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How to Grow Blueberries in Iowa?

Updated: 11/10/2022
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13y ago

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Growing blueberries in Iowa requires a sunny well-drained acidic soil. The soil acidity should be between pH 4 and 5.5. The soil in Iowa contains a high pH in most areas so the level will need to be decreased. This can be done by adding Canadian sphagnum peat to the soil. Sulfur is another effectively additive to bring the pH level in the soil to an acceptable level for growing blueberries in Iowa. The problem with sulfur is it disperses very slowly so the ground will need to be prepared a year in advance. Even though aluminum sulfate is an effective additive to lower the pH level in soil it should not be used for blueberries due to the fact that it is toxic to the plants.

Two hardy blueberry plants that will grow well in Iowa are the Highbush and the Half-high blueberry. The Highbush blueberry grows from 6 to 8 feet tall and are hardy in both central and southern Iowa. Medium berries are produced. Specific varieties to purchase include the Patriot, Rubel, Bluecrop, Jersey, and Elliot.

The Half-high blueberries are hardy for all areas of Iowa. The plants grow to the height of 2 to 3 feet and produce medium to small size berries. Specific varieties to purchase include the Northcountry, Polaris, Northblue, Northsky and St. Cloud.

Blueberries should be planted in the spring. Several plants should be planted in one area to promote adequate pollination. A dormant bare-root blueberry plant should be soaked in water for approximately one hour pry to planting. The newly planted blueberry plant should be pruned back to approximately half the original size. The outer side branches should be removed along with cutting back the main branches to half the length.

Dig a hole approximately 18 inches deep when using Canadian sphagnum peat in the ground to lower the pH. The hole should be filled with a mixture of half moistened Canadian sphagnum peat and half dirt. Place the plant in the ground according to normal planting procedures. Cover the remainder of the roots with the moistened peat and dirt mixture.

Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch around the base of the blueberry plant to hold in moisture. The blueberries have fibrous shallow root systems and require the surface to stay moist for proper growing. It is important to water the blueberry plants weekly if the weather is dry.

Do not let the blueberry plants develop blueberries for the first two years. Blossoms should be removed to maximize plant growth and increase the blueberry yield in years to come. The blueberry plant will become mature in 5 years and begin growing fruit to it’s capacity. An average harvest from a mature blueberry bush is 5 to 10 pounds.

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Q: How to Grow Blueberries in Iowa?
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