When planted near blueberries, these gorgeous blooms can improve berry production because they encourage these pollinators to visit the blueberry bushes as well. Once the trap crop is infested, you can remove it along with the pests. Not all plants get along. Some of the peskiest include aphids, flea beetles, spider mites, as well as beetroot heart rot, black leg, and leaf spot! If you follow these tips and avoid growing the worst companion plants for blueberries, youll be well on your way to growing a successful and bountiful blueberry crop! Below are some main problems you might want to avoid when choosing companion plants for blueberries. Consider planting them near peat moss or areas that will collect pine needles and result in a soil that has a low ph. Blueberries. As an added bonus, you can harvest two kinds of delicious fruit at once! Plants that have different soil pH requirements from blueberries should not be used as companion plants either as they are unlikely to thrive or survive acidic conditions. Trap Cropping: Placing certain bug-appealing plants near other susceptible plants can help to attract pests away from fragile crops and allow them to feed on others that wont be harmed or arent as important. To get the best of blueberry plants, professionals recommend companion planting. and borage ( Borago officinalis) are honeybee magnets. Try to alternate upright crops with sprawling plants to keep weeds at bay in your garden. Peppers, such as bell peppers or hot peppers, can also be grown alongside blueberries and add some variety to your garden. Blueberries are no exception here. Ideally, planting should be done within a day or two of their arrival for optimal results. In fact, raised beds are a great option for growing blueberries, especially if the soil in your area is not ideal for their growth. Melons, such as watermelon and cantaloupe, are not good companion plants for blueberries. Evergreen Seeds is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Plant new blueberry bushes in the fall or if you face very cold winters, wait until early spring. Blueberries are fairly hardy, but they dont like too much shade, and wont reach their full potential if they dont get enough sun. It is important to ensure that the soil is well-draining, as blueberries do not thrive in waterlogged soil. Some companion plants can also add nutrients like nitrogen back into the soil. Its also best to avoid planting melons and salad greens like lettuce near blueberries. There are also quite a few diseases such as root rot, leaf spot, and blisters all of which can damage your blueberries severely, so dont grow blueberries next to them! Blueberry shrubs are good companions for the sunnier stretches of your garden because they are similar in height to blackberries. Copyright 2023 The Home Tome | All rights reserved! Although some legumes can grow in soil closer to acidic, they will take over from the blueberries causing a small berry harvest. To ensure the success of your blueberry crop, its important to avoid the wrong companion plants alongside your blueberry bushes these include eggplants, brassicas, tomatoes, and asparagus plants. Beets will grow and produce crops throughout the year, but you should store your final crop some 10 weeks before the first heavy frost. This guide for companion planting cucumbers(cucumis sativus) will encourage this plentiful vegetables growth and will help to deter unwanted pests. Read on to discover 13 of the best companion plants for blueberries. Although some people have planted blueberries next to tomatoes with some success, tomatoes can easily kill off your other berry plants with root rot disease. They are acid-loving plants much like blueberry plants. Companion Planting Table * Dill is a beneficial companion plant to tomatoes when it is young, mature dill plants can suppress growth of tomatoes though. Click here to learn more about me. First, it is essential to choose a suitable planting site with full sun exposure (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) and well-draining soil with a pH between 4.0 and 5.5. Epsom salt can be beneficial for blueberries in certain circumstances. Read More Dill Companion Plants | What & What NOT to Plant With DillContinue, Read on to find out exactly what seeds to start in April to boost your gardens productivity in our short zone three growing season. Both fruit shrubs thrive in full sun and somewhat acidic soil. Brassicas: Brassicas such as cabbage, broccoli, and kale are heavy feeders and have the potential to take much needed nutrients from your blueberry plants. As a wife and mom of three I am constantly in pursuit of fun DIYs to do with my family, recipes that everyone will love, and ways to grow, harvest, and preserve my own home grown goodies. Ferns, basil, and thyme grow close to the ground, allowing the soil to retain moisture, meanwhile, azaleas and borage help attract valuable pollinators to help you get the best blueberry crop possible. Find out what plants make great companions and what plants to avoid that make bad companions for your blueberry shrubs. Blueberries are a delicious and nutritious addition to any garden. When it wilts and falls, borage creates great natural mulch for blueberries. Be sure to plant your blueberry bushes on the East side of the pine tree, or wherever it will get enough sunlight. The erect and ascending stems are usually covered with sticky and dense hairs. Can you plant blueberries with vegetables? By planting these vegetables alongside your blueberries, you can create a diverse and productive garden space. Blueberries will tolerate partial shades but they are best planted in the sun for larger and sweet fruit. Planting Blueberry in your Garden. Asparagus 6. Sage is another great herb that will that can be of mutual benefit to blueberries. Evergreens 2. You can also add other organic materials such as compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil structure and provide nutrients to the plants. Hydrangea 12. Avoid planting blueberry plants with tomatoes and acid-sensitive annuals. When planted as a blueberry companion, comfrey acts as a natural mulch. Fortunately, blueberry companion plants can help. Also, they will wilt and die and leave your