Blueberry planting density

For highbush blueberry, the classic planting scheme is considered to be a spacing of 1.5 m between bushes in a row with row spacings of 2.5–3.0 m, which ensures optimal development of the shallow fibrous root system. In intensive technologies, density can reach 5,000 plants per hectare or more, while in container culture, further increases in density are acceptable due to the limited volume of the root space.

High blueberry planting density creates risks of shading and deteriorating microclimate, which leads to smaller berry size and reduced sugar content, and also provokes the development of fungal diseases due to impaired air circulation. Intensification of plantations requires a mandatory change in pruning strategy to maintain a compact bush shape and often involves the use of additional techniques, such as reflective mulching materials to compensate for light deficiency.