Jim: Blueberries do not have a taproot. In fact they are known for having shallow fiborous roots. Your chances of success will be much better with a dormant season move. If your soil doesn't normally freeze very deep, as I suspect is the case in TN, any time from leaf fall until Febr would be the best move date.

If you can take a 3ft wide by 12 inch deep rootball you will have a resonable chance of success. But take the biggest rootball you can. Also you should severely prune back the top to lessen the water demand next yr. Pecan growers cut back their trees severely the yr before moving the tree. So you might even cut back or remove about 80% of the top right now. I'd take out the largest branches. They are the ones you want to remove when pruning any blueberry.

The Fruitnut

I would not cut them back until they have gone dormant. Pruning this time of year will only serve to stimulate more vegetative growth, which is not what you need before moving them. Do prune them heavily just before you move them, but when you do so try not to make many heading back type cuts, as these will encourage vegetative growth. If you don't get to it before the ground freezes, do it as soon as it thaws in the spring. Also, keep them well-watered the year after you move them.

Jim:

I agree with all the remarks of the nut and girl, both of fruit. But I would add that if you successfully transplant 10-year blueberry bushes, do not expect them to come back and resume their productivity quickly. They will spend at least a year and maybe two in transplant shock, as the fine roots attempt to re-establish themselves, and that is assuming that you perform the transplant skillfully during the dormant season. The unfortunate truth about older blueberry bushes is that they will never recover their former glory after a transplant.

I know it is hard to discard a healthy plant without an attempt to transplant it, but if you are concerned about the future of your blueberry production, you will do better by planting new, vigorous, 2-year or even 1-year plants.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Thanks for the advice.
Jim

I have 3 year old bushes to transplant .
I am zone 4 .
When is the best time to transplant them?
THanks
Brooke