Boost fruit production and manage weeds through thoughtful plant pairing.
Blueberries are gorgeous plants.
Planting companion plants is a great way to attract pollinators,manage weeds, and conserve soil moisture.
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Types Of Blueberries
Three different types of blueberry plants can be grown in the South.
Rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum) are native to the southeast and are quite heat tolerant.
They perform well through the middle, lower, and coastal South, as do southern highbush blueberries.
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Provide plenty of space between blueberry plants and their companions to limit competition.
This requires the work of beesboth native species and the domestic honeybee.
Here are a few great options.
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The flowers are quite lovely and harbor minute pirate bugs (Oriusspp.
), an insect that feeds on plant pests including thrips, spider mites, and aphids.
Crimson clover is best suited to production gardens, as it can become weedy in landscape beds.
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Plant in masses for a beautiful display of the tubular blue to pink blossoms.
Sage is a good companion plant for culinary plantings of blueberry plants.
Some varieties of marigolds can cause skin irritation, so wear gardening gloves as a precaution.
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Theperennial herbattracts helpful insects and pollinators to its purple blooms, boosting pollination.
The strong scent also deters pests like rabbits, aphids, and Japanese beetles.
Using ground covers to manage weeds in these systems can be highly beneficial.
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Mulch young plants with pine straw, bark, or other non-livingorganic mulchuntil established.
Around older plants, you’re able to try the following ground covers.
White clover is a legume that fixes nitrogen in the soil, making it available to nearby plants.
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Strawberries
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Strawberries are commonly planted beneath established blueberry bushes in permaculture plantings.
This pairing translates well to both ornamental andedible gardens.
This pairing is a great way to boost fruit production in a small space.
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Creeping Thyme
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Creeping thyme is a favoriteground coverfor its edible foliage and colorful blooms.
This sprawling ground cover is great at controlling weeds.
In hot climates, a layer of thyme helps keep soils cool and conserve soil moisture by reducing evaporation.
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They make a wonderful addition toornamental planting bedsand can be grown as an edible hedge.
Blueberries perform best alongside plants that have similar soil requirements, namely acidic conditions.
Rhododendron And Azaleas
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Rhododendrons and azaleas are beloved landscape plants for Southern gardens.
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They thrive inacidic soilsand produce gorgeous spring blooms.
Rhododendrons thrive with morning sun and afternoon shade, while some newer azalea cultivars tolerate full sun.
It thrives under the same soil conditions and its stunning white blooms attract bumblebees to the garden.
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The bright red fruits are a favorite of songbirds.
These trees and shrubs range in size from compact mounds to pyramidal trees, offering endless design opportunities.
Most are broadleaf evergreens, though a few deciduous species also grace Southern gardens.
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This will prevent root disturbance during planting.
Ornamental grasses used as ground covers compete with moisture and nutrients.
Nightshades And Brassicas
It is also helpful to avoid plants with conflicting soil needs.
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Blueberries are acid loving, while nightshade crops like tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant require more neutral soils.
These crops are also heavy feeders, as are brassicas like cabbage, kale, and broccoli.
Avoid planting them near blueberries as they will compete for nutrients.
Asparagus is also a heavy-feeder, and it prefers more alkaline soil conditions.
Walnut Trees
Finally, do not plant blueberries near walnut trees.
Walnuts produce a chemical in their roots called juglone that many plants, including blueberries, are sensitive to.
Juglone is meant to kill the competition, making way for the walnut trees root system.
