How to Plant and Grow Pink Lemonade Blueberry

There are four types of blueberry plants: northern highbush, southern highbush, rabbiteye, and lowbush. Northern highbush blueberries—hardy in Zones 4-7—have large fruits, as do southern highbush blueberries, which are hardy in Zones 7-10. Lowbush blueberries have more of a groundcover growth habit and bear small fruits.

In spring, blueberry Pink Lemonade blooms with small, bell-shaped, pinkish-to-white flowers. About mid to late summer, those flowers begin to set as fruit, but unlike some blueberry plants, Pink Lemonade doesn't set fruit all at once. It generally produces one larger first crop and then more fruit continuously until about October.

Pink Lemonade is definitely sweeter—about two times as much—than a regular blueberry, which means it's good eaten fresh, in desserts, or as a garnish. The fruit begins as a green color and then turns white, then a lighter pink, finally aging to a darker pink. Ready-to-harvest clusters may still be green on the undersides.

Where to Plant Pink Lemonade Blueberry

Like most blueberries, blueberry Pink Lemonade does best in full sun. It can be grown in urban, coastal, or cottage gardens.

How and When to Plant Pink Lemonade Blueberry

Plant Pink Lemonade blueberry as a hedge, as a specimen in containers, or as a natural shrub in native plant gardens. Blueberries benefit from cross-pollination, so grow Pink Lemonade blueberries along with other blueberry varieties for the best crops.

'Pink Lemonade' Blueberry Care Tips

'Pink Lemonade' blueberry is a spring-flowering bush that's also prized for its silvery-bluish leaves—which emerge in March and don't fall off until it's very cold—and pretty yellowish-red twig color.

Light

Pink Lemonade blueberry will grow in semi-shade but does best with six hours or more of sun; otherwise, it will get leggy in the shade and won't produce as much fruit.

Soil and Water

Grow Pink Lemonade blueberry in acidic soil. Ideal soil should be 6.1 pH and somewhat moist but well-drained. Add plenty of organic mulch—4 to 6 inches—around the base of the plant to keep the soil moist and the roots cool.

Temperature and Humidity

Blueberry Pink Lemonade is a rabbiteye blueberry; this type is more compact. Rabbiteye blueberries also have lower cold requirements; Pink Lemonade, for example, only requires 300 hours of temperature below 45 degrees F, while other rabbiteyes need about 500-1,000 hours.

Fertilizer

Compost is the best thing for fertilizing blueberries. However, if plants need a fertilizer boost, use a minimal amount of product for acid-loving plants each spring.

Pruning

Pink Lemonade blueberry produces fruit on two- to three-year-old branches; anything older should be removed. To obtain the best harvest, regularly prune these blueberry plants to remove that older growth.

Potting and Repotting 'Pink Lemonade' Blueberry

Use a pot with plenty of room for Pink Lemonade blueberry to grow. Add a soilless mix, compost, and include peat moss as well. If it gets too cold outdoors, bring the pots inside if possible. If not, add mulch and leaves to protect the plant's roots.

Pests and Problems

Planted in the right condition, Pink Lemonade blueberry shrubs are relatively pest-free. However, they should be protected from deer and rabbits. Birds may eat the fruits before or as they ripen, but can typically be deterred with bird netting.

How to Propagate Pink Lemonade Blueberry

To propagate Pink Lemonade blueberry, use semi-ripe cuttings taken in the summer or late-spring softwood cuttings.

Pink Lemonade Blueberry Companion Plants

Peony

Peonies are hardy plants and easy to grow. They come in pink, red, yellow, and orange. Peonies make excellent cut flowers for bouquets. These herbaceous perennials bloom in spring and die back after the first frost. Zones 3-8

Rhododendron

 This shade garden plant is prized for its glossy green foliage and showy clusters of blooms. It comes in many colors, with the most common being purples and pinks, as well as white and cream. Zones 3-9