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Blueberries and strawberries planted together?

k (zone 7a)
3 years ago

Has anyone had luck planting blueberries in a raised bed with strawberries planted in the same bed? I'm have one raised bed available and I am considering putting a couple of blueberry plants in it along with some strawberry plants. Otherwise, are there any good companion vegetables or berry plants that do well with blueberries? TIA.

Comments (5)

  • cindy-6b/7a VA
    3 years ago

    I have them both planted together. They do fine. Both are acid lovers.

    k (zone 7a) thanked cindy-6b/7a VA
  • windberry zone5a BCCanada
    3 years ago

    Blueberries have a shallow root system so shouldn't be planted in raised beds unless you have a serious drainage problem. Raised beds are also more difficult for mycorrhizal fungi to establish. Without mycorrhizae your plants will never do well.

  • BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
    3 years ago

    Just wanted to say, I've got blueberries in raised beds and in regular ground, and they all do fine. No idea whether there are any mycorrhizae with any of them, but I see no difference in how the ones in the beds grow from the ones out of the beds. I suppose it might depend on the definition of raised bed, though ... ours don't have any bottom, they just come up higher than the ground around them.

    In a previous life, the beds housed strawberries, though they admittedly grew better in the paths than in the beds (they escaped); they didn't survive when we redid the beds to repair them, replace their fence, and remove overgrowth. We didn't change anything in terms of soil/light conditions, so I'd say their environmental preferences are compatible. I don't see any reason why strawberries and blueberries couldn't coexist; we just didn't replace our strawberries because we never got any before the birds and bunnies, so it hardly felt worth it,

    k (zone 7a) thanked BlueberryBundtcake - 6a/5b MA
  • vgkg Z-7 Va
    3 years ago

    It should work as long as the maturing BB plant roots don't crowd the SBs and the BB bush's shading effect isn't too overpowering.

    k (zone 7a) thanked vgkg Z-7 Va
  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    3 years ago

    Having a shallow root system has no bearing on whether any plant will tolerate a raised bed or not.....why would it? Many veggies have a shallow root system as well, as do most perennials and annuals. The only consideration would be to use a moisture retentive planting mix or mulch well to conserve soil moisture, as blueberries dislike to dry out. But then so do most veg, annuals and perennials as well!

    And mycorrhizal fungi can establish in any soil....they exists in most anyway unless previously heavily farmed. A lot of folks grow blueberries in containers to accommodate challenging inground conditions and unless they intentionally inoculate with myco, there is likely to be little of those guys present in a soil-less potting mix. The plants do just fine!! I know, cuz I have done so myself.

    k (zone 7a) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)