How To Take A Cutting From A Blueberry Bush

Taking a cutting from a blueberry bush is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to grow new plants for free.
 
You can take a cutting from a blueberry bush and root it successfully if you follow a few simple steps at the right time of year.
 
It’s a frugal way to expand your berry patch or share plants with friends.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to take a cutting from a blueberry bush, when to do it, and how to care for your new plants.
 
Let’s dig in.
 

How to Take a Cutting from a Blueberry Bush

Learning how to take a cutting from a blueberry bush starts with understanding the plant’s growth cycle.
 
Blueberries root best from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in late summer or from hardwood cuttings taken in winter.
 
The method you choose depends on your climate and how much patience you have.
 
Here’s how to take a cutting from a blueberry bush step by step.
 

1. Choose the Right Time of Year

The best time to take a cutting from a blueberry bush is in late summer when the current season’s growth has started to firm up.
 
This is called semi-hardwood, and it roots quickly for most blueberry varieties.
 
If you miss that window, you can also take hardwood cuttings in late winter while the bush is still dormant.
 
Hardwood cuttings take longer to root but are incredibly forgiving.
 

2. Select Healthy Parent Wood

When you take a cutting from a blueberry bush, always choose healthy, disease-free stems from this year’s growth.
 
Look for stems about the thickness of a pencil and avoid any wood that’s flowering or showing signs of damage.
 
The best cuttings come from the middle section of a vigorous shoot.
 
This gives you a cutting with plenty of energy to root.
 

3. Make the Cut Properly

To take a cutting from a blueberry bush, use clean, sharp pruners and cut a 4 to 6 inch section just below a leaf node.
 
Make the cut at a slight angle so you can tell the top from the bottom.
 
Strip off the lower leaves, leaving just two or three at the top.
 
That’s really all there is to taking a cutting from a blueberry bush.
 

How to Root a Blueberry Bush Cutting

Once you take a cutting from a blueberry bush, the next step is getting it to grow roots.
 
Blueberries are a bit fussy about soil, so you need the right medium and conditions.
 
Here’s how to root your cutting successfully.
 

1. Use the Right Potting Mix

Blueberries need acidic soil, so use a mix of peat moss and perlite or a specialized azalea potting mix.
 
This keeps the cutting from rotting and gives it the low pH blueberries love.
 
Fill a small pot with the mix and water it thoroughly before planting.
 

2. Apply Rooting Hormone

Dip the cut end of your blueberry cutting into rooting hormone powder or gel.
 
This isn’t strictly necessary, but it speeds up rooting and improves your success rate.
 
Tap off the excess so you don’t burn the stem.
 

3. Plant and Cover

Poke a hole in the soil, insert the cutting about 2 inches deep, and firm the mix around it.
 
Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag or a humidity dome to keep moisture in.
 
Place it in bright, indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist.
 

4. Wait for Roots to Form

Cuttings from a blueberry bush can take 6 to 8 weeks to root.
 
Tug gently on the stem after a month, and if you feel resistance, roots are forming.
 
Once roots are established, you can remove the cover and let the plant harden off.
 

How to Care for Your New Blueberry Plants

After you take a cutting from a blueberry bush and it roots, the real fun begins.
 
Your new plants need a little TLC before they’re ready for the garden.
 
Here’s what to do next.
 

1. Transplant into Larger Pots

Move your rooted cutting into a bigger pot with the same acidic soil mix.
 
This gives the roots room to spread and strengthen.
 
Keep the plant indoors or in a sheltered spot for its first winter.
 

2. Water Consistently

Blueberries hate drying out, so water your new plants regularly.
 
Use rainwater if you can, since tap water can raise the soil pH over time.
 
Mulch the surface to hold moisture in.
 

3. Feed with Acidic Fertilizer

Feed your young blueberry bushes with a fertilizer made for acid-loving plants.
 
Do this in spring and early summer, but stop by midsummer so the plant can harden off.
 
Healthy growth now means berries in a couple of years.
 

So, How Do You Take a Cutting from a Blueberry Bush?

You take a cutting from a blueberry bush by choosing healthy semi-hardwood or hardwood stems, cutting just below a leaf node, and rooting them in acidic soil.
 
It’s a simple process that rewards you with free plants and eventually a bigger harvest.
 
With a little patience and the right conditions, learning how to take a cutting from a blueberry bush is something any gardener can master.
 
So grab your pruners, pick a healthy stem, and take that cutting from a blueberry bush today.