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When to harvest Blueberry in the UK

Blueberry is normally planted as a container-grown bush rather than sown from seed — it also needs acid soil or ericaceous compost — so the dates below are harvest dates, not sowing dates.

Family Ericaceae · rotation group none · Medium to grow

Harvest dates by region

Blueberry is harvested at much the same time across the whole UK, so every region below reads the same. Planting time does shift by region, and Plot adjusts it from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.

Where you areHarvest
South West Coast and Cornwallmid July to late September
South Coast and Channelmid July to late September
Greater London (Urban Heat Island)mid July to late September
South East and Home Countiesmid July to late September
East Angliamid July to late September
Midlands and Lowland Walesmid July to late September
Wales and West Coastmid July to late September
Northern Englandmid July to late September
Scotland Lowlands and Central Beltmid July to late September
Scotland Highlands and Islandsmid July to late September
Northern Irelandmid July to late September
Channel Islands and Isle of Manmid July to late September

Growing notes

Blueberries must have acid conditions, pH 4.5-5.5, so in most UK gardens they are best grown in large pots of peat-free ericaceous compost and watered with rainwater from a butt, because tap water gradually raises the pH. Use a pot at least 30cm across for a young plant and 45-50cm for a mature one; a fully productive plant of about seven years old yields 2.25-5kg.

At a glance

Spacing
150 cm between plants
Row spacing
180 cm
Plants per m²
0.4
Yield per plant
3.5 kg
Sun
Full sun
Frost tender
No
Grows in a container
Yes, 60 litres or more
Minimum soil depth
40 cm
Balcony rating
5 out of 5

What usually goes wrong

Companion planting

Grows well near

Related guides

Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for blueberry.