Have you ever thought about growing companion fruits? How do freshly picked strawberries and blueberries sound?
Regardless of their appearing in July 4th fruit spreads, you may know if you have grown or picked either of these fruits that they don’t ripen at the same time.
What makes them ideal companion plants? They can both be useful and beautiful landscape plants! Yes, blueberry bushes work wonderfully as shrubs, while strawberry patches can make nice evergreen ground cover even when not producing berries. Did you know that?
For those of you who didn’t know how these plants grow, or who need to brush up on it.
Title Can I Plant Blueberries and Strawberries Together?
Growing blueberries and strawberries together can be a rewarding endeavor for any gardener looking to cultivate a diverse and fruitful garden. Though these plants have slightly different needs, with some care and planning, you can absolutely grow happy and productive blueberry bushes alongside strawberry plants.
In this article, we’ll look at the key considerations for successfully growing these two fruits together, including ideal conditions, timing, soil needs, and care. While birds love snacking on these sweet fruits, a few tips can help protect your harvest. Read on to learn everything you need to know about companion planting blueberries and strawberries.
Blueberry and Strawberry Basics
First, let’s look at the basics of growing each fruit separately. This will give us an understanding of their individual needs before exploring how to grow them together.
Blueberries
Blueberries are woody, deciduous shrubs that can grow from 1 to 12 feet tall depending on the variety. They are quite hardy, with different cultivars suited for USDA zones 3 through 8.
Blueberries produce white, bell-shaped flowers in spring which develop into small, blue-purple fruits. The fruits ripen from mid to late summer. Blueberry bushes can live and produce fruit for many years with proper care.
Blueberries require full sun and well-drained, acidic soil with a pH between 4.5-5.5. They also need moist soil, especially when fruiting. Mature bushes should be pruned annually to stimulate new growth and maintain productivity.
Strawberries
Strawberries are low-growing, herbaceous perennials. Most varieties spread by above-ground runners and form a leafy ground cover. They are typically grown as annuals in zones 9 and 10, but can be perennial in zones 5-8.
The plants produce white flowers in spring, and fruits ripen by early summer. Strawberries appreciate full sun but can tolerate some shade. They prefer sandy, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5-6.5. Consistent moisture is key, but soggy soil can rot the plants.
Companion Planting Benefits
Companion planting is the practice of strategically planting mutually beneficial plants together. There are several potential advantages to growing blueberries and strawberries together:
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Both thrive in full sunlight and prefer slightly acidic soil, making them suited for the same site.
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Strawberries serve as a living mulch, suppressing weeds and keeping the soil around blueberry roots cool.
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Strawberries appreciate the shade cast by blueberry bushes once fruiting, protecting berries from sun scald.
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They attract pollinators when flowering together.
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Growth habits and ripening seasons don’t compete for space or nutrients.
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Strawberries repel rabbits that may nibble on blueberry bushes.
Of course, there are always some considerations when planting together…
Potential Drawbacks
While blueberries and strawberries can complement each other nicely, here are a few potential drawbacks to consider:
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Close spacing could increase humidity and disease pressure for both fruits.
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Strawberry runners may intertwine with blueberry roots over time.
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Birds love both fruits and may be more concentrated in a mixed planting.
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Harvest periods overlap slightly, demanding more time and attentiveness.
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Slight differences in ideal soil pH must be balanced.
None of these factors should deter you from giving companion planting a try, just stay vigilant! A bit of planning and attentive care is all you need to overcome any challenges.
How to Plant Blueberries and Strawberries Together
If you’re ready to embark on growing blueberries and strawberries together, follow these tips for success:
Site Selection
Choose a sunny, well-drained spot in your landscape. Avoid planting too close to trees or structures that may shade your fruiting plants later on. Ensure access from all sides for easy harvest and care.
Soil Prep
Test soil pH and amend as needed to reach around 5.5. This compromises nicely between the ideal pH ranges for both blueberries and strawberries. Mix in several inches of compost to improve drainage and nutrients.
Planting Order
It’s best to get blueberry bushes settled first since they are longer living. Give them a head start of a few weeks to establish before introducing strawberries.
Spacing
Allow 5-6 feet between blueberry bushes with strawberries filling gaps. For strawberries, space plants 12-15 inches apart in rows 2-3 feet apart. This prevents overcrowding when strawberry runners spread.
Care
Both plants need 1-2 inches of water weekly. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to keep foliage dry. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and reduce weeds. Fertilize lightly in early spring. Prune out old strawberry plants after fruiting.
Bird Protection
Deter birds with netting and reflective tape or decoys. You can also try companion planting with bird-repelling plants like thyme, parsley, or garlic.
Harvesting
Pick strawberries when fully red, leaving caps on. Harvest blueberries when fully blue-purple and easily release from the bush. Enjoy your bountiful harvest!
The Rewarding Result
With a bit of planning and attentive care throughout the seasons, you can absolutely succeed in growing blueberries and strawberries together. Pay mind to their slightly different needs, allow enough space for both to thrive, and you’ll reap a diverse bounty of sweet, juicy berries for years to come. The effort is well worth the reward!
