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My "raised" beds are infested with weeds and way too high maintenance, so I am planning on completely obliterating the garden, putting down weed block fabric, topping it with sand and rocks and pavers, and then getting some aluminum feed containers with fresh soil to plant in.

However, there is a large blueberry bush I don't want to leave behind. I could try digging it up and replanting it in one of the containers, but worried I will kill it and maybe even take the weeds with it's soil.

Or maybe there's a way to block the weed around it? Maybe tape up the stems and seal the ground with weed block fabric and rocks? Anything like that exist? I tried a rubber tree ring, but the weeds climb up through the gaps anyways. Mostly the vine weeds (morning glory?).

Any good ideas?

Thanks!

swinefeaster
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3 Answers3

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Blueberries can be transplanted if they're in an area that's no longer suitable. You need to do this when the bush is dormant, so in the USA this is November to March. There's no tap root so trench one foot from the roots and one foot deep, and move to the pot using an azalea potting mix. And then mulch with pine needles/bark when summer arrives.

http://www.organicauthority.com/organic-gardening/how-to-transplant-blueberry-bushes.html

Graham Chiu
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  • Thanks. I shouldn't prune the top branches during transplanting? – swinefeaster Jan 26 '16 at 17:04
  • You should be pruning anyway when the bush is dormant. You do damage a lot of the small roots but the plant is able to recover if you do it properly. How to prune is another question. – Graham Chiu Jan 26 '16 at 21:13
  • FYI pine needles/bark won't make the soil better for your blueberry bush than any other kind of mulch. See: http://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/13789/does-a-pine-needle-mulch-make-your-soil-acidic – Philip Jan 29 '16 at 22:17
  • hmm. The link refers to pine needles on the ground. Ground has a vast buffering capacity, whereas the buffering capacity of a pot is somewhat less. Pine needles are also recommended because they interlock forming a tight mulch that is less likely to blow away, and therefore prevent moisture loss. And pots readily lose moisture. – Graham Chiu Jan 29 '16 at 23:33
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If you decide to transplant your blueberry (removing weed roots from the rootball is probably essential) I wouldn't recommend you plant it in acid compost in an aluminium container. Aluminium becomes soluble at a ph of 5 and lower, and blueberries like a ph of 5 or lower, so you might find problems with the plant itself, or there's a risk of uptake of excess aluminium into the plant and fruits. Choose a container of a different material for this plant.

Bamboo
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As other answers you could dig it up, and plant it into one of your new aluminium containers, just as long as you remember to use ericacous (sorry spelling) compost and water with rainwater. Please also bear in mind that all metal containers will heat up and this heat may scorch the roots on any plants they contain. And freeze them in winter. This will do them damage. You could get this effect by buying larger Ali pots and lining them with polystyrene to guard against extremes of temperatures and still get a big enough planting space.