10/23/2026
You can plant blueberries in Mississippi between November and February!
Be careful not to plant them too deeply. The rootball should be just below the surface -- one-quarter to one-half inch.
Rabbiteye and Southern Highbush blueberry varieties both grow well in Mississippi. Rabbiteye varieties are native to Mississippi and have been improved to grow quickly and produce large amounts of berries. Fruit ripens in June and July. These bushes require cross-pollination to produce fruit, so you’ll want to plant at least two varieties close to one another.
Southern Highbush varieties produce fruit during May. Several varieties of each kind produce a range of bush sizes and fruit types.
Blueberries prefer a moist, well-drained soil enhanced with organic matter. Ideal pH is 4.5 to 5.5, so plants can be successfully planted with acid-loving ornamental landscape plants, such as azaleas, camelias and gardenias. Blueberry plants are evergreen with a pretty, pink bloom in the spring.
Blueberries have shallow root systems and can’t compete well with weeds, so mulching with pine bark, pine needles, grass clippings, or leaves is recommended. Do not use barnyard manure.
Keep the plants well-watered to help establish the root system. Consistent watering is especially important once a fertilizer schedule is begun, otherwise the plant won’t take up those nutrients.
Soil testing helps determine soil pH and soil nutrient levels.
