How to Transplant Blueberry Bushes
The best time of year to transplant a blueberry bush is when the plant has gone dormant and the weather is cooler. Anytime from late fall to early spring is ideal for transplanting your bushes. Blueberry bushes make lovely foliage too, so they aren’t just for eating; be sure to pick a prime location.
How to transplant a blueberry bush:
You will need:
- An area that gets roughly six to eight hours of sunlight
- A soil testing kit, for pH
- A shovel
- Compost
- Acidic peat moss
- Mulch
- Pen and paper
- Water
- Test the soil, with your pH kit, of the area you are looking to transplant to. You are looking for a pH of 4.0 to 5.0 for blueberries.
- Amend your soil if it reads above 5.0 pH with about 5 inches of acidic peat moss, and 3 inches of compost.
- Gently dig up the blueberry bushes by going around the base, about 6 inches to 1 foot depending upon size. They have very shallow roots so you will not have to dig too far down.
- Loosen as much soil from the roots as possible by gently working the roots with your hands.
- Estimate the depth of the hole the bush was removed from, and write it down as you'll need it later.
- Move the blueberry bush over to the new location. If transplanting more than one bring them all over.
- Dig your new hole about as deep and wide as the one you removed the blueberry bush from. If you are transplanting more than one you will want to space them 5 inches apart from each other. Row spacing, if applicable, should be about 8 feet apart.
- Place blueberry bush in each hole, and back fill with soil, covering the hole.
- Water your plant thoroughly with clean water.
- Place a 3-inch layer of protective mulch around your bush.
- Water your blueberry bush once a week.