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How To Grow Blueberries in Perth

Delicious, nutritious and surprisingly easy to grow, there is no reason why you shouldn’t try growing blueberries at home.

Here are a few tips on how to plant and grow blueberries.

Blueberries are usually evergreen shrubs, however they can be semi-deciduous in Perth. The foliage can turn red during winter and some varieties lose their leaves. The attractive, small bell-shaped pink-white flowers are followed by a harvest of delicious blue berries. They need acid rich soil and this means they are suited to growing in pots where the pH can be controlled. Growing them in pots also enables you to move them around your backyard as the sun’s position changes with the seasons. Shrubs can reach up to 2m high, depending on the variety.

  • Soil preparation: Use a premium quality, mineral-rich soil blend suitable for acid loving plants such as the ‘Green Life Soil Co Blueberry Potting Mix’.
  • Planting: Blueberries do best in an acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Plant them in pots or directly in your garden in a location that has morning sunshine and avoids afternoon direct sun and wind. Morning sun or a light dappled shade is ideal.
  • Mulching: Blueberries are relatively shallow rooted and enjoy a cool root zone. A good layer of mulch kept clear from the trunk of the shrub, should be maintained throughout the warmer months to help maintain cool, moist soil.
  • Pruning: Prune Blueberries in Perth’s early autumn. Fruit is borne on the tips of the previous season’s growth. Remove any spindly or weak older growth to make way for new vigorous shoots in the spring.
  • Fertilising: In spring and early autumn, you’ll need to fertilise your blueberries. We recommend ‘Parkerville Berry Company Blueberry Fertiliser’ – Seasol can be used as a tonic throughout the year.
  • Harvesting: Harvest the berries when they become a rich blue colour. If there are still hints of purple the berry will be tart not sweet.
  • Cross Pollination: Blueberries are generally self-fertile but crops can improve when different varieties are planted nearby.

Blueberry Varieties

Varieties commonly available in Perth include:

  • Sunshine Blue – 1.5m x 1.5m, bushy and compact, crops from October through to December, large tangy berries
  • Burst – Australian bred compact variety growing to 1 m high, crops from July to October, extra large sweet berries
  • Kisses – Australian bred compact variety growing to 1 m high, crops from August to January, extra large sweet berries
  • Sharpes – 2m x 2m, vigorous shrub, crops from September to December, pleasantly sweet berries
  • Northland Blue – 1.5m x 1.5m, spreading shrub, crops from December to March, if left on the bush once ripe the fruit will sweeten with age

Or click here to browse our full range of blueberries to plant in your garden.

Please note that this is intended as general information only. Please ask one of our qualified horticulturists for more specific advice for your situation.


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