as hedges. Seeds will sink to the bottom. The best time to start […] of soil. Get a pH probe and dip it about 3 in (7.6 cm) into the soil. Store them in the freezer for three months to cold stratify the seeds, which will help fulfill their dormancy requirement and help prompt germination. Blueberries contain small seeds almost not recognizable in comparison with other berries like raspberries or blackberries. Propagating Blueberries From Cuttings I am sharing my experiences on how to reproduce blueberry bushes from softwood and hardwood cuttings so that you can get free blueberry plants from a blueberry bush. Use a plant mister or a spray bottle to water because a watering can or other strong water stream will dislodge the tiny seeds. Run the blender for 10 to 15 minutes to macerate the berries. Pour the contents of the bowl through a fine sieve or wire mesh colander. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Collect the tiny, reddish brown seeds from the sieve. February 23, 1967. And even if your garden soil is not acidic then you can try growing blueberries in containers using an ericaceous compost mix. Blueberry propagation is relatively easy and gives good results, but it takes at least a year to get a well rooted plant that can be planted to it’s final location. Add a little water to the berries as you do this. They grow best within U.S. Department of Agricultural plant hardiness zones 8 and below, where they will start producing fruit during their second year in the ground. Blueberry seed planting should commence in the fall in warm climates and in the spring in more northerly climes. Plant in moist, well-drained, acidic soil in a sunny, sheltered spot. Vaccinium also includes cranberries, bilberries, huckleberries and Madeira blueberries. Once the fruit is mashed, remove the floating pulp. There are three main types of plant: lowbush, highbush and rabbiteye. The quickest way to propagate blueberries is with shoot cuttings, but you can also grow them from seeds. Cuttings are placed in propagation beds in a medium that holds moisture well but also allows adequate aeration. 100% free blueberry plants! So, again, be patient, but once established, the plant will keep you supplied with this super food for decades to come. Be sure to select a variety that is rated for your growing climate. To grow blueberries, plant a young blueberry plant in a raised garden bed that's in a sunny spot. Place the blueberries in a sealable plastic bag. This can be done in a food processor, blender or mashed in a bowl. Remove all but the top two or three leaves, and plant the cutting immediately in a moist growing medium. Once you have gathered the blueberry bush seeds, they must be scarified. Enrich the soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser.If the soil is alkaline or neutral, add Yates Soil Acidifer Liquid Sulfur to help lower the pH. Propagate Blueberries From Cuttings. Three species of blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) Spacing varies between cultivars, with the larger-growing varieties reaching up to 2m high and growing to about 1.5m wide. Blueberries are heralded as a super food — extremely nutritious, but also high in flavanoids which have been shown to reduce the damaging effects of oxidation and inflammation, allowing the body to fight off disease. The seeds require no pretreatment to successfully germinate, but chilling them will enhance their germination rate and help ensure a successful outcome. It's a technique called mound layering. Misouri Botanical Garden: Vaccinium Corymbosum, Horticulture Magazine: Plants We Love-Lowbush Blueberry, The University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Growing Blueberries from Seed, Texas A&M University Department of Horticulture: Propagation of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines, Alameda County Master Gardeners: Your Alameda County Garden Month-by-Month, How to Start Blueberry Plants From Another Grown Plant. They prefer an acid soil in a nice sunny or semi shaded position. Remove the newspaper and the germination mat after seedlings emerge. Blueberry bushes are easy to grow, disease resistant, and can live for 30 to 40 years. Propagation. This is done as a part of cold stratification of the seeds. Seeds will sink to the bottom. Plant blueberries at exactly the same depth as grown at the nursery. Growing Wild Blueberries from Seed. Keep the strongest, most vigorous of the seedlings and remove the weaker ones. Crack open the cold frame to help acclimate the seedlings to normal outdoor conditions. Sphagnum Moss Vs. Sphagnum Peat Moss: Are Sphagnum Moss And Peat Moss The Same, Zone 4 Blueberries – Types Of Cold Hardy Blueberry Plants, Soil Prep For Blueberry Plant: Lower Soil pH For Blueberries, Mulching With Oyster Shells: How Crushed Oyster Shells Help Plants, Unique Paving Ideas – Creative Ways To Use Pavers In The Garden, Sensory Walkway Ideas – Creating Sensory Garden Paths, Composting Potato Haulms: Can You Add Potato Tops To Compost, Japanese Honeysuckle Weed: How To Control Honeysuckle In Gardens, Japanese Zen Gardens: How To Create A Zen Garden, Tips For Watering Plants Grown Upside Down, Cut Flower Gardening: Growing Flowers For Others, Pieces Of Garden Wisdom – Gardening Tips For Beginners, Garden Renovation: Giving Life To Neglected Garden Beds, Ordering Plants: Planning The Spring Garden Begins In Winter. Propagating Blueberries . Blueberry Growing Tips. The pH should be at least as low as pH 5.5. Tap water will raise the pH level and blueberries like acidic conditions. Amend the soil as needed to bring the pH back to a safe level. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Warm the pots to between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a germination mat if daytime temperatures stay below 60 F. Maintain constant moisture in the top inch of soil while the blueberry seeds germinate. You may need to add water several times to remove the pulp completely. Cold stratific… Plant the seed in dampened sphagnum peat moss in seed trays and cover them with ¼ inch (6 ml.) Keep the seeds in a warm, sunny area (60-70 degrees F/15-21 C). You may need to add water several times to remove the pulp completely. Store bought blueberries are a wonderful way to get free plants and tons of them too! Originally from forests littered with pine needles, blueberries prefer a soil enriched with organic matter, decomposed manure and a low pH of around 4–5. Plant in full sun, though they can handle some afternoon shade. above the seedlings. Because this shrub produces long underground stems called rhizomes , in well-established plants, propagation from these can produce good results. Blueberry seeds are tiny, so it’s easiest to separate them from the fruit in large batches. Growing blueberries from seed are not too difficult, but it does require some patience and adequate preparation. Place the bag on the counter for one to two hours, or until the blueberries have thawed to room temperature. Give your blueberry plant 1 to 2 inches of water per week and avoid overwatering it. The hybrid high bush seeds germinate more unreliable than their wild low bush relatives. Blueberries are cold weather plants and need a few months of freezing to break the seed dormancy. Of these methods, tissue culture is the most common for commercial production as it produces a bushier plant. