Overwintering guide
How to overwinter rabbiteye blueberry
Winter watering
No winter watering needed in open ground. Containers only need water in long dry, frost-free spells.
The mistake that kills rabbiteye blueberry in winter
Cutting rabbiteye blueberry hard back in autumn "to tidy up". That removes the growth that shelters the crown, and on some plants removes next season's flower buds entirely.
More rabbiteye blueberry care
- Overwintering rabbiteye blueberry — our other guide for the same plant
- Full rabbiteye blueberry care guide
- Rabbiteye Blueberry temperature range
- How often to water rabbiteye blueberry
- How to prune rabbiteye blueberry
- Common rabbiteye blueberry problems & fixes
- Best plant identifier apps — tested and ranked
Overwintering rabbiteye blueberry — FAQ
Does rabbiteye blueberry need to come indoors for winter?
Rabbiteye Blueberry is hardy to roughly USDA zone 7 — winter lows around -18°C. That means it can stay outside all winter in most temperate gardens. Rabbiteye Blueberry is properly hardy and overwinters outside without fuss. Tidy away anything dead or diseased, apply a mulch over the crown to steady soil temperatures, and otherwise leave it alone — many hardy plants actually need a cold period to flower and grow well the following year. Save hard pruning for the right season rather than doing it in autumn.
When should I move rabbiteye blueberry for winter?
Tidy and mulch in late autumn; leave the plant undisturbed until spring.
How often should I water rabbiteye blueberry in winter?
No winter watering needed in open ground. Containers only need water in long dry, frost-free spells.
What kills rabbiteye blueberry over winter?
Cutting rabbiteye blueberry hard back in autumn "to tidy up". That removes the growth that shelters the crown, and on some plants removes next season's flower buds entirely.