Blueberries in Containers

16 years ago

After doing much reading over the past few years I decided to try growing blueberries in containers, but have been having some problems. We are zone 5 and our native soil has a lot of clay and runs alkaline.

I got three half whiskey barrels for three different varieties. I added drainage holes, and elevated them on some bricks. They are south facing with a garage and raised cement wall on their back (north) side which I thought would help keep them warmer and protected over the winter. I used a mix of pine bark mulch, peat moss, compost, and a small amount of native soil. I added sulfur and some cottonseed meal, then watered with a little Miracid early in the growing seasons. I also mulched the surface of the planters to a depth of 3-4", trying to keep it away from the stems.

I have two varieties hardy to zone 4 and one one hardy to zone 3. I lost one of the zone 4 ones in each of the last two winters and replaced them both. The zone 3 (Northland) one was the only one that had matured enough to flower and set fruit. The winters have been mild for this area and there was good snow cover most of the time as well. Even when they don't die over the winter, there seems to be some die-back at the tips.

The ants also seem to really like the mix I used in the containers. When I pull back the mulch and stick my finger in the check the soil moisture, the ants are all over me. I don't know if that is a problem, since the plants seem to grow well in the summer even with the ants.

I don't know if I should just give up the whole container idea and try just moving the plants and the planting mix into the ground instead. Or is their some way to better insulate the barrels for the winer? Has anyone successfully left containers outdoors over the winter when the plants are only hardy to one or two zones colder than yours? I have not seen any for sale that are hardier than zone 3. I also unfortunately can't bring the containers into a garage for winter (they are half barrels).

If I'm going to replant them in the ground, I have to do it soon and can't make up my mind what to do. Any help is greatly appreciated!

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Comments (6)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
16 years ago
Mine do really well in 15 gallon containers. Those are pretty easy to move. Otherwise I'd move the containers you have down onto the ground in winter. Then pile as much soil around them as possible. Cover that with mulch in winter. Not sure if rodents would be a problem under there in winter.
ericwi
16 years ago
You could fill large plastic trash bags with dry leaves, and put the bags around your potted blueberry shrubs as insulation. However, it might be easier in the long run to simply plant them, where the residual heat of the ground will keep them reasonably warm over the winter months. I have lost blueberry shrubs to dry roots, but I have never lost a shrub to cold weather, here in Madison, Wisconsin. You will have to learn how to manage and control soil pH to be successful at this-and if you are using tap water from limestone aquifers to water your shrubs, you will have to consider the pH of the water as well. We have alkaline clay soil, and our tap water has pH around 7.6, so growing blueberries takes some extra effort. But they are worth it, in my opinion.
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oregonwoodsmoke
16 years ago
I never lost a blueberry in a planter, and mine just sat out in the weather all winter. I can't remember what I had planted. They were all Northern low bush; I think North Country might have been one of them.

Blueberries are very susceptible to drying out. If they get dry, you are going to lose them. On the other hand, they'll drown if there is too much water.

Dirt in planters can lead to root rot. So lots of possibilities for you: roots froze, roots rotted, roots got too dry....

Blueberries are much easier to manage in the ground than in pots.
molanic
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for all the helpful info. Now that I'm thinking about it...it does seem that many of the recommendations to plant them in containers came from people in warmer climates. It probably is a hardiness issue. The fact that there are ants in there to me means it is not too wet and rotting the roots is not the issue. They never seemed too dry though either.

I think I'm going to experiment with all your suggestions. I'll transplant the two less hardy ones into the ground with all the soil amendments from the barrels. I'll leave the hardier one in the barrel and try insulating it with the bags of leaves or straw for the winter. Then I can see which one fares better next year.

Thanks again.
kokos
16 years ago
Can they successfully overwinter if you leave them in their containers and just burry them in the garden(leaving their pots on) and mulching on the top?
foolishpleasure
16 years ago
My Blueberry bushes are planted outside. When I bought them the nursery labeled them Zone 5-7. I am between zones 7 and 8. Our soil is on the sandy side and it is a heaven for ants. I was able to counter the Ant problem with spraying Triazicide. It really got read of the ant. My plants are designed by the Nursery 3 are early producers, 3 are Mid-season producers and 3 for late season producers and they obeyed and did that exactly. You have problems with the Ants add Birds for me. I bought Bird nets which protected the plants but it is pain in the neck to manage. Another problem I planted them 4 feet apart I should made it 6 feet Apart.