ingredients
How Do Blueberries Grow?
- By Carolina Schneider, MS RD
- Updated: January 2025
Blueberries grow on a bush. Not a vine and not a tree. Unless you’re a serious gardener (and if you are, props), you may be stumped when it comes to how your favorite fruits and veggies grow. We’re here to help with that. Let’s dive into blueberries: where they come from and how to plant them at home.
Blueberries Grow on Bushes
First things first, there are a few different types of blueberries, but the most common varieties in the United States are the highbush blueberry and the lowbush blueberry, (there’s also the halfhigh and the rabbiteye varieties).
Highbush blueberries are larger and sometimes less sweet -- these are the blueberries most of us are used to eating. Lowbush blueberries are a little smaller, and they’re often called wild blueberries.
Yup, you guessed it, blueberries grow on bushes, not trees, and highbush blueberry plants are taller than lowbush. No matter the variety, blueberries want that sunshine and thrive with as little shade as possible. They’re also kind of high maintenance about soil pH and grow best in acidic soil.
Growing Blueberries at Home
Ready to dig in? Seriously, grab a shovel because you can totally grow blueberries at home. Here’s how to plant blueberries.
It’s possible to grow blueberries using the seeds in the fruit itself, but it takes a little work and a lot of luck. The easier route is to purchase viable seeds at a gardening store and aim to plant your seeds in April or May.
Next, find a sunny spot of land away from big trees and shade. You can use a raised bed or patio container if the soil in your yard isn’t ideal. Plant your seeds, add an organic fertilizer, and cover the area with about 2-4 inches of mulch to lock in moisture.
Taste the Fruit of Your Labor
When it comes to growing blueberries, you need to have patience. It takes a long time (like, we’re talking 10 years) for blueberry bushes to fully mature, though you’ll start reaping a full bush of berries around year two or three.
Patience not really your thing? Get your blueberry fix now and taste the benefits of blueberries with the Daily Harvest Blueberry Maple Pecan Protein Oat Bowl.
We take care of food so food can take care of you. Stock up on our deliciously nourishing blueberry bestsellers on daily-harvest.com.
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Carolina Schneider, MS RD
Nutritionist
Carolina Schneider, MS, RD is a Registered Dietitian and founder of Hungry for Plants. She specializes in plant-based nutrition and has followed a whole-food, vegan diet for nearly a decade. With a background in journalism, marketing and public relations, Carolina is adept in creating nutrition content for health and wellness companies that prioritizes the brand’s positioning to consumers. Her experience, combined with her passion and knowledge, equip her to help companies successfully communicate the nutritional benefits of their products to consumers. Originally from Brazil, Carolina is fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Carolina received two degrees in Journalism and Public Relations, which have given her the tools to become a writer and excellent communicator. Additionally, Carolina has years of professional experience in marketing, specifically in the food industry, giving her the knowledge to help brands best position their products to reach new customers and improve brand loyalty. Carolina obtained her Master of Science degree in Nutrition & Dietetics, and is passionate about nutrition science and helping individuals improve health and wellbeing through food.
