When to plant blueberries in Yakima, WA

Plant blueberry bushes in Yakima Apr 10 – May 29.

Easy Plant potted or bare-root bushes

Why these dates

Yakima's typical last spring frost is May 8. As a hardy perennial, this crop can go in about 4 weeks before that.

Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys. Hot, dry summers and quick spring warm-up. Warm crops go in earlier than west of the Cascades, and irrigation matters more than rain.

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun
Spacing: 4 to 5 feet apart
Planting depth: Same depth as in the pot
Frost: Hardy perennial; comes back every year
First harvest: Small crops in year two or three; full crops by year five

Step by step

Pick a sunny spot with soil that drains well, and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant blueberry bushes Apr 10 – May 29, 4 to 5 feet apart. Same depth as in the pot.
Mix peat moss or acidic compost into the planting hole, mulch with sawdust or bark, and pinch off flowers the first year.
Harvest: Pick berries a few days after they turn fully blue, when they roll off into your hand.

Varieties that do well here

Duke (early)
Chandler (huge berries)
Bluecrop
Top Hat (for containers)

Watch out for

Birds. Cover bushes with netting as berries color, or plant extra.

Need acidic soil (pH 4.5 to 5.5), which much of western Oregon and Washington already has. Plant two varieties for better crops. West of the Cascades, fall planting works well too.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Yakima, WA?

Typically May 8. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by May 27. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Yakima Air Terminal.

Is it too late to plant blueberries in Yakima?

The spring planting window runs through May 29. Potted plants can still go in later if you water them faithfully through their first summer.

How long until I can pick blueberries?

Small crops in year two or three; full crops by year five. Pick berries a few days after they turn fully blue, when they roll off into your hand.

Also plant in Yakima around the same time

Planting dates for blueberries in nearby areas

Pendleton, OR Apr 1 – May 20
The Dalles, OR Apr 1 – May 20
Wenatchee, WA Apr 1 – May 20
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA Apr 1 – May 20
Walla Walla, WA Apr 1 – May 20
Moses Lake, WA Apr 1 – May 20

Full planting calendar for Yakima · Blueberries in every city