AGRICULTURAL

ALTERNATIVES
Highbush
Blueberry
Production
Blueberries can be a suitable crop for small-scale and part-
time farm operations. However, blueberry production is not
for everyone due to the specialized cultivation requirements
of the plants and the relatively short shelf life of the fruit.

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The initial investment is high, primarily because of the cost
of preparing the land, establishing plants, and installing
an irrigation system. However, equipment needs for small
plantings are minimal once the plants are established and
healthy, well-tended plants can be expected to bear fruit for Marketing
fifty years or more. Demand for blueberries has been strong
Fresh-market blueberries usually are sold in plastic pint con-
in recent years, and fresh-market prices have been relatively
tainers covered with lids. Marketing options available to the
high because per capita consumption of blueberries in the
blueberry grower are wholesale markets, auctions, marketing
United States has been increasing.
cooperatives, local retail markets (grocery stores), proces-
To meet this growing consumer demand, commercial
sors, and direct marketing, including farmers’ markets, road-
blueberry acreage and production has doubled in the past
side stands (either your own or another grower’s), and pick-
fifteen years. Major increases have occurred in the Pacific
your-own operations. With the wholesale option, either you
Northwest, California, and in the southeastern United States.
or a shipper takes your crop to the market. Shippers generally
Half of world’s commercial production is from the United
sell and transport the blueberries for a predetermined price.
States, with considerable production also occurring in
This marketing alternative has the greatest price fluctuations.
Canada and Poland.
Marketing cooperatives generally use a daily pooled cost and
Four types of blueberries are grown North America:
price, which spreads price fluctuations over all participating
northern highbush (used in commercial plantings in cooler
producers. To sell directly to local retailers, you need to con-
climates), lowbush (wild fruit harvested commercially in New
tact produce managers and provide consistent quality when
England), and southern highbush and rabbiteye (used in com-
the stores demand the berries. Direct marketing provides an
mercial plantings in the southern United States). This publica-
opportunity for you to receive higher-than-wholesale prices
tion focuses on northern highbush blueberry production.
for your fruit. However, you may have significant expenses
for advertising, building and maintaining a facility, and
This publication was developed by the Small-scale and employing someone to serve your customers. In a pick-your-
Part-time Farming Project at Penn State with support from own operation, you save harvest costs, but you must be will-
the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Extension Service. ing to accept that some fruit will not be harvested.

