Propagating blueberry bushes is a springtime endeavor. To propagate a blueberry bush, you need to have a spade, small pots, some peat moss and sand, clippers, water, plastic nursery sheeting, and root hormone solution.
There are two main ways to propagate a blueberry bush: stem cuttings and mound layering. Both are effective ways to propagate a blueberry bush, and each has positives and negatives. Stem cuttings tend to be harder to propagate blueberries, while mound layering is trickier in cold climates when you’re trying to transplant. Regardless of your choice, be sure to choose a mother bush that is free of fungus or viruses. Trying to propagate blueberries from a sick plant will not work.
For stem cuttings, you must cut a six inch shoot off the mother blueberry bush (the original blueberry bush) to propagate the blueberry bush. Trim off all leaves except those at the end. Plant the cut end in a small pot filled with peat moss and sand (aiming for a pH between 4.5 and 5.5). Water well and cover with plastic sheeting. Place in direct sunlight outside, or in a window well if the temperature is too cold.
Within two weeks roots should form. If so, you managed to propagate the blueberry bush successfully. At this point, give the new plant a few more weeks to become hardy. Uncover and place in direct sunlight for a few hours each day. Transplant the blueberry bush to an area that has a soil pH of 4.5-5.5 and that gets six hours of sunlight per day.
For mound layering, in the spring find a new shoot growing near the base of the mother plant when you propagate the blueberry bush. Cover all but the top inch of the shoot using the peat moss and sand mixture. Water. Continue this process until the shoot is six to nine inches tall, always covering all but the top inch of the shoot with the peat moss and sand mixture. Remove the soil; root should have formed along the shaft. Again–success in your endeavor to propagate a blueberry bush. Use a spade to dig up the new plant and transplant the blueberry bush to an area with soil pH of 4.5-5.5 and six hours of sunlight.
Whether you propagate a blueberry bush to save money or to keep a child plant from a favorite garden, knowing the process for successful blueberry propagation is a great skill for any gardener.