How Strawberries and Blueberries Grow
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For starters, strawberries never taste even a fraction as delicious at the grocery store as they do from the garden. In my opinion, strawberries and tomatoes are the two things most worthy of all the work they require. There is simply no comparing these fresh from the garden to their supermarket counterparts.
Strawberries are the first fruits to ripen in the spring. That is around June in Michigan, but as early as February in Texas. They are both low in sugar and high in vitamins and minerals. They are, as I mentioned above, hardy perennials. Meaning, they can and will spread and grow all through the growing season and, if treated properly, come back and produce berries year after year. They do die back in winter and grow again in spring.
In the spring after bearing fruit, strawberries send out runners. Some send out many runners. In fact, they may need to be pinched off to keep the main plant more robust and bearing more fruit – and some send out only a few. These runners will produce daughter plants that remain attached to the mother plant.
After bearing fruit and sending out daughter plants, strawberries take a well-deserved rest for the rest of the summer. They need to be kept weeded and lightly watered. However, if you do take care of them, they grow again in the fall for a bit. This is when they develop latent buds that will turn into flowers next spring!
Another thing to take into consideration is that strawberry plants need 8 hours of full sun each day and they prefer slightly acidic soil (pH between 5.5 and 6.8). Additionally, they need good drainage. Make sure not to bury the crown of a strawberry plant if you aren’t starting your own seeds – it could rot the plant.
Strawberry plants need bees. They need to be pollinated in order to set fruit. After the strawberry flowers are fertilized, they produce fruit in about 30 days. For this reason, unseasonably cold weather which keeps bees indoors can also affect your strawberry yield.
Keep the birds out!
The biggest pest will be birds, so you will need to invest in some netting to keep them out once the plants begin bearing fruit.
If you want to plant strawberries this year, right about now is the time to do it if you live in a cool climate. Further south, you can wait until fall. The roots need time to get established before the ground freezes. It is important to mulch to keep the soil moist or use black plastic (slugs really like organic mulch like straw).
Here’s the cool part. If you want to use your strawberry plants like ground cover around or near your blueberry shrubs, they will get leggy and they might not produce as much fruit as a highly managed strawberry patch. However, they will produce fruit for many years.
Blueberry shrubs are actually related to rhododendrons and azaleas. In fact, before 1900, blueberries weren’t cultivated at all. They were only scavenged in the wild.
Now we have pest and disease resistant berry bushes you can grow in almost any climate, for many sizes of fruit, seasons, and flavors in your backyard which will produce for 20 years. Isn’t science wonderful?
Update on Strawberries and Blueberries with the Stupid Gardener!
FAQ
Can I plant strawberries next to blueberries?
What not to plant next to blueberries?
Blueberry bushes are susceptible to certain plants due to their specific soil and nutrient needs. Nightshades like tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants, as well as brassicas like cabbage, kale, and broccoli, are considered bad companion plants for blueberries.
Can you mix strawberries and blueberries together?
Yes, strawberries and blueberries can be mixed together. They are often combined in fruit salads, smoothies, and other recipes, according to food and recipe websites.
What should you not plant strawberries next to?
Strawberries are susceptible to diseases and pest problems, and certain plants can exacerbate these issues when planted nearby. Avoid planting strawberries with brassicas (like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower), nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant), melons, and mint.
Can strawberries and blueberries grow together?
Let’s take a closer look at both strawberries and blueberries and find out if these two fruits will make agreeable companion plants in your garden this season! Yes, strawberries and blueberries can grow together. Just make sure you pick the right varieties of each plant for your hardiness zone.
Can you plant blueberries with a companion plant?
Companion planting can also help to reduce pests and diseases that affect blueberries and strawberries. For example, strawberries repel nematodes, which can harm blueberries, while blueberries repel Japanese beetles, which can damage strawberries.
How do you plant blueberries & strawberries together?
Some popular companion planting layouts for blueberries and strawberries include: Interspersed layout: Blueberry plants are planted in a grid pattern and strawberry plants are planted in the spaces between the blueberry plants. Alternating layout: Blueberry and strawberry plants are planted in alternating rows.
Are blueberries compatible with other plants?
While blueberries and strawberries are compatible with a range of plants, certain companion plants can enhance their growth and productivity. For example, planting borage near strawberries can attract pollinators and deter pests, while interplanting clover between blueberry bushes can provide nitrogen fixation and improve soil fertility.
Where do blueberries & strawberries grow together?
Border layout: Blueberry plants are planted along the border of the garden bed and strawberry plants are planted in the center of the bed. When growing blueberries and strawberries together, it’s essential to manage pests and diseases effectively to ensure a healthy and productive growing environment.
Are blueberries compatible with strawberries?
However, it is important to research and select companion plants that are compatible with blueberries and strawberries to avoid any potential negative interactions. Proper watering is crucial for the healthy growth and development of blueberries and strawberries. Both plants require consistent moisture, especially during the fruiting season.