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

Try digging up one on the last week of winter or the earliest point possible afterwood. You need a very strong shovel- the best is a long handled, solid steel "King of Spades" from AM Leonard or elsewhere (it's actually a spade). Get the one with the longest blade. If this is too expensive for your budget, at least get something with a reinforced fiberglass handle and a guarantee. If the root-system is concentrated in the top 6 to 9" of soil in a fibrous mat you will be able to easily dig the plant up while saving most of the root system. If the plant doesn't easily pop out of the soil they probably are not worth moving. Blueberries are notoriously slow growing and suffer if you loose too much root. After moving, remove flowers for at least the first year and in subsequent years until plants return to normal vigor. Be sure the new sight has light, rich, highly organic soil and is adequately acidic and well drained. You can use a 50-50 by volume peat to soil mixture (top 9 to 12 inches) to help acquire acidity and organic matter, but peats influence declines as it breaks down so subsequent applications of sulfer may be needed. Keep plants mulched (pine sawdust is good, as are needles but any woodchips will do) and do not let the soil dry out until plants are well established- especially early the first season.

It is difficult to identify your 'blueberry' without seeing it. Suggest that you place a call to one of the Carolina's native plant and plant hunter experts, Bob McCartney at Woodlander's Nursery in Aiken, SC. He should be able to help you and may even be interested in your discovery. Nursery phone number is 803-648-7522.

Wild (lowbush) blueberries cannot be 'tamed', they only can be maintained by maintaining their habitat. You know whether or not you have wild blueberry bushes: their size ranges from 2" to 12", and the flavor of the berries is incomparable. No other 'blueberry' tastes like the low-bush wild blueberry. Wild Maine blueberries are now offered frozen in grocery stores, the only brand that we personally know that offers true wild Maine berries is Wyman. If you have only a few small blueberry plants and if they haven't increased on their own they may need more acid soil. You can use acidifiers that are labeled for rhododendrons or azaleas but before doing so consult U.Maine Extension to learn what dilution you need. Also ask whether mulching and more sun may be necessary. My blueberries grow in very thin soil over granite, are in full sun away from trees but they enjoy the 'mulch' provided by weeds and other low berry plants (cranberries). Except for fog, dew, or rain they're never watered, so it appears that they enjoy quite dry conditions. Though commercial growers irrigate the barrens and maintain other cultural practices (spot burning in the spring), we do nothing at all and always have a decent crop. If your berries aren't dropping to the ground and seeding, it's possible that birds and animals are eating them. In that case you can reserve a few berries for propagating. For propagation advice, consult U.Maine Extension. http://www.extension.umaine.edu/topics/blueberries.htm The answers you seek regarding blueberry culture are in the appended text below, copied from: http://www.wildblueberries.com/about_wild_blueberries/ Wild Blueberries of Maine & Canada One of only three berries native to North America, the Wild Blueberry (vaccinium angustifolium) thrives in the glacial soils and northern climate found in the fields and barrens of Downeast Maine and Canada. Rich in antioxidants, Wild Blueberries have grown naturally for thousands of years. The Lowbush Blueberries Unlike highbush cultivated blueberries, Wild Blueberries are not planted. These lowbush blueberries are primarily spread by rhizomes or underground runners, which give rise to new roots and stems. All shoots arising from the same rhizome system have similar characteristics and are referred to as a blueberry clone. Wild Blueberry fields and barrens actually produce many different lowbush blueberry clones, which account for the variations in color and size that characterize the Wild Blueberry crop. Growing and Harvesting: Blueberry Growers Combine Tradition and Technology Naturally suited to acidic, low-fertility soils and challenging winters, Wild Blueberries are a low-input crop requiring minimal management. The berries are grown on a two-year cycle. Each year, half of a growers land is managed to encourage vegetative growth and the other half is prepared for harvest. In May, growers import a billion commercial bees to aid the native bee population in pollinating the barrens and fields. There are many bee species associated with Wild Blueberries, including bumble bees and honey bees. Native bees are exceptional pollinators and Wild Blueberry growers take care to preserve wild bees through conservation practices. The Blueberry Grower  Managing the Harvest After the harvest, which begins in late July and continues through August, the plants are pruned to the ground by mowing or burning. Wild Blueberries are harvested commercially only in Maine and Canada. The oldest commercial processing company dates back to 1874 and many of todayÂs independent, family-owned growers have been in the Wild Blueberry business for generations. Many Wild Blueberry crops are still harvested the traditional way, using hand-held berry rakes that were first invented in 1910. Whether hand raked or machine harvested, Wild Blueberries are sorted, cleaned and processed within hours of being picked, using state-of-the-art technology to reserve their flavor, quality and antioxidant capacity. From Fresh to Frozen Blueberries  Preserving Taste & Nutrition Growers use winnowing machines in the fields to remove leaves and twigs before the berries are washed and frozen. Wild Blueberries are individually quick frozen (IQF) using a method that allows for the fast preservation of taste and nutrition for millions of berries. IQF berries can remain frozen for over two years without loosing their flavor or nutritional value. Laser color sorters are also utilized to remove anything but the finest quality Wild Blueberries prior to packing. Modern Crop Management  Maintaining Healthy Land & Healthy Crops Wild Blueberry growers are strongly committed to best agricultural practices. They use sustainable management techniques to ensure healthy crops and to protect Wild Blueberry lands for future generations. Because Wild Blueberries are indigenous to Maine and Canada, they are naturally resistant to many native pests. Still, growers are challenged to minimize crop damage caused by environmental stressors such as disease, drought, insect damage and winter injury. Using Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) throughout the crop cycle, growers monitor disease and insect levels to minimize fruit destruction without harming the environment. Good luck. I hope your berries spread and flourish.