soil well clogged up. Have you seen wild blueberries? These plants will perform best in organically rich soils that need to be constantly moist, and in full sun. Cabbages have heavy nutrient requirements which means they will compete with your blueberry plant for nutrients. Blueberry bushes tend to thrive in acidic soil and environment which might not be ideal for some plants. This guide for companion planting blueberries will encourage your fruits growth and production and will help to deter unwanted pests from foraging. Blueberries have the potential to inhibit the growth of all bean plants because they are heavy feeders and will drink up all the nutrients the bean plants will crave for. Read more about Cranberries. Blueberries are partially self-fertile, meaning they can produce fruit on ther own, but they will produce more and larger berries if they have another variety nearby to cross-pollinate with. Gardening Fans Rejoice: Unlock the Benefits of Companion Planting with Chamomile! She is the mother of two young children and also enjoys writing for GreenPacks.org in her spare time. Place seeds about 1/4 inch deep. Harvesting strawberry runners from a mother plant is one of the easiest ways to grow your strawberry crop. This low-growing plant offers great ground cover for blueberries, retaining moisture, suppressing weeds, and protecting roots. But even with the proper care, they can still fall prey to damaging insects and nutritional problems. In addition, blueberries prefer acidic soil, and coffee grounds can help to acidify the soil. Follow this easy guide to get started today! Your blueberry bushes are likely to be damaged and stunted by having eggplants close by. It's also a great companion for rosemary because it can help to repel certain pests, such as tomato hornworms and cabbage worms. The goal in planting the following seeds in May is to make sure that they can come to maturity and potentially produce a good harvest before cool weather and frost are on the horizon! Blueberries are a versatile fruit that can be paired with a variety of other fruits to create delicious and healthy combinations. Growing basil next to your cucumbers is said to impart some basily flavors into your cukes, so you might want to avoid that aromatic herb too. Thyme: The ultimate companion plant, thyme offers a variety of benefits for blueberries when planted in close proximity. There are also quite a few diseases such as root rot, leaf spot, and blisters all of which can damage your blueberries severely, so dont, Beets are easy to grow and incredibly delicious. They grow up to three feet tall and do not take up as much space as the pole variety, which makes them ideal companions when compared to them. Lilacs also provide shade. You might know this flower as Calico Bush. Blueberries are easy to grow in containers and raised beds, and nothing tastes better than fresh blueberries straight from the bush. Eggplants usually take around 80 days to be harvest-ready from the day of sowing. Theyre perfect for making pancakes, muffins, and preserves. And once your borage plants catch their attention, theyll get a chance to check out your flowering blueberry bushes, too. Beans, celery, corn, lettuce, dill, peas, and radishes are also good companion plants. The process of well-decomposed compost each season is the best way to make your soil more acidic. Certain herbs and flowers can prevent pesky worms, nematodes, and other fungi. Lovely red blueberry foliage in autumn in the woodland garden In this article, we'll cover hide 1. As a low-growing ground cover, thyme acts as mulch for blueberry bushes. Nightshades, brassicas, melons, and salad greens are all bad companion plants for blueberries. Companion Planting with Rhubarb: Best Flowers to Grow and Tips for Success! Another action that you can take to ensure your blueberry plants thrive is to make sure that you are thinking of blueberry companion plants plants that will create a harmonious environment, encouraging each others healthy growth and helping to deter pests. They are a cool-season crop that is fun, quick, and easy to grow from seed. Blueberry companion plants help support blueberry growth. Blueberries are sensitive to fertilizers hence they should not be planted near plants that require the heavy application of organic fertilizers or compost. The best companion plants for blueberries are basil, thyme and rhubarb. Planting crops that are of mutual benefit to each other can make other crops grown nearby thrive as well. There is a huge number of tomato varieties you can grow in your garden. How far apart should you plant berry bushes? Parsley: Parsley flourishes in slightly acidic soil so it can easily be grown alongside blueberry bushes. Legumes are considered givers and include plants like peas, beans, clover and alfalfa. Legumes include: Beans This flower attracts pollinators and provides shade for blueberries. Pro Tip: Blueberries need plenty of airflow to avoid fungal diseases. Dill: Dill thrives in acidic soil and has similar growing requirements to blueberries. Companion planting can help enhance the soil and help you choose plants that act as deterrents to pests that can be of harm to their neighbors. Either one or the other would suffer in poor soil conditions. In fact, its recommended to plant multiple varieties together to ensure a better yield and larger berries. Nutrient Provision: An appeal of using a polyculture type of approach and planting different plants next to each other is that the plants wont be competing for the exact same nutrients. Are used coffee grounds good for blueberry bushes? Companion planting is a gardening strategy that involves planting certain crops that are of mutual benefit near each other. Growing blueberries requires some planning and care, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Blueberries are self-pollinating. To provide the ideal growing conditions for blueberries, you should add acidic materials to the soil. Thyme acts as living mulch or ground cover and it controls weeds in your garden as well. This plant is often used for border edge and landscaping accents but it can help attract butterflies to your garden which are great pollinators. Lilacs make one of the best companion plants