Blueberry plants might be pricey to buy from a nursery, but once you have a few established plants, you can start your own nursery. There is a high success rate and no need for expensive equipment when it comes to propagating blueberries from cuttings.
You can grow a vast blueberry patch for a fraction of the price of nursery potted plants if you have the time and patience.
Blueberries were one of the first items we planted at our off-grid ranch. The issue was that we’re huge blueberry aficionados who intended to plant more than 50 bushes. That wasn’t going to happen, not after seeing the price tag at the nursery. To grow a large blueberry patch, we recognized that we would need to propagate the plants ourselves.
All you actually need for blueberry propagation is access to hardwood cuttings. Dozens of new blueberry bushes can be grown from just one healthy and vigorous plant in your backyard.
Although blueberries are theoretically self-fertile, cross-pollination results in greater crops and better fruit, so propagating from at least two different types is best in the end. Another option is to ask a friend for cuttings from their existing blueberry crop.
How to Propagate Blueberry Varieties
Consider your hardiness zone and the number of frost hours available while selecting varietals. The ideal place to take cuttings is from a growing plant in your own backyard. For those who are interested in purchasing a few nursery types and then propagating them, do your homework beforehand.
If you live in zone 4, you won’t get much benefit from many of the blueberry types. Zone 3 hardiness is achieved by other cultivars. Take a look at this list of cold-hardy blueberry types if you live in a chilly area.
Also, if you live in a hot climate, pick a blueberry that doesn’t need as many cool hours to produce fruit. At least 800-1000 “chill hours” are needed by most blueberry kinds before they may be triggered to break dormancy and develop fruit in the spring.
Even if they survive without it, they won’t be able to produce good yields. Between 150 and 800 hours of sunlight are required by some low chill blueberry types. Among them are:
- Emerald
- Jewel
- Star
- Jubilee
- Misty
- Sunshine Blue
- O’neal
- South Moon
Blueberries may be grown in very warm climates, so check out this tutorial from the University of California Extension on low chill blueberries.
BLUEBERRIES FROM CUTTINGS PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES
During the dormant season, begin by taking cuttings from first-year wood. Most years, blueberries stay dormant from November through April in Vermont, because the winters are long. Cuttings should be taken after the plants have gone entirely dormant in the fall or early winter and before they have broken bud for spring in southern areas, where the dormant season is shorter.
Blueberry plants are more difficult to reproduce from older woody cuttings than young, first-year wood. We’re still working with cuttings from very young plants. First-year shoots with a diameter of 1/4 inch, or the thickness of a pencil, should be cut into six-inch-long cuttings.
Cuttings usually root on their own as long as they are placed in a regularly moist (but not soggy) growth medium. The cuttings should be buried at a depth of about 2 inches or about one-third of their whole length.
For the rest of the winter, keep them in a well-ventilated area indoors to avoid frost damage. Alternatives to this method include creating an outdoor nursery bed and planting the hardwood cuttings there until they take root.
Blueberry cuttings generate strong, robust roots in 3-4 months. It’s at this time that you have a young plant that may either be kept in a pot or nursery bed for another year until it’s big enough, or it can be planted directly into a permanent spot.
Rooting hormone isn’t strictly necessary for blueberries to increase root formation, but I still prefer to dip them. When propagating cuttings of more difficult-to-root perennials like honeyberries and cornelian cherries, I keep a tiny vial of powdered rooting hormone on standby. Growing plants in bulk throughout the winter allows me to dip each individual cutting, which promotes faster root development and increases overall success rates.
Propagation of blueberries using softwood cuttings
During the growing season, softwood cuttings of blueberries can also be used to propagate the plant. Softwood cuttings, on the other hand, necessitate far more attention when it comes to propagation. It is much more likely that the blueberry plants will dry up and die before they have established roots if they are actively growing.
Select young growth tips that are still elastic and not woody when propagating blueberries from softwood cuttings. Smaller, 4-inch cuts instead of 6-inch ones should be taken in late spring or early summer. Using a pair of scissors, remove the lower half of the cutting’s leaves and place them in damp potting soil about 2″ deep.
To encourage root development, keep the softwood cuttings out of direct sunlight for the next two months and in a humid environment. Growers frequently use misting systems to assist maintain humidity and prevent plants from succumbing to the disease before they have a chance to set root.
Blueberry replication is considerably easier for me if I prepare ahead and stick to hardwood cuttings.
BLUEBERRY PLANTS THAT NEED TO BE CARED FOR AT HOME
Your blueberry cuttings can be treated like any other blueberry plant after they are healthy and rooted. Now that you’re an adult, you’re essentially in charge of raising your own children. Nurseries typically sell blueberry plants around 2 years old, when they’ve grown enough to look decent in a pot.
Each of these 2nd-year plants costs around $30 in our shop. Afterward, costs soar to upwards of $100 for 3- to 5-year-old potted blueberry plants.
You can develop your own blueberry bushes from just a few blueberry branches with a little patience. You can save a lot of money by planting a vast blueberry patch if you’re willing to wait an extra year or two.