extension.psu.edu

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 Depending on your location, you may be able to sell your ries. Adding organic matter by plowing under cover crops is
crop to a processor, but processing prices are much more particularly beneficial to blueberries, which produce best in
volatile than fresh-market prices. For more information on soils with high organic matter content.
marketing, consult Agricultural Alternatives: Fruit and Veg- Growers usually plant blueberries 5 feet apart in rows
etable Marketing for Small-scale and Part-time Growers and spaced 8 to 12 feet apart. Use either potted or dormant
Agricultural Alternatives: Developing a Roadside Market. plants purchased from a reputable nursery. Dormant plants
Because of increasing demand, prices for fresh-market should be planted in early spring, around April, but potted
blueberries have been relatively high, ranging from $2.00 to shrubs with foliage should not be planted until after the
$5.00 per pint. Depending on the grower’s location, process- danger of frost has passed. Tender growth frequently found
ing prices have varied in recent years from less than $0.65 on these plants can be damaged by temperatures that are
below freezing. Fall planting (mid- to late October) may
per pound to as much as $1.50 per pound.
also be used if growers wish to plant at a less busy time of
At the present time, U.S. No. 1 (fruit of good average
the year, but success will vary depending on fall tempera-
quality) is the only federally recognized blueberry grade.
tures, and growers may find that some plants are heaved
Federal inspectors check the berries primarily to determine out of the ground by freeze/thaw cycles. Mulching after
the amount of diseased, soft, or leaky fruit. Fruit-marketing planting reduces this problem. Plant availability in the fall is
cooperatives often have additional criteria to judge berry also limited, so you may need to preorder your plants if fall
quality, including flavor, ripeness, odor, and the presence of planting is planned.
insects, foreign material, and stems. Apply a mulch of rotted sawdust or other non-alkaline or-
ganic mulch to a depth of 4 inches or more at planting, and
Production Considerations maintain the mulch throughout the life of the planting. If it
is unlikely that the mulch layer will be replenished, it may
As with other small fruits, blueberries grow best in well- be better not to mulch at all, as roots will become exposed
drained soils in full sun. It is often assumed that blueberries once the mulch decomposes. Remove flower blossoms for
are easy to cultivate because they grow wild in poor soil or the first two years after planting, and remove about half of
in wetland areas. The reality, however, is that blueberries the buds in the third year. This practice allows the shrub
have specific requirements that are different from those of to put its nutrients into plant establishment. Stunted plants
most other agricultural crops. Well-drained soils with a low may never recover. Since an established blueberry planting
pH and high organic matter content, where native indicator can produce fruit for fifty years or more, sacrificing a few
plants such as wild blueberries, rhododendrons, and moun- pounds of fruit initially is well worth the cost.
tain laurel grow, are usually well suited to commercial blue- Highbush blueberry plants require annual dormant prun-
berry production. Blueberries can also be grown on heavier ing. Pruning controls crop load, which increases fruit qual-
soils with a high native pH, but special, well-planned mea- ity. It also invigorates the plant by stimulating new growth
sures must be taken if production is to be successful. When from the plant’s base. Pruning is usually done toward the
the soil type is too heavy (clays or clay loams) and/or the end of the dormant season (usually March) when fruit buds
soil is of a limestone parent material, problems with nutrient are easily recognizable. Pruning involves the removal of
availability and plant vigor are likely to occur, making close small, spindly branches and canes that are poorly positioned,
monitoring and frequent nutritional adjustments necessary. balancing cane ages, and thinning of the centermost canes to
The blueberry plant is a woody shrub with canes origi- increase light penetration to the interior the plant.
nating from the crown. The root system is shallow compared Highbush blueberries will produce a small crop, approxi-
to the size of the plant. Highbush blueberries are usually 4 mately 2,000 pints per acre, in the third year. Fruit produc-
to 8 feet tall at maturity, but their root system rarely extends tion will increase until the plants are about five years old,
deeper than 24 inches. Irrigation is desirable to water the with average yields of 6,000 pints per acre possible under
plants and provide frost protection, particularly in low areas. optimum conditions. Most small blueberry operations har-
Trickle irrigation is most commonly used because it adds vest their fruit by hand. Mechanical harvesters are available,
water to the root zone with little loss to the atmosphere and but you need a large planting to justify the expense.
without wetting the fruit. However, sites requiring frost Much more detailed information on plant establishment
protection also need overhead irrigation capabilities. and care, including a list of recommended highbush blueber-
Blueberries require a soil pH of 4.5 to 5.0. If the native ry cultivars, can be found in The Mid-Atlantic Berry Guide.
pH of your soil is above 6.2, blueberry production is not By selecting a mix of cultivars, growers can harvest blueber-
recommended. If the pH is 6.2 or lower, the soil pH can be ries from late June through late September in Pennsylvania.
lowered by adding sulfur. In mineral (clay) soils, adding Due to the recent arrival of a new invasive fruit fly called
organic matter in the planting hole as well as using organic spotted wing drosophila, growers are encouraged to utilize
mulch is necessary. Growers most often use rotted sawdust, cultivars that produce fruit early in this season. Doing so
although peat moss or other forms of composted organic avoids much of the damage from spotted wing drosophila,
matter are suitable. Mushroom compost or other high-pH as its populations increase as the season progresses.
mulches and soil amendments should not be used.
To help control weeds, grow cover crops, such as rye or
sudangrass, for at least one year before planting blueber-

