Session
Three:
Preparing The Planting Hole
 Blueberry plants can be set in either late fall or
early spring. Blueberries are native to soils that have a very high organic matter
content and they thrive on organic matter. Soils in Missouri tend to be mineral in
nature and low in organic matter. We have found that an important practice in
ensuring success in planting blueberries is to add one gallon of moistened peatmoss to the
soil in the planting hole. The peatmoss needs to be moist enough so that when
squeezed you are able to see the water drip from it. This can be accomplished by
soaking the peatmoss overnight before you plant. The reason the peatmoss needs to be
damp is that you are going to mix this into the soil around the roots of the plant and
when the blueberry roots come in contact with the dry peatmoss it can actually damage the
root system.
 We have found that Sphagnum peatmoss yields the best results in
blueberries for two reasons; 1) it is a type of peatmoss that is acid in nature and the
acidity is something that the blueberries need, and, 2) it is a type of organic matter
that is not completely decomposed, meaning it will be in the soil for a period of time,
benefiting the blueberries in heavy Missouri soils.
 Blueberries are not very deeply rooted plants so
it is very important that you don't plant them too deep. The
planting hole or furrow need not be very deep, 12 to 15 inches, and filled with a mixture
of soil and moist peat moss is sufficient for each plant. It is also
important that the hole be wide enough to accommodate the root system of the plant that
you are working with.
Once the hole is dug, mix the soil back with the
peatmoss. You don't want to put the peatmoss in and plant the blueberry right over it, you
want to make sure the peatmoss is well mixed together with the soil so that the blueberry
will grow not only in an area with the peatmoss but also in the entire area you've
prepared for it.
Now that we have the hole dug and prepared, let's move on to the
actual planting in Session Four.
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