A genuinely native fruit , blueberry bush have been savour in North America for thousands of year . Flavorful and fertile in respectable antioxidants , they ’re a nearly perfect fruit to uprise and enjoy at base . Rather than rely on the often tasteless blueberries from the local produce aisle , many gardener are able to produce gamey - quality berry around the planetary house or farm . Beyond the delicious harvest , blueberry plants also make a notable gain to your ornamental landscape painting with striking spill foliage , amazing radical colour in the winter months and ticklish spring flower .
Siting Your Blueberry Bush
The right grow site and right soil conditions are of the essence for successful blueberry bush cultivation . Planting sites need to have full sun , where each bush receive a lower limit of six hours of direct sunlight . It ’s vital that blueberries are planted inacidic soil , with an nonsuch pH between 4.5 and 5.5 . Well - drained soils are also needed for blueberry flora , which need access to water but do n’t tolerate overly wet roots . sandlike soils with in effect level of organic matter are optimal , while soils with heavy clay content are n’t .
To determine if your soil pH and nutrient levels are appropriate for acquire blueberry , have your soil professionally tested by a state territory research lab at least a year before planting to allow time for grime improvement or acidification , if necessary . When submitting soil sampling , show on the paperwork that you ’re intend to grow blueberries , so the lab can provide recommendations for safely modifying your dirt . happen your state soil lab using theUSDA ’s Partners and Extension Map .
If testing reveal that your grime is unsuitable for blueberry cultivation or you are not concerned in investing the fourth dimension to acidify your soil , consider planting blueberries in containers or in advance beds , where you may control the grunge conditions from the very start . acidulous potting mixes are commercially uncommitted ( often mark as azalea mix ) and are well - suited for growing blueberries .
Types Of Blueberries
From Texas to Maine , there are blueberry cultivars that will grow in every region if provided with suitable growing precondition . blueberry bush plant are separate into five worldwide types :
Lowbush Blueberries
Native to Maine and Canada , lowbushes are shrub - like plants that only gain 1 to 2 foot tall and tend to spring a duncical , low-spirited groundcover . Extremely cold - hardy , lowbush blueberries do well in hardiness zones 2 through 6 . These plants bring forth very modest Berry that are noted for their vibrant , wild taste . There are relatively few lowbush cultivars sold on the commercial grocery store , but some kind let in Top Hat , Brunswick and Burgundy .
Northern Highbush Blueberries
One of the most common blueberry types , with more than 100 named cultivar available , matured northerly highbush plant are significantly tall than their lowbush relatives with many varieties reaching between 5 and 8 foot at maturity . This type of blueberry demand a substantial number of shiver hours to thrive and does well in hardiness zone 3 to 7 . northerly highbush blueberries cultivar deviate in fruit size but all bring on high yields of loyal berries in mid- to tardy summer . Successful cultivar include Jersey , Hardiblue , Spartan and Patriot .
Southern Highbush Blueberries
A low-toned - chill loanblend resulting from a cross of northerly highbush plants with several estrus - kind blueberry bush miscellany , Southern highbush plants have helped drive the spread of blueberry bush refinement well outside traditional blueberry ranges to farms and gardens in the Pacific Northwest and South , as well as South America and Europe . southerly highbush plants produce big flavorful blueberries and are idealistic for warm mood determine in zones 6 through 10 . Sharpblue , Sunshine Blue and O’Neal are some of the many recommended cultivars on the market .
Rabbiteye Blueberries
autochthonal to the Southeast , rabbiteye blueberry require very few shivering hours and are suitable for geographical zone 6 to 9 . Rabbiteyes are relatively easy to grow with few blighter and a just degree of drought resistance , and they can handle soils that have a slightly humbled organic subject matter than other type of blueberry . cultivar produce truehearted dulcet berry with a thick skin that keep well after harvest , and they require cross - pollination to develop fruit , mean that growers need to plant at least two dissimilar cultivar . Some popular rabbiteyes include Climax , Tifblue , Brightwell and Beckyblue .
Half-High Blueberries
Half - high blueberries are the resolution of a modern hybrid between lowbush and Northern highbush varieties and bring out a compact , cold-hardy blueberry bush that is desirable for zones 3 through 7 . These sturdy bushes are meant to handle a mellow snow freight , with most cultivars only reaching about 3 or 4 groundwork grandiloquent . While berry production is lower than the highbush miscellanea , the quality of the berries themselves are very good with enceinte spirit , color and human body . Successful half - high cultivars include Chippewa , Polaris , Bluegold and Patriot . As an added bonus , half - high cultivar are suitable for container grow .
Choosing Your Variety
When trying to choose individual blueberry cultivars , it ’s a good estimation to talk to experts at your county extension spot or a locally have garden center to feel out which varieties are most successful in your field . Beyond the ability for viable finish , potential raiser also need to consider factors such as :
Additionally , plan to select at least two cultivars to take into account for cross - pollination . Although only rabbiteyes ask crown of thorns - pollination , all self - pollinating blueberries will benefit from the presence of additional cultivar to aid improve fruit size and takings .