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Pest Management Good Agricultural Practices
Several insect pests and diseases can injure or destroy a and Good Handling Practices
blueberry crop, so you need to carefully monitor and treat
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling
pests. Some pests affect the fruit, while others attack the
Practices (GHPs) are voluntary programs that you may
plant. Pesticide application is just one management option.
wish to consider for your operation. The idea behind these
You should use a combination of practices, such as selecting
programs is to ensure a safer food system by reducing the
a proper site and cultivar, planting disease-free shrubs, cul-
chances for foodborne illnesses resulting from contaminated
tivating, and using soil amendments, to reduce the potential
products reaching consumers. Also, several major food
for disease and insect damage.
distribution chains are beginning to require GAP- and GHP-
Birds are a serious problem on many blueberry farms,
certified products from their producers. These programs
sometimes consuming over half the berries. In such cases,
set standards for worker hygiene, use of manure, and water
you may need to protect the crop with nets, chemical repel-
supply quality.
lents, scare tactics, and noise devices. Of these, only netting
These practices require an inspection from a designated
results in complete protection year after year. Deer also
third party, and there are fees associated with the inspec-
can cause extensive damage by browsing and trampling the
tion. Prior to an inspection, you will need to develop and
shrubs and eating the ripening berries. Hunting, fencing, and
implement a food safety plan and designate someone in
repellents are options for reducing deer damage.
your operation to oversee this plan. You will need to have
Weeds are another problem that must be controlled in
any water supply used by your workers or for crop irrigation
blueberry plantings. Because blueberry shrubs have shal-
and pesticide application checked at least twice each year. A
low root systems without root hairs, they are at a disadvan-
checklist of the questions to be asked during the inspection
tage when competing with weeds for water and nutrients.
can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/fv/gapghp.htm. For
By avoiding sites with persistent weeds and eliminating
more information about GAPs and GHPs, contact your local
weeds before planting, you can greatly reduce many weed
extension office or your state’s Department of Agriculture.
problems. Shallow cultivation, herbicide application, and
sod maintenance between rows will help control weeds in
established plantings. Risk Management
You should carefully consider how to manage risk on your
Postharvest Handling farm. First, you should insure your facilities and equipment.
This may be accomplished by consulting your insurance
Proper postharvest handling of blueberries is critical to mar-
agent or broker. It is especially important to have adequate
keting success. You should cool the picked berries imme-
levels of property, vehicle, and liability insurance. You will
diately after harvest to remove field heat and improve shelf
also need workers compensation insurance if you have
life. Removing debris and underripe and overripe berries
any employees. You may also want to consider your needs
helps maintain quality and improves the appearance of the
for life and health insurance and if you need coverage for
packaged fruit.
business interruption or employee dishonesty. For more on
agricultural business insurance, see Agricultural Alterna-
Environmental Impacts tives: Agricultural Business Insurance.
Second, check to see if there are multi-peril crop insur-
In the normal course of operations, farmers handle pesticides ance programs available for your crop or livestock enter-
and other chemicals, may have manure to collect and spread, prises. There are crop insurance programs designed to help
and use equipment to prepare fields and harvest crops. Any farmers manage both yield risk and revenue shortfalls.
of these routine on-farm activities can be a potential source However, individual crop insurance coverage is not avail-
of surface water or groundwater pollution. Because of this able for all crops. If individual coverage is not available for
possibility, you must understand the regulations to follow what you grow, you may be able to use the AGR/AGR-Lite
concerning the proper handling and application of chemicals program to insure the revenue of your entire farm operation.
and the disposal and transport of waste. Depending on the To use AGR-Lite you must have five years of Internal Rev-
watershed where your farm is located, there may be addi- enue Service (IRS) Schedule F forms. For more information
tional environmental regulations regarding erosion control, concerning crop insurance, contact a crop insurance agent or
pesticide leaching, and nutrient runoff. Contact your soil and check the Pennsylvania crop insurance education website at
water conservation district, extension office, zoning board, extension.psu.edu/business/crop-insurance.
state departments of agriculture and environmental protec- Finally, the USDA Farm Service Agency has a program
tion, and your local governing authorities to determine what called the Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP) that is
regulations may pertain to your operation. designed to provide a minimal level of yield risk protection
for producers of commercial agricultural products that don’t