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Growing blueberries from seed is reliable when you're working with fresh seed, although the resulting shrub may not closely resemble the parent plant. Dig the hole twice the size of the roots, and back-fill with a rich compost mixture. Keep the medium consistently moist. Blueberries can be grown from seed very easily, but you do need to follow these instructions very closely. Be sure the plant providing the cuttings is the right type for your local climate or you may grow a plant that looks pretty, but which doesn’t produce any fruit.Highbush blueberries grow well from both hardwood and softwood cuttings. Place the nursery pots outdoors inside a lightly shaded cold frame. Blueberries are relatively easy to look after. If you have one healthy, vigorous blueberry plant in your back yard, that’s enough to propagate dozens of new plants within a few years. You can use fruit from an existing bush or from those purchased at the grocers, but the results may be poor or non-existent. Blueberries are fruit-producing shrubs indigenous to North America. Cold stratification helps the seeds to germinate nicely and successfully. The more sunlight you give a blueberry plant, the better off it will be. The resulting seedling from the growing blueberry seeds will look like grass with a few tiny leaves atop. in height. Add fresh water and let it stand for another five minutes. Spread a very scant layer of milled peat over the seeds so they are barely covered. Print. Most home growers purchase cuttings, but did you know that blueberry seed planting will result in a plant as well? Secure the lid. First, is a blueberry a seed? Blueberry Propagation Blueberries usually are propagated from softwood or hardwood cuttings by cutting selected twigs from healthy, disease-free mother plants. Growing Blueberries. One benefit of growing plants from seeds is that the plants will be much more hardy and resistant to disease. … Snip off the unwanted seedlings at soil-level with small scissors. In early spring, choose a healthy shoot and cut off the last 5 inches of growth from the tip of the stem. Like many woody shrubs, blueberries can be propagated by taking softwood cuttings and rooting them. Growing blueberries from seed is reliable when you're working with fresh seed, although the resulting shrub may not closely resemble the parent plant. Now blueberries can be quite expensive, so I'm going to show you a way of propagating from one plant to make many plants. Once you have gathered the blueberry bush seeds, they must be scarified. Ensure the soil stays at pH of 5.5 or lower, to avoid problems. Nutrient Management for Lowbush Blueberry. ; Soak bare-rooted plants in … Blueberries are perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. Bore, grey or recycled water is therefore unsuitable. How to grow blueberries in a garden. If you want to try growing blueberries using seeds, then you have to extract them from the berries first. The growing blueberry seed plants can be fertilized with a liquid fertilizer after two to three weeks in their pots. Blueberries are in the botanical family Vaccinium and are closely related to cranberries, huckleberries, lingonberries and others. To prepare blueberry seeds for planting, the fruit will need to be macerated. This video will show you how. As a second step in growing blueberry plants from seeds, you need to freeze these in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator for at least three months. The plants can then be set out in prepared rows, vacant areas in fields or as an ornamental ground cover plant for home landscaping. It's possible to propagate Lowbush Blueberry from half-ripe wood cuttings, but it's a slow process, and it isn't always successful. Maintaining the soil’s pH is one of the biggest challenges to growing fresh blueberries every year. tall. Once the 90 days have elapsed, the seeds can be used immediately or kept in the freezer until you are ready to plant them. How to Propagate Blueberries From Cuttings. Gather blueberries in summer after they ripen to a solid, bluish-black color and the flesh yields to slight pressure. Water plants with rainwater, not tap water, unless you have no alternative in a drought. Carefully pour off the excess water. While blueberries are tolerant of shade, better crops (and autumn colour) are obtained in the sun. Seed Propagating Blueberries. Once the fruit is mashed, remove the floating pulp. First, freeze the blueberries for 90 days to stratify the seeds. The resulting blueberry bush seed plants will bear fruit during year two when the plant is 1-2 feet (30-61 cm.) How to Plant Blueberry Plants. Blueberries do not self pollinate, which means they are rather unpredictable and their offspring do not duplicate the parent. Blueberry bushes are attractive as ornamental plants for your home landscape. Be patient; blueberry seed planting may take six to eight weeks to germinate, some not for three months. Fill a blender three-quarters full with fresh water and pour in 3/4 cup of blueberries. One year old branches can be used. How to plant and grow blueberries in the garden The most critical factor to growing blueberries successfully is the soil. Growing Blueberries From Seed. To help your plant grow healthy and strong, fertilize it twice during the spring using an organic fertilizer. Water to a depth of one inch every week. A pH probe and dip it about 3 in ( 7.6 cm ) into soil! With shoot cuttings, but not soaking wet the bag on the counter for one to two pot. Pinch of blueberry grows as a field crop in acidic, well-draining soils new plants just they! 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