How to Grow Blueberries From Seeds | Germinate Blueberry Seeds

The article gives details of growing blueberries from seeds from fruit. You can germinate blueberry seeds by stratifying them in a paper towel in fridge. It may be mentioned that the fruit from seed grown blueberry plant may be different from the parent bush and it will take more than 2 years before the plant will produce fruit. However, if you propagate blueberries from cuttings, the new plant will be the clone of the parent and produce exactly same quality of fruit. 

Growing Blueberries from Seeds

Growing blueberries from seeds can be challenging but you can certainly propagate blueberries from seeds if your correctly stratify the seeds in a paper towel for germination and maintain right growing conditions.

Growing Blueberries from Seeds

Here is a step by step guide on how to grow blueberries from seeds.

Get Blueberry Seeds

You can either buy blueberry seeds from a garden center or collect seeds from fresh blueberries from grocery store.

Blueberry Varieties

The most common blueberry varieties are:

1. Lowbush Blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium): Smaller bush that grows close to the ground.
2. Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum): Most common variety for home gardens in temperate zones.
3. Rabbiteye Blueberries (Vaccinium ashei): Suited for warmer climates.

You should pick a variety suited to your climate. Whatever variety you plant to grow, the procedure is the same.

Seeds Extraction From Fruit

Mash the berries in a bowl and soak them in water for 12 hours to loosen the seeds. Remove the floating pulp, the seeds will sink to the bottom. Add water again to remove the remaining pulp completely.

Rinse the seeds thoroughly and place them on a kitchen paper in shade to dry before storing or planting.

Blueberry Seeds

Blueberry Seed Germination

Stratification: Cold Treatment for Germination

The next step is cold stratification of seeds to break their dormancy and encourage germination. This step is essential for successfully growing blueberries from seed.

How to Stratify Seeds

Place the dried seeds in a damp paper towel or sand in a sealed plastic Ziploc bag. Store the bag in the refrigerator (not the freezer) for 1-3 months. This mimics winter conditions and prepares the seeds for sprouting.

Some of the seeds may begin to sprout after 1 month in fridge. Plant the stratified seeds in soil.  Both the sprouted seeds or unsprouted seeds will grow into seedlings.

Planting the Seeds

Take a small pot or seed raising tray having drainage holes. Blueberries have shallow root systems, so a shallow container is best.

Soil: Fill the pot with an acidic with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5 well-draining soil. A mix of peat moss or compost, river sand or perlite, and pine bark is ideal.

Spread the seeds on the soil surface, and press them lightly with fingers. Cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil mix. Blueberry seeds need light to germinate, so do not cover them with too much soil.

Spray water to keep the soil moist, not soggy.

Germination

1. Place the pot in shade at a warm place (temperature 15-21°C or 60-70°F) with bright, indirect sunlight. if outside temperature is not in this range, place yhr pot indoors and use a fluorescent light to provide light.
2. Ensure that the soil remains moist, and that the soil receives adequate light.
3. Blueberry seeds are slow to germinate, may take 1-3 months to sprout, so be patient.

Once the seedlings emerge, take their care as for other seedlings.

Blueberry Seeds Germination

Transplanting to Larger Pots

As the seedlings grow, they will eventually need to be transplanted into larger containers or directly into your garden. However, the seedlings may grow to only 5-6 inches (13-15 cm) in height during the first year of seed planting.

Once the seedlings have a few sets of true leaves, you can transplant them into larger containers (How to grow blueberries in pots) or in ground in a well-draining acidic soil mix with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5 (how to make soil acidic). Add peat moss or compost to improve soil acidity.

Caring for Baby Blueberry Plants 

Watering: Blueberries prefer consistently moist soil, but avoid water-logging. Keep the soil moist, especially during dry periods.

Fertilizing: Apply fertilizers for acid-loving plants like that for azaleas and camellias.

Pruning: Prune your blueberries when young to encourage bushy growth. Remove dead or damaged stems.

Mulching: Mulch around your blueberry plants with pine bark, pine needles, wood chips or sugarcane mulch. Mulching helps keep the soil acidic and maintain moisture, and prevent weeds.

Fruiting: The seed grown blueberry plants will take 3-5 years before the plant will produce any significant amount of fruit. So, be patient. Once established, the blueberry plant will grow this super food for decades to come.

Blueberry Seedlings

Growing blueberries from seeds involves collecting seeds, stratifying and germinating them, and then sowing seeds in soil and providing the right growing conditions. The seed grown blueberries will take over 3 years before you see the first harvest (blueberry flowering).

Watch video on Growing Blueberries