Is something wrong with my BLUEberry plant? helpp

[dunnyd]

Hi, So I bought and transplanted this O'Neal Blueberry southern highbush from lowes about a month ago.. I realize now the pots probably too big.. but yeah the question i have is.. why does this plant just keep growing out instead of up? do i need to put a stake in and tie all those branches to help it grow up and not out? Would i hurt the roots if i put a stake down now? The plant has probably doubled in size since when i bought it.

[JoeReal]

that's natural plant response. When there's plenty of space, it tries to spread. But as soon as it grows bigger and nowhere to grow sideways, it will start sending more vigorous upright shoots. Just be patient. Sometimes it takes a couple of years from such tiny starting plant.

[SeaWalnut]

There is not such thing as a too big pot,the bigger the better.
Except for bonsai .

[brian]

Blueberries require very acid soil.  You may have to add garden sulphur.  When I first planted blueberries and did not due this they stuggled and died after their second year.

[Triloba Tracker]

There is not such thing as a too big pot,the bigger the better.
Except for bonsai .

I would politely disagree with this    ....you can totally have too big of a pot in relation to the size of the rootball.
This is why nurseries, etc, gradually increase the size of their pots. Otherwise they would plant seeds in 15 gallon pots 

Too much pot in relation to roots usually leads to overwatering/root rot.

[SeaWalnut]

Seeds are good to start in a small pot but a seedlings grow faster in a bigger pot than a small one.The reason that nurserries dont use verry big pots its because they are heavy and verry expensive.
When i plant Paulownia i start with minuscule pots and sow the seeds with a toothpick ,but once the seedlings made 4 leaves i move it directly in the ground.

[JoeReal]

There is not such thing as a too big pot,the bigger the better.
Except for bonsai .

I would politely disagree with this    ....you can totally have too big of a pot in relation to the size of the rootball.
This is why nurseries, etc, gradually increase the size of their pots. Otherwise they would plant seeds in 15 gallon pots 

Too much pot in relation to roots usually leads to overwatering/root rot.

So planting in the ground would be the worst?  The key really is good soil or good potting media. There is no difference in planting in humongous pot and in the ground for as long as the media are excellent.

I have planted a tiny blueberry in half wine barrel and look at it now. Haven't repotted in 5 years! It is now an 8-n-1 grafted blueberry. I trimmed the sides and added 7 new cultivars and they've taken. The main plant started out as 8" high blueberry that I got from Trader's Joe for $5 and the half wine barrel (composite foam) went on sale for $8, so I purchased both. I also regularly intercrop my tiny blueberry in pots with onions.

8-n-1 by Joe Real, on Flickr

[Triloba Tracker]

There is not such thing as a too big pot,the bigger the better.
Except for bonsai .

I would politely disagree with this    ....you can totally have too big of a pot in relation to the size of the rootball.
This is why nurseries, etc, gradually increase the size of their pots. Otherwise they would plant seeds in 15 gallon pots 

Too much pot in relation to roots usually leads to overwatering/root rot.

So planting in the ground would be the worst?

Well, there’s a huge difference between a pot and the earth.
The dynamics of water movement in a container are vastly different than the earth, not to mention the dynamics of the potting mix in the pot.
Size/space is not the problem in and of itself It’s not that a plant’s roots can have too much room. The problem is water. If you are beginner like the original poster of this topic and especially if you’re using actual dirt in your pot (as he is), I would be very concerned about root rot in a too-large pot.

If you are using a gritty mix, something highly porous, you might be able to get away with it.

A link to the world famous Al from the old gardenweb forum. Al is the inventor of Al’s Gritty Mix
https://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/527353/

A few links on the principle of gradual up-potting.
https://surna.com/up-potting-the-importance-of-proper-potting/
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2059916/up-potting-jes-what-is-that-all-about
https://www.bioadvanced.com/articles/choosing-right-pot-plants

There are no absolutes in plant growing, however. I’m just stating what I believe is a general truism.

[JoeReal]

There are no absolutes in plant growing, however. I’m just stating what I believe is a general truism.

If one is creative enough, we can always overcome limitations of the general rules. I have challenged many rules in gardening and got away with it, but still based on scientific principles applied within the context of the problem.

[Triloba Tracker]

There are no absolutes in plant growing, however. I’m just stating what I believe is a general truism.

If one is creative enough, we can always overcome limitations of the general rules. I have challenged many rules in gardening and got away with it, but still based on scientific principles applied within the context of the problem.

Agree. Thanks!

[SeaWalnut]

There is not such thing as a too big pot,the bigger the better.
Except for bonsai .

I would politely disagree with this    ....you can totally have too big of a pot in relation to the size of the rootball.
This is why nurseries, etc, gradually increase the size of their pots. Otherwise they would plant seeds in 15 gallon pots 

Too much pot in relation to roots usually leads to overwatering/root rot.

So planting in the ground would be the worst?  The key really is good soil or good potting media. There is no difference in planting in humongous pot and in the ground for as long as the media are excellent.

I have planted a tiny blueberry in half wine barrel and look at it now. Haven't repotted in 5 years! It is now an 8-n-1 grafted blueberry. I trimmed the sides and added 7 new cultivars and they've taken. The main plant started out as 8" high blueberry that I got from Trader's Joe for $5 and the half wine barrel (composite foam) went on sale for $8, so I purchased both. I also regularly intercrop my tiny blueberry in pots with onions.

8-n-1 by Joe Real, on Flickr

Why onions between blueberryes?I have a feeling this is a trick usefull for something,maybe pests or something.that affects the ph?

[NateTheGreat]

The dynamics of drainage are very different in the ground vs in a pot. Potting soil has to have much better drainage than what's in the ground, since water doesn't drain as readily from pots into the air (through the holes in the bottom of the pot) as from moist soil to drier soil beneath. Blueberries like to be very moist though.

[JoeReal]

Onions can tolerate the acidic planting media planted to blueberries, and it helps ward off the fruit pests of blueberries.