How to Propagate and Grow Blueberries from Cuttings
Are you a fan of blueberries and wish to have your own blueberry plants at home? Well, you're in luck! In this blog, I'll cover how you can propagate and grow blueberries from cuttings so you can have lots of blueberry plants and turn less into more.
To begin, it's essential to note that blueberry plants can be grown from softwood cuttings that you can take throughout the year or from hardwood cuttings taken during the winter when the plants are dormant. Since it doesn't get cold enough in California for blueberry plants to shed all their leaves, the best time to take cuttings is when the plants are dormant, and you can get a cutting from the first-year wood.
Next, you'll need a growing medium for your cuttings. The best mix is 60% potting soil, 30% coconut oil, and 10% compost. This mixture makes an excellent growing medium to grow your cuttings. The coconut core helps to retain moisture, and the compost provides enough nutrients for the plants to get started and start developing roots.
After you have your blueberry cuttings, remove all the leaves since you're taking hardwood cuttings in winter. Strip off all the leaves and peel off the bark from the cutting.
Blueberries are one of the trickiest plants to propagate from cuttings. To propagate blueberries from cuttings, you have to use root growth hormone. Dip the cutting into the rooting hormone powder and insert the cutting halfway into your pot. Without the root growth hormone, propagating blueberries is almost impossible, and the success rate is down to five to ten percent.
Keep your growing medium moist at all times by watering it every day or every other day. Do not let your cuttings dry out; if they dry out, they're not going to make it. Place the pot next to a window that receives sunlight, but do not keep the plants outside. Place them indoors in a covered area in a greenhouse or in your house next to a window that'll make sure the cuttings have the optimal conditions to start growing roots.
After two months, blueberry plants will start to develop lots of leaves and start developing roots. At this time, you can start adding a little bit of organic fertilizer. Some varieties of blueberries are patented, so research and make sure the varieties that you're propagating are not patented or protected.
In conclusion, growing blueberries from cuttings is a great way to have your own blueberry plants at home. After one year, blueberry plants grow about three to four branches that are about one foot tall, and you can plant them in ground after six months of growth. However, it's best to plant them in ground after one year. So, go ahead and give it a try, and you'll have your own blueberries in no time!