Leslie Massey
Blueberries are juicy, tasty fruits that are packed with antioxidants and prized by cooks and nutritionists alike. They can be grown in your backyard in Australia, with the right care. Blueberries were first introduced to Australia in the 1970s, and there are now plenty of varieties available for home growers. They are best transplanted in winter and can be grown all year round if they are regularly watered. However, autumn, winter and spring are optimal for planting. Blueberries grow best in cooler climates, favouring Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW, southern SA and southern WA. They require full sun (minimum eight hours a day) and acidic, well-draining soil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Climate | Blueberries grow best in cooler climates, favouring Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW, southern SA and southern WA within Australia. They can also be grown in some regions in southern Queensland. |
| Lighting | Full sun with protection from wind. Minimum eight hours of sunlight per day all year round but can grow in partial shade. |
| Watering | Every day if potted, every two to three days if planted in the ground. Regular, deep watering is essential for a good fruit crop. |
| Soil type | Freely draining, acidic and preferably sandy soil with a pH between 4.0 and 6.0. |
| Harvest | Blueberries begin cropping after two years. |
| Planting | Blueberries can be planted all year round if they can be regularly watered. Autumn, Winter and Spring are optimal. |
| Pollination | Blueberries are not self-pollinating and need cross-pollination. |
| Pruning | Blueberries don't need much pruning for the first five or six years. As the plant matures, prune out some of the dead wood in late winter or early spring. |
| Pests | Birds and possums can be a problem. Netting or caging can be used to protect the bushes. |
| Export | Blueberries are exported to international markets in Asia, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Middle East, Canada and India. |
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What You'll Learn
Blueberries grow best in cooler climates
Blueberries are juicy, tasty fruits that can be grown in your own backyard. They grow best in cooler climates, favouring Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW, southern SA and southern WA within Australia. There are also some regions in cool spots in southern Queensland where blueberries can be grown successfully.
Blueberries grow best in full sun (minimum eight hours a day) all year round but can grow in partial shade. That said, it’s still important to be wary of heat damage in high summer. If you're growing your blueberries in a pot, you may need to water them every day in the warmer months, whereas garden plants are less demanding, requiring water every two to three days. Rainwater is ideal for irrigation because it contains few dissolved salts, something blueberries are sensitive to. Bore, grey or recycled water is therefore unsuitable.
Blueberries need freely draining, acidic soil with a pH of between 4.0 and 6.0, and the topsoil should be enriched with organic matter, such as cocopeat. They can be planted all year round if they can be regularly watered, but Autumn, Winter and Spring are optimal. They are easier to grow in pots. If planting in the ground, you must ensure that the soil pH is adequate.
When it comes to harvesting, blueberries begin cropping after two years. Don’t pick them too early, as they don’t get any sweeter after picking and won't ripen after being picked. It’s said that deep-frozen blueberries won’t lose their vitamin content for two years.
In terms of specific varieties, the Sunshine Blue variety is a dwarf bush that produces large, sweet berries in late spring and summer. As well as being self-fertile, this variety is frost tolerant and does not require a cold winter to produce fruit, making it suitable for all parts of Australia. Compared to other varieties, it’s also more tolerant of a higher soil pH, so it’s one of the less tricky blueberries to grow.
Northern highbush varieties are cold-climate blueberries that must have cold winters to set fruit. They are relatives of Vaccinium corymbosum, which comes from the Great Lakes area of North America. These bushes lose all their leaves in winter and can put up with very cold winters. These are the varieties that are mostly grown in Victoria and Tasmania, as well as other cooler regions. Fruit from these varieties grown in cooler climates will ripen in December and continue until about April.
Southern highbush varieties have the lowest need for winter chilling. They come from the southern USA and are mixed or ‘hybrid’ varieties mainly resulting from crosses between Vaccinium darrowii and Vaccinium corymbosum.
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Soil type and pH
Blueberries thrive in well-drained, acidic soils with a pH range of 4.0 to 5.5. The ideal soil type for growing blueberries in Australia is a sandy loam or a well-drained clay loam that has been
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Lighting and water requirements
Blueberries grow best in full sun with a minimum of eight hours of sunlight per day all year round, although they can grow in partial shade. They should be protected from strong winds. Blueberries grown indoors may not receive enough sunlight and will not fare as well.
Blueberries require regular, deep watering throughout the growing season. Potted plants may need watering every day in the warmer months, while garden plants are less demanding and may only need watering every two to three days. Rainwater is ideal for irrigation because it contains few dissolved salts, to which blueberries are sensitive. Bore, grey, or recycled water is unsuitable. Blueberries cannot tolerate waterlogged soil.
