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There is no better plant to add to the edible landscape than a blueberry bush. Highbush blueberries are native to Western North Carolina and are the type recommended for growing here. Some gardeners enjoy rabbiteye varieties, but they are not reliably winter hardy in the mountains, especially above 2500 feet elevation.Blueberry bushes can get eight feet tall in time, but can be pruned as needed. They develop a wonderful burgundy red color in fall, adding to the landscape value. Think about a hedge of blueberry bushes if you need a screen that does not require an evergreen. What Do Blueberries Need? Highbush blueberries require very acidic soil - ph 4.2 to 4.8. Well drained soil, so amend clay soil with pine bark soil conditioner when planting. Full sun will give best berry production, but don�t count them out if you can only give them 6 hours of sun. In addition to good soil preparation, the other important step in establishing healthy blueberry plants is removing all the flowers for at least the first two years. Allowing the plant to bear fruit the first few years stunts the growth of the plants and will result in the plant taking several years longer to reach mature size and full production. For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 255-5522. (Images provided by Buncombe County.)
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