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have multi-peril crop insurance coverage. NAP is designed budgets as an approximation and make appropriate adjust-
to reduce financial losses when natural disasters cause cata- ments in the “your estimate” column to reflect your specific
strophic reduction in production. NAP coverage is available production and resource situation. Additional highbush blue-
through your local USDA Farm Service Agency office. The berry budgets can be found in The Mid-Atlantic Berry Guide.
application fee for this program may be waived for eligible More information on the use of crop budgeting in farm
limited-resource farmers. management decision making can be found in Agricultural
Alternatives: Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making.
Sample Budgets
Initial Resource Requirements
The sample budgets included in this publication summarize
■ Land: 1 acre
costs and returns for three phases of highbush blueberry
production: land preparation, plant establishment, and fruit ■ Labor
production from a mature (five years and older) blueberry Establishment: 70 hours
planting. Land-preparation costs assume that major tillage Production for years 1–4: 16–75 hours
and fertilizer application operations will be done either by Production for mature planting: 43 hours
a custom operator or with rented equipment. If you own Custom harvest labor: $4,000–$5,200
the necessary equipment, costs for this equipment should
■ Capital
be substituted for the custom costs included in the budget.
Budgets for intermediate production years (one- to four- Blueberry plants: $4,000–$5,000
year-old plantings) are not included. They would have lower Irrigation system: $800
receipts and harvest costs than for the mature planting. The ■ Equipment needed
sample budgets should help ensure that you include all costs Tractor: 40 to 50 horsepower
and receipts in your calculations. Costs and returns are often Airblast sprayer: 50-gal PTO
difficult to estimate in budget preparation because they are
Herbicide sprayer with small (4 foot or shorter) boom
numerous and variable. Therefore, you should think of these

Sample Fresh-market Highbush Blueberry Budget

Per-acre costs for land preparation

Item Quantity Unit Price Total Your estimate

Variable costs
Custom operations
Soil test 1 acre $13.00 $13.00
Chisel plowing 1 acre $20.50 $20.50
Disking (cover crop) 1 acre $20.40 $20.40
Fertilizer spreading 2 acre $10.70 $21.40
Disk and harrow 2 acre $20.00 $40.00
Planting (cover crop) 1 acre $18.30 $18.30
Moldboard plowing (cover crop) 1 acre $24.90 $24.90
Grass seeding 1 acre $14.90 $14.90
Fertilizer 1 acre $357.50 $357.50
Seed 1 acre $69.05 $69.05
Hand labor 1 acre $6.75 $6.75
Interest 1 acre $5.85 $5.85
Total variable costs $612.55
Fixed costs
Land 1 acre $200.00 $200.00
Total fixed costs $200.00
Total costs $812.55
You should monitor local markets and contact suppliers to determine current prices for all items contained in this sample budget.

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Sample Fresh-market Highbush Blueberry Budget
Per-acre costs for planting/establishment

Item Quantity Unit Price Total Your estimate

Variable costs
Custom operations
Fertilizer spreading 2 acre $10.70 $21.40
Fertilizer 1 acre $25.00 $25.00
Herbicides 1 acre $122.92 $122.92
Insecticides 1 acre $29.63 $29.63
Plants 870 plants $5.30 $4,611.00
Drip tape 14,520 feet $0.03 $435.60
Mulch (sawdust) 0.33 acre $250.00 $82.50
Seasonal labor 73.4 hours $12.00 $880.80
Fuel 47.7 gallons $3.50 $166.95
Repairs and maintenance 1 acre $89.94 $89.94
Interest 1 acre $250.63 $250.63
Total variable costs $6,716.37
Fixed costs
Equipment* 1 acre $220.54 $220.54
Land charge 1 acre $200.00 $200.00
Total fixed costs $420.54
Total costs $7,136.91
*Includes irrigation system.
You should monitor local markets and contact suppliers to determine current prices for all items contained in this sample budget.

Sample Fresh-market Highbush Blueberry Budget

Per-acre costs for year after planting

Item Quantity Unit Price Total Your estimate

Variable costs
Custom operations
Plant analysis kit 1 acre $10.70 $10.70
Fertilizer spreading 1 acre $25.00 $25.00
Fertilizer 1 acre $13.00 $13.00
Fungicides 1 acre $39.50 $39.50
Herbicides 1 acre $139.44 $139.44
Insecticides 1 acre $29.63 $29.63
Plants 20 plants $5.30 $106.00
Labor 1 acre $344.25 $344.25
Operator labor 2.8 hours $15.00 $42.00
Fuel 8 gallons $3.50 $28.00
Repairs and maintenance 1 acre $13.95 $13.95
Interest 1 acre $26.38 $26.38
Total variable costs $817.85
Fixed costs
Equipment 1 acre $28.62 $28.62
Land charge 1 acre $200.00 $200.00
Irrigation 1 acre $240.00 $240.00
Total fixed costs $468.62
Total costs $1,286.47

You should monitor local markets and contact suppliers to determine current prices for all items contained in this sample budget.