When planting in a pot, select a premium potting mix designed for azaleas and camellias. This will provide blueberries with the right root conditions. If planting in the ground, ensure that the soil pH is adequate, between 4.0 and 6.0. Blueberries need a freely draining, acidic, and preferably sandy soil where the topsoil is enriched with organic matter, such as cocopeat.
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Choosing the right variety
Blueberries grow best in cooler climates, favouring Victoria, Tasmania, southern New South Wales, southern South Australia, and southern Western Australia within Australia. Some regions in cool spots in southern Queensland can also successfully grow blueberries.
The varieties that can be grown in Australian climates are broken down into three main groupings: Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush, and Rabbiteye. Northern Highbush blueberries are cold-climate blueberries that must have cold winters to set fruit. They are relatives of Vaccinium corymbosum that comes from the Great Lakes area of North America. These bushes lose all their leaves in winter and can put up with very cold winters. These are the varieties that are mostly grown in Victoria and Tasmania, as well as other cooler regions. Fruit from these varieties grown in cooler climates ripen in December and continue until about April.
Southern Highbush blueberries have the lowest need for winter chilling. They come from the southern USA and are mixed or ‘hybrid’ varieties mainly resulting from crosses between Vaccinium darrowii with Vaccinium corymbosum. Rabbiteye blueberries were also recognised to grow on the NSW North Coast and produce high-value, early-season fruit.
Some varieties of blueberries that can be grown in Australia include:
- Gulf Coast: This variety is very self-fertile, hardy, and easy to grow.
- Misty
- Sharpblue
- Northland: This is a northern low-bush hybrid and a high-chill variety that requires 750-1200 hours of winter chilling to set fruit. It is suitable for the colder climates of southern Australia but will not fruit well in Brisbane.
- Legacy: This is a southern high-bush variety that is suited to warmer climates but has a slightly higher chilling requirement than some other southern high-bush types like Sharpblue, Biloxi, Gulf Coast, and Misty.
- Sunshine Blue: This is a dwarf bush that produces large, sweet berries in late spring and summer. It is self-fertile and frost-tolerant but does not require a cold winter to produce fruit.
When choosing a variety, it is important to consider the climate and growing conditions of your region. Northern Highbush varieties, for example, require colder winters and are suitable for cooler regions, while Southern Highbush varieties have lower chilling requirements and are better suited to warmer areas.
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Pruning and fertilising
Blueberries can be grown in pots or in the ground. If planting in the ground, it is important to ensure that the soil pH is adequate, between 4.0 and 6.0. Blueberries need a freely draining, acidic and preferably sandy soil where the topsoil is enriched with organic matter, such as cocopeat. They also require regular watering throughout the growing season, but be careful not to waterlog the soil.
When it comes to pruning and fertilising, blueberries don't need much pruning, especially when they are young. In fact, you shouldn't prune for the first five or six years to allow the roots time to develop and the plant to establish. As the plant matures, you will want to prune out some of the dead wood in late winter or early spring to make space for new growth. Remove any wood that is more than six years old, any branches that are reaching the ground, or are getting crowded in the middle of the bush. You can also remove any spindly-looking twigs and any stems that will bear fruit right at ground level.
If you added lots of organic matter when you planted your bushes, you probably don't need to add too much fertiliser. Once a year in spring, top dress or mulch the bushes with a good quality compost mix, keeping the mulch away from the stems. If you do want to use a liquid fertiliser, select one designed for acidic soil plants and apply it at about one-quarter of the recommended rate as blueberries have sensitive roots. You can also throw your waste coffee grounds around your blueberry bushes. For potted plants, fertilise every 3-4 months with a slow-release fertiliser for azaleas and camellias. In spring, top dress the soil with fresh potting mix, and repot as needed as the plant grows larger.
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Frequently asked questions
Blueberries can be planted all year round, but Autumn, Winter and Spring are optimal.
Blueberries need a freely draining, acidic soil with a pH of between 4 and 6.
Blueberries require regular, deep watering throughout the growing season. Potted plants may need watering every day in the warmer months, while garden plants require water every two to three days.
Blueberries grow best in cooler climates, favouring Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW, southern SA and southern WA. Some varieties are better suited to warmer areas, such as the Sunshine Blue dwarf bush, which is frost-tolerant and suitable for all parts of Australia.
