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I was in poundland today and I noticed they had blueberry plants in addition to their normal soft fruit offerings. I figured at £1 I'd got nothing to lose since I love blueberries, but I want to check a few things before I plant it.

1. I'm thinking of planting it in a large container on the - um - patio (it's more like an extra-wide path in front of the flat than a true patio) - as I'm pretty certain my soil and blueberries are not compatible. How big would be a good starting pot?

2. Quite apart from the soil it'll allow me to drag them inside in winter since I also hear they don't like frost - but in this vein should I wrap fleece round it or keep in inside when I plant it.

3. It'll need ericaceous compost right?

4. Assuming it establishes okay will I get blueberries this year or have to wait until next year?

5. Any other advice welcome.

Thanks,
Becky

I'm dying to get blueberries here, they aren't available.

Can't help with the frost thing, but I thought they were hardy, could be wrong.

I think, unless otherwise stated, that you need more than one plant (and possibly different cultivars) for pollination.

Be interested to hear what anyone else has to say.

Sounds great, but you'd better get another one - apparently they fruit better if there are two.

Yup I have heard that too about them fruiting better if you plant 2. We got the raspberries and blackcurrents from there last year :)

I think (I may be wrong) that blueberries are self fertile but do better if there is a different type for pollination; they'd probably only have the one variety at poundland anyway so I'll need to find somewhere else selling a different type to improve the yield.

I think fruit is about year 3.

I'm still hoping for fruit on mine!!

Have kept them frost free.

I've always understood that blueberries need frost to set fruit. Frost certainly doesn't hurt them: they grow wild in my homeland, where they are exposed to temperatures to -20 F.

They are definately fruits grown in colder climates. Not sure why I've kept them frost free!!

This link should be of some help; http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/t ... ies2.shtml

Mine's planted in the ground and it seems perfectly hardy. They grow wild in all sorts of cold places.

I just bought the one which was a self-pollinating variety but it didn't have many more fruit in year 2 than year 1 - which wasn't a lot. It's almost worth it though just as a shrub for its amazing autumn colours.