I've grown blueberries in containers for the past few years. That is necessary here because the soil has a pH over 8, the soil is clay, and there are lots of gophers, so pots are really the only alternative. I have 40 southern highbush plants (about 10 varieties) that require little if any winter chill. No frost here. I had great enthusiasum when I first got my plants, and every day I'm still excited when I deal with them, especially when picking the fruits. I plan to get a few more plants next year as well. My plants are doing extremely well, and I havent killed any yet. Most are in 10 gallon plastic containers, with some in 15. I prefer the larger shorter containers, but the cost of pots is great, and the 10 gallon containers were a gift from a friend. And 40 plants take a lot of mix. The mix I use is merely some home-composed ground wood chips from junipers and a mulberry tree, and all their leaves. These were several years old, and had lots of leaves and fine stuff in them. And I screened it all through half inch mesh so it's both fine and drains well. It's basically a course compost, and it was free. I think almost any commercial mix would do however. From my experience what is more important is the pH of the water. I acidify mine. You can use vinegar as someone above mentioned, but you can also use other acids as well. I myself use dilute (new, uncontaminated) sulfuric acid as do many local commerical nurseries. I buy it in automotive supply stores as battery acid. (be very careful with respect to safety, always add acid to water, and dont use such a chemical unless you know what you are doing, etc). I am thinking of investigating using citric acid if I can find a reasonable place to buy it. I use litmus paper I got on ebay to make sure the pH of my solution is right. I aim for about 5. Once you have your formula down, you dont have to check often. I mix my watering solution in standard plastic garbage cans that hold 32 gallons. I have 3 so I dont have to walk so much to irrigate all my plants which are grown in 3 different areas. I also add about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of soluble fertilizer to every new garbage can full of acidified water. Most often I use inexpensive ammonium sulfate, and sometimes for trace minerals I'll add generic miracle grow, and on occasion toss in some epsom salts for magnesium (which my berries seem to need). I'll also add chelated iron solution when they look like they need it. I have no specific schedule for this however, and just trust my eyes and experience. I was warned that fertilizing so often and encouraging fast growth would not be the best path to follow. I have had no problems at all because of it - just large vigorous healthy plants and lots of fruit. But then I have experience and a good eye for how a plant is doing, and make adjustments as I go. I use the acidified water about every 3rd time I water, and use tap water the other times simply because it takes less time. In the summer I have to water every day to keep the plants healthy. This year I'm going to shield my pots from the sun so maybe I wont have to water so much, and the roots wont be subject to such swings in temperature from the daily sun - that cant be good. I'm planning on sinking them about 6 inches into the soil, and then mounding cheapo mulch up against the upper part of the pots. I still want them high so they are easier to pick. My plants are doing very well, the leaves are large, green, and lush. The plants have grown quickly, and the only real problem (besides taking a lot of time for care) is keeping the birds away from the yummy fruits. Read as much as you can, then relax and go for it. They will bring great pleasure into your life.

The questions you asked have been frequently explored in a number of threads. The link below will take you to several informative discussions about blueberries in containers. I'm pretty sure that with only a little exploring, you'll easily find answers to all your questions - at least I hope you do. ;o) Briefly: A fast soil is best because blueberries love water but don't tolerate wet feet. I like the gritty mix for BBs, but the 5:1:1 mix works very well, too. You CAN leave the lime out and opt for gypsum and use Epsom salts, but you don't have to. Fertilizing is discussed at length in several threads, so I won't elaborate, and I think you should plan on burying the plant on the north side of a heated building or over-wintering in the garage. Double potting would be helpful, as would a light-colored, opaque container. Good luck! ;o) Al Here is a link that might be useful: Lots of info about blueberries in containers

The fertilizer you have is organic, and would probably be best suited for the ground where it could break down properly. Container fertilization when using a soilless mix is a bit different ballgame. If you use a liquid or water soluble chemical fertilizer the nutrients will be available immediately to the plant. Since your plants are very small they don't need very much fertilizer at all anyway. You can add a little fertilizer to the mix at the start if you want, but it's really not necessary. If they were my plants I would probably mix a "little" Controlled Release Fertilizer (like MG Shake and Feed, which has all the nutrients,) to the mix at the beginning. Then, once the plants get establisked, I would give gentle weekly feedings of water soluble ammonium sulfate 21-0-0. Again, I suggest reading up on blueberry fertilization until you feel more comfortable with it. I can definitely relate to it being overwhelming at the beginning, but you will figure it out eventually. Your mix sounds good, now all you have to do is figure out the fertilizer part. It wouldn't hurt to just pot them up now, and add the fertilizer a little later. Where are you located? No fertilizer after August because the plants need to begin to go dormant rather than force new growth.

I was suggesting the OP do more research, one thread on one forum isn't enough. Growingfruits.org is excellent. Everything I ever read about blueberries, and from my own experience, over-wet is no good....damp is good....dry is no good unless plants are dormant, and even then, keep slightly damp. The key with blueberries is to not let them dry out when growing, that doesn't mean over water. Well drained soil is also good. I never heard of a blueberry bog. Whoever has no bird problems with blueberries is fortunate indeed, and I agree that a 10 gallon container to start out is way to big. Start small with the pots, and pot up when necessary.