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Sample Fresh-market Highbush Blueberry Budget
Per-acre costs for mature production based on 6,000 pints per acre

Item Quantity Unit Price Total Your estimate

Variable costs
Custom operations
Plant analysis kit 1 acre $25.00 $25.00
Fertilizer spreading 1 acre $10.70 $10.70
Bee rental 1 acre $100.00 $100.00
Fertilizer 1 acre $81.25 $81.25
Herbicides 1 acre $171.80 $171.80
Insecticides 1 acre $104.19 $104.19
Fungicides 1 acre $144.01 $144.01
Labor
Operator 4.6 hours $15.00 $69.00
Seasonal labor 41.6 hours $12.00 $499.20
Harvest labor 6,000 pints $0.85 $5,100.00
Packaging supplies (clam shells and flats) 1 acre $1,045.00 $1,045.00
Marketing expense (% of total) 10% sales $1,800.00 $180.00
Fuel 15.6 gallons $3.50 $54.60
Repairs and maintenance 1 acre $26.50 $26.50
Interest 1 acre $185.08 $185.08
Total variable costs $7,796.33
Fixed costs
Equipment 1 acre $51.13 $51.13
Land charge 1 acre $200.00 $200.00
Irrigation 1 acre $240.00 $240.00
Total fixed costs $491.13
Total costs $8,287.46

You should monitor local markets and contact suppliers to determine current prices for all items contained in this sample budget.

Net returns for five different yields and prices

Blueberry yield (pints per acre)

Prices/pint 5,000 5,500 6,000 6,500 7,000
$2.00 $2,766.71 $3,239.62 $3,712.54 $4,185.46 $4,658.37
$2.50 $5,266.71 $5,989.62 $6,712.54 $7,425.46 $8,158.37
$3.00 $7,766.71 $8,739.62 $9,712.54 $10,685.46 $11,658.37
$3.50 $10,266.71 $11,489.62 $12,712.54 $13,935.46 $15,158.37
$4.00 $12,766.71 $14,239.62 $15,712.54 $17,185.46 $18,658.37

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For More Information Websites
Cornell University Berry Diagnostic Tool
Crassweller, R. (coord.). Fruit Production for the Home www.fruit.cornell.edu/berrytool
Gardener. University Park: Penn State College of Agricul-
tural Sciences, 2006. Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Blueberry Bulletin
Demchak, K., et al. Mid-Atlantic Berry Guide for Com- njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/blueberrybulletin
mercial Growers, 2013–2014. University Park: Penn State
College of Agricultural Sciences, 2013.
Associations
Dunn, J., J. Berry, L. Kime, R. M. Harsh, and J. Harper. Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association
Agricultural Alternatives: Developing a Roadside Farm 815 Middle Road
Market. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2006. Richfield, Pennsylvania 17086-9205
www.pvga.org
Dunn, J., J. Harper, and L. Kime. Agricultural Alterna-
tives: Fruit and Vegetable Marketing for Small-scale and U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Part-time Growers. University Park: Penn State Extension, 80 Iron Point Circle, Suite #114
2009. Folsom, CA 95630-8593
www.blueberry.org
Harper, J. K., S. Cornelisse, L. F. Kime. Agricultural Al-
ternatives: Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making.
University Park: Penn State Extension, 2013.

Kime, L., J. Adamik, E. Gantz, and J. Harper. Agricultural

Alternatives: Agricultural Business Insurance. University
Park: Penn State Extension, 2004.

Pritts, M., and J. Hancock, eds. Highbush Blueberry Produc-

tion Guide. NRAES-55. Ithaca, N.Y.: Northeast Regional
Agricultural Engineering Service, 1992.

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Prepared by Kathleen Demchak, senior extension associate
in horticulture; Jayson K. Harper, professor of agricultural
economics; and Lynn F. Kime, senior extension associate in
agricultural economics.

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Produced by Ag Communications and Marketing
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