grow blueberries from seed

TL;DR (Quick Summary)

You can grow blueberries from seed using store-bought fruits by extracting and germinating the seeds.
Use either the “smash and strain” or “slit and remove” method to collect lots of viable seeds.
Blueberries love acidic soil (pH 4.5–5.5), consistent moisture and full sun.
Seedlings can be transplanted once they reach about 10 cm in height.
Expect your plants to start producing berries after 2–3 years, so this is a long-term gardening project.
Full time lapse video and growing conditions are included below.

How to Grow Blueberries from Seed (Using Store-Bought Fruits)

Are you a gardening enthusiast looking to grow your own plants? In this guide, I’ll show you how to grow blueberries from seed using store-bought fruits. It’s a fun experiment, a great way to understand plant growth and – with a bit of patience – it might even reward you with home-grown blueberries in a few years.

We’ll go through extracting the seeds, germinating them, preparing acidic soil, and taking care of the seedlings. I also recorded the process as a time lapse, so you can watch the whole journey in just a couple of minutes.

Step 1: Extracting Seeds from Blueberries

To successfully grow blueberries from seed, you first need to get the seeds out of the blueberries. There are two easy methods to do this:

Slit and Remove: Cut or slit the berries open and gently separate the pulp. With your fingers, extract the seeds from the fruit. This is a bit slower, but you keep more control.
Smash and Strain: Smash some blueberries in a very fine mesh sieve. Rinse with cold running water to wash off the pulp, while the tiny seeds stay behind in the sieve.

Blueberry seeds collected in a fine mesh sieve after smashing the berries

As you can see in the picture above, the fine mesh sieve holds back all the tiny seeds while the pulp gets washed away. The second method is usually faster and gives you a lot of seeds at once – perfect if you want to start a whole tray of blueberry seedlings instead of just one lonely plant.

Step 2: Germinating the Blueberry Seeds

Once you’ve collected the seeds, soak them in a bowl of tap water. This helps hydrate the seeds and kick-start the germination process. You can leave them for a day or two, changing the water once if it gets cloudy.

After soaking, you can either:

place the seeds on a moist paper towel inside a plastic bag or container, or
sow them directly into a seed tray with acidic substrate.

Blueberry seeds starting to germinate on moist substrate

In the image above you can see the first blueberry seeds starting to germinate on the moist surface. I observed the first seeds sprouting after about two weeks. Don’t panic if it takes a bit longer – blueberries are not the fastest germinators, but they are worth the wait.

Step 3: Preparing the Right Soil for Blueberries

In general, blueberries love acidic soil. For almost foolproof results, use an azalea or rhododendron potting mix or a mix labeled for acid-loving plants, and improve it further with peat moss or pine bark.

Ideal pH: 4.5–5.5
Texture: loose, well-draining, but moisture-retentive

Once planted, the tiny seedlings only need to be lightly covered by a thin layer of soil so that they can easily push through to the surface.

Step 4: Transplanting the Seedlings

After the seedlings reach around 10 centimeters in height, you can transplant them to a larger flowerpot or directly into the garden, depending on your climate and space.

Use a pot with good drainage holes.
Keep using acidic soil – blueberries don’t suddenly decide to like neutral garden soil.
Be gentle with the roots; they are fine and fibrous.

Young blueberry seedlings growing in small pots

The photo above shows a group of young blueberry seedlings after transplanting into individual pots. At this stage they still look small and delicate, but a good root system and the right soil will help them grow into strong bushes over time.

Step 5: Maturing and Harvesting Your Blueberries

Blueberries grown from seed are a long-term project. Around two to three years after germination, your plants will be mature enough to produce flowers and fruit. From that stage on, regular pruning and checking on their growth will help keep the bushes healthy and productive.

Blueberry plant flowering in a pot, ready to set fruit

The blooming plant above is one of my seed-grown blueberry bushes in a pot, finally producing flowers and getting ready to set fruit. Seed-grown plants might not be identical to the original store-bought variety, but that’s part of the fun – you’re essentially creating your own little blueberry experiment.

Blueberry Time Lapse (Video)

If you want to see the whole process in motion, from fruit to seedlings, check out the time lapse video here:

Growing Conditions for Healthy Blueberries

To keep your blueberry plants happy long term, you’ll need to provide the right substrate, temperature, watering routine and light. Here’s a quick overview.

Substrate

Blueberries require acidic soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. Incorporate peat moss or use an azalea or rhododendron potting mix to achieve the desired acidity. Adding pine bark or needles on top as mulch can help maintain low pH and moisture.

Temperature

Blueberries grow best in temperatures ranging from 60°F to 70°F (15°C to 21°C). Many varieties tolerate colder climates and even require a winter chilling period to produce fruit. Check which variety is best suited for your climate zone.

Watering

Water enough to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. As a rule of thumb, aim for about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water per week, from either rainfall or irrigation. Mulching the soil surface helps keep moisture in and root systems cool.

Light

Blueberries need full sun for the best fruit set. Give your plants at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. In very hot climates, partial afternoon shade can help prevent heat stress, but too much shade will reduce yield.

FAQ – Growing Blueberries from Store-Bought Fruits

Can you really grow blueberries from store-bought fruits?
Yes, you can grow blueberries from seed using the seeds from store-bought fruits. It takes patience and the plants might not be identical to the original variety, but you can absolutely grow healthy blueberry bushes from seeds.

How long does it take until I get berries?
Expect 2–3 years from seedling to first harvest. Blueberries are not a quick win – they’re a slow, rewarding project.

Do blueberry plants need more than one plant to produce fruit?
Some varieties are self-fertile, but having more than one plant usually improves pollination and gives better yields.

Can I grow blueberries in pots?
Yes, blueberries do very well in containers as long as the pot is big enough, the soil is acidic and you keep up with watering.

Is growing from seed better than buying a plant?
Buying a potted plant is much faster. Growing from seed is mainly for fun, experimenting and learning – and for people who enjoy the long game.

Glossary (for Beginners)

Acidic soil: Soil with a low pH, usually below 7. Blueberries prefer a pH around 4.5–5.5.
Mulch: Organic material (like bark or wood chips) spread on top of the soil to keep moisture and protect roots.
Chilling hours: Period of cold temperatures many fruit plants need in winter to set flowers and fruit properly.

External Resources if You Want to Dive Deeper

If you want to read more detailed blueberry growing guides, check out:

Recommended Materials

Plant care gear

acidic potting mix (azalea/rhododendron)
mulch (bark or wood chips)
fine mesh sieve for seed extraction
pots with drainage holes

If you want to create your own plant time lapses, check out my complete Plant Time-Lapse Equipment Guide, where I share my camera setup, interval settings and lighting tips.
👉 https://blog.interesting-as-fck.com/plant-time-lapse-equipment-all-you-need/