Planting Your Blueberry Bush
Blueberries can either be purchase as young , bare - root commencement or as mature container - grow plants ; the latter option is often better for little - scale blueberry growers , as bare rootstock has a higher loser charge per unit and will take many years before the plant are fledged enough to stomach significant fruit , despite being the cheaper option . Nursery pedigree in containers , while expensive , is often more successful due to the larger root organisation of the Old crotch hair and will provide a harvest several years rather than unornamented - rootage starts .
No matter your selection of blueberry stock , bushes should be planted while dormant in the other bounce . Prepare the planting site the summer or precipitate before by removing any weeds and shallowly cultivating the soil and adding in organic compost and other necessary filth amendments recommend by soil examination lab .
Space bushes a lower limit of 4 to 6 feet aside with 10 foot between rows . For continuous hedge planting , highbush and rabbiteye blueberries can be planted a niggling closer at a rate of 3 to 4 feet aside .
Emma Cooper/Flickr
When planting container - grown berries , delve a shallow hole about two clip the size of the base mass .
If the root scheme is heavily theme - bound , lightly roughen up the outside of the base mass and place the plant in the hole at the same profoundness that the plant was produce in the container . shuffle some peat moss with the excavate soil , and supersede the blend around the novel flora . If using unembellished - root starts , soak the origin for an hour before planting , spread the roots in the hole and make certain the blueberry bush is planted at the same depth it was grown . you’re able to wait at the stems for a gloss shift that indicates that depth .
Blueberry Care and Maintenance
Mulching
After planting , water each of the blueberry bush bushes well and supply 2 or 3 inches of acidicmulch , such as pine needles or pine barque chunk , around the plant , but not directly around the stems . Mulching is important because it cuts down on weeds that vie with the blueberries for nutrients and water , keeps the soil moist and helps to lightly acidulate the soil as the mulch breaks down . program to replenish this mulch every twelvemonth at the same depth .
Irrigation
Most blueberry bush plants in optimal background involve 1 or 2 inches of water per week during the develop season . Because blueberries have shallow root organization , they want uniform tearing or fruit sizing and payoff will suffer ; soaker hosepipe systems are advisable to ensure even levels of lachrymation . If your blueberry are in containers or raised beds , be indisputable to continually monitor water levels , as plants be given to dry out much earlier in aboveground environment .
Pruning
Pruningis essential for maintaining and increasing yield yield from blueberry bush bushes . After a blueberry plant has been in the reason for three or four years , it ’s time to start crop the bush to advance new emergence and countenance Christ Within and tune to kick the bucket through the nitty-gritty of the flora . The easiest method is to remove one or two of the sometime cane every year after the bush has matured and to cut back any all in or discredited branches in the process . Pruning should be done during the winter dormancy unless you are removing diseased canes during the grow season .
This schedule applies to most type of blueberries , with the exception of lowbush berries , which are typically mowed down every few years to maintain production . In addition to pruning , deal remove the flowers from your President Bush the first twelvemonth or two to prevent fruiting and encourage your plant to develop a strong source system , which will lead to high-pitched yields in the future tense .
Pest and Diseases
Fortunately , blueberry President Bush are comparatively destitute of major diseases and pests in most growing part , and this is especially true for modest - shell agriculturalist compared to commercial operations . Of the diseases that do strike , they ’re ordinarily fungous in nature and admit mummy Charles Edward Berry , which causes the Berry to shrivel up and turn gray while turning leaves and new shoot brown , and a number of fungous canker disease . Mummy Chuck Berry can be controlled by illuminate branches and dropped yield from beneath the George Herbert Walker Bush each fall . Bad infestations can be treated with commercial antifungal atomiser .
Pest - wise , the large threats faced by all blueberry growers are birds that eat ripe or well-nigh ripe fruit in copiousness .
The Harvest
crop berry a few days after they turn fully dreary to maximise flavor . After harvest , they should be stored vulgar in the refrigerator , where they will last seven to 10 twenty-four hours when stored in sealed containers . blueberry are also great for freeze or drying to allow you to enjoy your harvesting all year long . When freezing them , spread common berries out in undivided layer on a rimmed baking canvas and place in the deep freezer . Once the Chuck Berry are freeze solid , transfer the fruit to a labeled freezer cup of tea and remove as much aviation as potential before seal . Blueberries freeze in this manner can last up to two geezerhood with the proper conditions .
A relatively trouble - free crop , blueberries are deserving the initial investment of time and money . That first bountiful harvest home of luscious , fresh blueberry eat straight off the George Herbert Walker Bush or in a bowl of cream is simply amazing . And if the plants are pruned and well care for over the years , many blueberry cultivar will carry on to produce fruit for X to come .
This article primitively look in the March / April issuing ofHobby Farms .
Chris Gladis/Flickr