to blueberries for a number of reasons. Their blooms attract pollinators to the blueberry plants, helping the bushes to set fruit. Tomato plants will hurt your blueberries with their tendency to share verticillium wilt and blight with them. Third, blueberries require regular watering, especially during the growing season. Pruning is essential for maintaining healthy blueberry plants and maximizing yield. Tomato plants will hurt your blueberries with their tendency to share verticillium wilt and blight with them. A healthy blueberry bush can produce over 1000 berries per growing season. Yarrow, dill, and fennel all attract lacewings and ladybugs, which feed on aphids. Read more about our mission or our privacy policy. When planting them together, its important to make sure that they have enough space to grow and that they are not competing for nutrients. Azaleas. Blueberry bushes can take 2-3 years to start producing fruit, reaching their full growth potential at about 10 years and living up to 20 years. It can be tempting to grow tomatoes with your blueberry bushes but dont. Consider mint ( Mentha spp. 5. One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing companion plants (for blueberries or any other plant) is the plants growing requirements. Strawberry is the first plant that comes to mind as a companion to your blueberries. However, during fruit ripening, they may need up to 4 inches of water per week. Blueberries love many hours of direct sunlight and many plants can grow taller than blueberry bushes. Keep in mind that blueberries are shallow-rooted, so the raised bed should be at least 18 inches deep to provide enough room for their roots to grow. This is because brassicas require a lot of nitrogen, which can deplete the soil of this important nutrient. However, its important to note that coffee grounds should be used in moderation, as too much can make the soil too acidic and harm the plants. Basil: Much like thyme + blueberries, basil enjoys acidic conditions. Beets should be avoided as companion plants to blueberries as they can easily stunt each others growth. This guide will help you to determine what seeds you should be starting indoors and which seeds can be directly sown outside in the month of May. Eggplant plants grow up to four feet tall and three feet wide. Where is the best place to plant a blueberry bush? Once they die back, theyre plowed under so their nutrients can return to the soil. However, they shouldnt be planted anywhere near blueberries. Good companion plants for rhubarb are kale, turnips, cabbage, broccoli, beans, strawberries, onions, garlic and cauliflowers. You can classify these vegetable plants into two main categories pole and bush ones. Pole beans grow as vines and are prolific climbers and make a perfect addition to trellises and garden borders. Grow a Pop of Color: Plant Glass Gem Popcorn for an Eye-Catching Harvest! Low, groundcover crops can repel insect pests, attract bees, and look pretty at the same time. Basil is a fairly short plant, topping out at around two feet, so it wont interfere with the amount of sun your blueberry bushes receive. Thyme 6. If you are looking for help gardening youve come to the right place! Blueberries, on the other hand, prefer acidic soil with lower nitrogen levels. Its, Beans are vining vegetables grown in almost every vegetable garden in the world! This can include plants of different varieties, sizes, and even colors. In addition to bringing a unique flavor to recipes in cuisines worldwide, these have plenty of health benefits! Comfrey tends to become invasive. Sunflower What Characteristics To Look Out For In The Worst Plants To Pair With Blueberries? When it coms to what to put around your blueberry bushes, the best option is mulch. These plants belong to the nightshade family of plants and are botanically classified as fruit. Avoid broad leafed plants or plants that may vine out and choke out your blueberry bushes. Water deeply and consistently, making sure the soil stays evenly moist but not waterlogged. Blueberries also require consistent moisture, so make sure to water them regularly and mulch the soil to help retain moisture. But ornamentals have a lot to offer, too. A Guide to Companion Planting for Blackberry Bushes: Add Color and Nutrition to Your Garden. Additionally, Eggplants (and tomatoes, too, for that matter) can attract pesky insects, like aphids, mites, and stink bugs, who will be all too happy to chow down on your blueberries once theyre done eating your vegetables. They will compete with the bushes for nutrients and attract harmful pests (such as cabbage moths, worms, and cucumber beetles) that will feed on your berries. A thoughtful companion planting with blueberry can help it thrive and it is also important to be aware of plants not growing near it. Natural Supports: Strong, tall plants such as sunflowers and corn offer trailing plants or low growing plants like peas and cucumbers a strong trellis-like support to climb and spread. Reduce watering once the seedlings emerge, but keep the plant in bright, direct sunlight. Thyme loves slightly acidic soil, and it doesnt compete with blueberries for nutrients, so it will never impede the fruits growth. They perform best in full sun, organic and. They are cool-season vegetables grown for their nutritious and edible leaves. The pH levels of 6.0 to 6.8 are going to be ideal for cabbages. It's also a good idea to plant multiple varieties . Green Packs is a gardening blog that helps people make their garden thrive, no matter their level of experience. When it comes to blueberry companion plants, the first thing that springs to mind is other edible plants. Beans are popular companion plants in general, thanks to their ability to help transform the nitrogen thats in the soil into an absorbable form of nitrogen that neighboring plants can use. Choosing a blueberry companion implies avoiding eggplants as shallow eggplant roots are easily damaged by cultivating other species! Pine needles, wood chips or bark mulch are all great choices for blueberry bushes. 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Gardening strategy that involves planting certain crops that are of mutual benefit near each other blueberry can attract.