My wife and now my 2 year old are in love with blueberries. Can they grow in Florida and how big do they get(the plant)? Are they cold or warm weathered plants as I mean is it to late this year to find and plant to get a harvest? I think I would have to find a permanent place and put a cage of some kind to keep out the birds.
Commercially grown blueberries are Lowbush varieties (aka Wild) and stay very short for easy picking I guess. The Highbush varieties will grow to sometimes 8-10 feet tall depending on the growing conditions. The University of Florida has developed some varieties specifically for growing in Florida. Look for Southern Highbush varieties Vaccinium darrowii , they will readily grow from Florida west along the Gulf Coast. They have lower chilling requirements, tolerate the summer heat and are drought tolerant. Different cultivars ripen at different times during the fruiting season which is May thru August.
