3-in-1 Blueberry Bush (Northern Highbush) for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on December 2, 2021

Planting instructions

3-in-1 blueberry shrubs prefer a planting location with full sun and adequate drainage. To plant your shrub, start by digging a hole to the depth of the root ball and twice as wide. Place the plant in the hole and backfill with dirt, keeping your blueberry bush upright. Tamp the soil down lightly and apply a generous helping of water. Top dress soil around a newly planted shrub with a three-inch layer of mulch – pine bark, pine needles, or wood chips. Space your shrubs approximately 10 feet apart to give them enough space to thrive.

Watering and nutrients

For the first few weeks after planting, water your blueberry bushes every few days. They prefer moist areas, but soggy, over-watered soil will cause problems for the roots. Watch for drooping foliage, as this will signify either under or over-watering. To ensure robust fruit production, you may use an Espoma Berry Blend fertilizer with an NPK of 4-3-4 around the base of your bushes in the spring before flowering occurs. Be sure to water well after fertilizing.

Pollination

The 3-in-1 blueberry shrubs are self-fertile, producing fruit on their own. However, adding additional blueberry bushes nearby will increase the size of your harvest. This effect is even stronger if the other bushes are of different varieties. Blueberry pollen is relatively heavy and sticky, so it does not spread well through wind dispersion. Instead, the bushes attract a variety of bee species, as well as other insects, to spread their pollen to neighboring plants. The Southeastern blueberry bee is one of the plant’s most dedicated pollinators.

Pruning

Blueberry bushes will benefit from a yearly pruning. This allows you to remove dead and dying branches, preparing the bush for another productive year. Young plants may not be able to handle the shock of pruning. It’s best to wait until the second or third year before pruning a new blueberry shrub. Prune blueberry shrubs in winter when the plants are dormant. When deciding where to cut, try to promote airflow through the shrub and remove any over-ripe berries.

Pests and diseases

Powdery mildew and gray mold are commonly found on blueberry bushes. These are fungal diseases that can spread from plant to plant, so it is best to tackle the problem with haste. Remove any infected branches and dispose of them far away from your bushes, as the fungus can still spread through the fungal spores left on debris. You can also pretreat against powdery mildew and gray mold with a spray, which will coat the leaves to prevent fungal spores from growing on leaf surfaces.

Flea beetles, Japanese beetles, and leafhoppers are all known to infest blueberry bushes. You can use sticky traps and floating row covers to defend against these pests. If necessary, you can also apply an insecticide.

Harvesting

3-in-1 blueberry bushes provide bountiful harvests at different times throughout the summer. The ‘Sunshine Blue’ and ‘Pink Lemonade’ varieties will begin to ripen around July, while legacy ripens in late August. These times can vary depending on your climate and region. Blueberries are ripe when they have turned fully blue – white, green, or pink berries are immature and will not finish ripening off the bush. Gently pick each ripe berry and collect them in a bucket.

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Customer Reviews

Anonymous

Verified Buyer October 17, 2019 at 9:03pm

Wayne's Review

Planted it the day I received it. It is still green. Will have to wait til spring to see how it does. PS.. Started pulling the labels off before I realized they were the labels for each type of Blueberry.