Blueberry plants will grow and produce well in all areas, provided that the right varieties are selected and the soil is adjusted to the acidity that blueberries love (pH 4.5). The plants will grow up to 1.5m tall if allowed to, but can be kept to around 1m tall by pruning. Blueberries should be planted around 1m apart, forming a delicious and attractive edible hedge. The soil should be enriched with a mixture of peat and composted sawdust (untreated). Application of an acid fertilizer (eg. Camellia/Rhodoendron mix) in spring and summer can also be useful. Blueberries are shallow rooted, so need regular watering. Mulching with composted sawdust helps with moisture retention. 

Blueberries can be grown in home gardens anywhere in New Zealand, if the right selections and proper soil modifications are used. As well as culinary uses the blueberry has many landscape uses including hedging and use in mixed plantings. They have delicate white or pink spring flowers, the summer fruit has an attractive sky blue colour, and the autumn foliage adds great red and yellow colours to the landscape. In addition, blueberry plants lend themselves to the organic’ approach of gardening, because pesticides are rarely needed in home garden plantings. 

Due to the risk of frost damage to blossom during the flowering time  of the Southern Highbush types, these varieties are generally not suitable for the more Southern areas of New Zealand.