10 Best Blueberry Companion Plants That Grow Well Together

Your bushes will flourish if you use the right blueberry companion plants and the best cover crops for blueberries. It can take a highbush blueberry patch up to five years to reach peak output. But with careful companion planting, the shrubs can thrive in the interim. This blueberry companion planting guide will help you grow your bushes faster, protect them from deer and prevent blossom diseases. Continue reading for more details on what to grow with blueberries.

Benefits of Blueberry Companion Planting

Companion planting has been practiced in gardening and agriculture since at least the 16th century. It’s a frequent technique among organic gardeners to lengthen their growing season. While companion planting has a scientific foundation, it is also steeped in tradition and culture. For example, many people believe that putting carrots near potatoes causes the potatoes to taste terrible.

Blueberry companion plants can save space, fend off illness, or promote the growth of a particular crop. To keep certain crops pest-free, you can grow many companion plants close by. Crops absorb essential nutrients from the earth as they grow. Also your blueberries will be shielded from the sun by low-growing plants like oregano.

Tips for Successful Blueberry Companion Planting

The secret to effective blueberry companion planting is to pick plants that do not compete for nutrients or water with your blueberries. Blueberries are heavy feeders, which means they require a lot of nutrients to thrive effectively. As a result, blueberries should not be planted near nitrogen-fixing plants, as they will deprive the blueberries of essential nutrients. Blueberries require a lot of water, so grow them away from other plants that will suck the water from the soil and leave the blueberries high and dry.

Blueberry Companion Plants

Blueberries are a valuable and fruitful plant you can grow in any yard. To get the most out of your blueberry bush, add some companion plants to aid pollination, attract beneficial insects, and repel pests. Here is a list of some good blueberry companion plants you can choose to grow with:

• Strawberry
• Rhododendron
• Rhubarb
• Azalea
• Lilacs
• Borage
• Thyme
• Parsley
• Basil
• Dill

Blueberries thrive from being planted alongside other low-growing plants like strawberries and rhubarb. Many blueberry farmers propose alternating rows of blueberries and strawberries because they replenish and clean the soil while also introducing humidity, which blueberries appreciate.

If you want to plant your blueberries in the neighborhood of flowers, choose azaleas, rhododendrons or lilacs. These three flowers love acidic soil. Like blueberries, they also best grow in sunny spots. By providing shade for young rhododendron plants, blueberries can be an excellent companion plant. Because they are ericaceous in nature, they can be quite effective as a sunscreen.¹

Consider growing herbs with your blueberries for maximum benefits. Basil is an excellent blueberry companion plant. Parsley, another common companion plant herb, tolerates acidic soil fairly well. Dill, like parsley, is a host plant for butterflies. Borage is a good blueberry companion plant since it grows well in a variety of soil types with pH ranging from 4.5 to 8.5.

What not to Grow with Blueberries

Blueberries, on the other hand, should be planted well away from any plants with a strong odour, such as onions or garlic. Growing blueberries near these plants is not only detrimental to the health of your blueberries, but it also poses a major threat to the rest of your garden. Blueberries also don’t thrive well when planted alongside nitrogen-fixing plants like legumes (peas, beans, and peanuts). As a result, these are not ideal blueberry companion plants.

These plants have good companions too! Also have a look at them:

• Onion: 6 Onion Companion Plants & 5 Bad Neighbours to Avoid
• Garlic: 5 Best Garlic Companion Plants + 5 Bad Neighbors
• Beans: Beans Companion Plants – Which Ones Should be Chosen?

References

1. Konrad, M. (2001). Special Companions: Rhododendrons and Blueberries.