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Question about Planting Blueberry Vines

KendraSchmidt
11 years ago

Hello.

I would like to plant blueberry vines on a small hill. At the very top of the hill, there is a climbing rose (that I really don't want there, but I don't have the ability to move it yet).

Just beneath the roses, I would like to be able to plant my blueberries, since this is the only area that really gets full sun.

This means the water that I use to feed the roses can go downhill too and end up feeding the blueberries.

Is this doable? I would like to avoid removing the roses for now, since I don't have the means to do that just yet. (I prefer Crepe Myrtle to Roses, which is what I would eventually like to put there when I have the means).

So I can plant the blueberries further down the hill, just below the roses? The blueberries require sandier more acidic soil, with a ph of 4 to 5 (from what I read)

Please help!

Comments (15)

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    11 years ago

    As long as the soil has a pH of 4-5, and drains well, you should be ok. Getting the soil right from the start is the most important thing. I'm sure you'll get some good comments here. There are lots of blueberry growers. Happy growing.

  • ericwi
    11 years ago

    You can plant blueberry shrubs on the side of a hill, but they should be kept three feet or more away from the rose bushes. Blueberry shrubs do best when they don't have to compete with nearby plants. Do you know the pH of your native soil?

  • Noogy
    11 years ago

    They wont grow like vines, but there are some low growing ones that spread a few feet out. What's your zone?
    Noogy

  • KendraSchmidt
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I'm in Zone 8a. I tested the pH on one side and it was 6 to 6.5, but that area was far sandier. I can amend the soil that goes PAST the rosebush, on the lower end of the hill.

    Why won't they grow like vines, Noogy?

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    11 years ago

    They aren't vines. At least not that I'm aware of.

  • Noogy
    11 years ago

    Kendra,
    They're more like shrubs. There are some lower growers though. Not what I traditionally know as a vine, though. We're all in the collective process of learning, so you're in good company.
    I have over 1000 plants of 10 different varieties. If you happen across a climber with tendrils, patent it, and you'll be rich!
    Noogy

  • Bradybb WA-Zone8
    11 years ago

    A more common term,cane is used for Blueberry plants.Like a bunch of stalks or stems shooting out and mostly up from a central root mass. Brady

  • jolj
    11 years ago

    I am with Noogy.
    I have 3-5 feet bushes/shrubs, but the wild low blueberry here in Lugoff, S.C. gets about 18 inches high & 24 inches wide.
    I use canes with blackberries,dew berries & raspberries.
    I use vines with Muscadines & table grapes or Kiwi.
    So this is new to me,too.
    Learn something new everyday.

  • dirtslinger2
    11 years ago

    I believe I once had a "blueberry vine". Not a Vaccinium. I believe it was Tasmanian. It died first winter in zone 7 but did produce "blue berries" which may or may not have been edible.

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    11 years ago

    dirtslinger2, funny, that's what I was kinda thinking, that there might be some other kind of plant out there called a " 'blue'berry vine." Some of mine appear to grow like weeds sometimes, but not vines :-)) FWIW, tomatoes grow like vines (and BTW are also actually a fruit,) but you rarely hear of tomato plants referred to fruiting vines!

  • KendraSchmidt
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Noogy, thanks for the feedback. I've noticed that though the plants are still in the pots, they're starting to get quite long and flopping over the fence where I have them lined up, waiting for planting.

    Since they're actually large shrubs, how should they be planted? I read somewhere that someone used a "4-wire" arrangement, four wires attached to two posts/stakes in the ground. How does this work then? Do I just allow the berries "vine" to flop over the wires? Is there anything that I should be doing it give it support?

  • Bradybb WA-Zone8
    11 years ago

    Wow,are we talking about Blueberries or Blackberries?

  • Noogy
    11 years ago

    Plant blueberry bushes 4-5'feet apart. 3' away from fence. They might be reaching for light thus floppy. No wires needed, fulll sun. Can you take a picture and post your plants please?
    I want to see exactly what you have as regular names are sometimes used interchangeably.
    Noogy

  • KendraSchmidt
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Bradybb, I can't believe I've been saying "blueberry" all of this time when i meant BLACKBERRY. AUGGHHHH.

    I think I'll restart this thread and ask specifically about BLACKBERRY VINES. Thank you for catching that.

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    11 years ago

    How about just 'blackberries,' they're not usually referred to as vines. If anything, as mentioned above, they grow canes.

    Nice catch Bradybb!

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