Can blueberries really grow back indefinitely? The answer will surprise you.

Not only are blueberries delicious, they're also rich in antioxidants, good for your health and incredibly rewarding to grow yourself. And the good news is that it's perfectly possible to have a continuous supply at home, if you grow them carefully. Here's how to turn a simple corner of your balcony or garden into an inexhaustible source of blueberries.

1. Choose the right variety

Not all bilberries are created equal. There are two main types of cultivable bilberries:

• Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum): ideal for temperate climates, they produce large, sweet fruit.
• Low bush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium): hardier, perfect for colder climates, they produce smaller but very tasty fruit.

For home growing, especially in pots, dwarf or compact varieties such as “Top Hat” or “Sunshine Blue” are excellent.

2. Prepare the right soil (acidic and well-drained)

Blueberries have very specific requirements: they like acidic soil, with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. Conventional potting soil is therefore unsuitable.

👉 To do it right:

• Mix heather soil with a little peat and sand to improve drainage.
• If you're growing in pots, choose a deep, perforated container with a saucer to maintain a little moisture without drowning the roots.

Adding untreated sawdust, dead leaves or pine needles to the surface can also help maintain soil acidity.

3. Watering is crucial

Blueberries need soil that is constantly moist but never soggy. Rainwater is ideal as it contains no limescale.

In summer, water 2 to 3 times a week, depending on the weather.
In dry spells, organic mulch will keep the soil cool.

Avoid tap water if it is too chalky - you risk raising the pH of the soil and stunting plant growth.

4. The right spot

Place your plants in a sunny to semi-shady spot. They need at least 6 hours of direct light a day to grow well.

If you live in a flat, a well-exposed balcony will do just fine.

5. Encourage pollination and continuous production

Most blueberry bushes are not self-fertile: to ensure good pollination and abundant production, we recommend planting at least two different varieties.

🍇 Good maintenance (light pruning at the end of winter, removal of dead branches, addition of acid compost in spring) helps maintain vigorous growth.

And the best part: a well-tended blueberry plant can live up to 30 years and produce fruit every year!

6. Multiplying plants to have an infinite number

Once your plant is well established, you can multiply it:

• By cuttings: in summer, take a semi-woody stem and plant it in a damp mixture of sand and peat. Keep it under cover and water regularly.
• Layering: bury a low stem in the ground without detaching it from the mother plant. Once it has taken root (a few months later), you can separate it and replant it.

In this way, you can add to your home-grown crop every year... without ever having to buy more.