Growing Blueberries

Blueberries demand just the right climate and planting soil, but take very little care if you provide the conditions they like. They are extremely hardy, but need a fair amount of winter chill and will not grow well in mild winter climates. Blueberries belong to the heath family, and count azaleas, rhododendrons, mountain-laurel (kalmia), and huckleberries among their cousins. If any of these grow naturally near your garden, or if you have prepared an artificial site that suits them, then blueberries will do well too. Blueberries like soil rich in organic material such as peat, and very acidic but extremely well drained. Soils such as these are usual in areas of high rainfall, which is lucky, since the berries need constant moisture, even though they will not tolerate standing water.

PLANTING BLUEBERRIES
Soil must be both acidic and well drained. You will have to plant in raised beds if there is any chance of water standing around roots for even a day. For both drainages and acidification, add large amounts of peat moss or other organic material to the planting soil; up to ? peat moss by volume for soils that tend to be heavy. Never add manure; it is alkaline.

Dig the planting hole somewhat broader and deeper than the roots of the young plant. Never cramp the roots into a small hole. Spread them in a wide hole and press soil firmly over them. Set high-bush blueberry plants about 4 feet apart, and at the same level as in the nursery. Plant two varieties for better crops.

Do not feed plants the first year. In succeeding years, use cottonseed meal, ammonium sulfate or any commercial fertilizer prepared for camellias, azaleas, or rhododendrons.

CARE AFTER PLANTING
Blueberries require constant light moisture in the soil, and you can damaged their shallow roots by cultivating For both of these reasons, mulch the plants heavily. Use any organic material such as straw, leaves, peat moss, or a combination, and renew it regularly to keep it about six inches deep. Some materials will use nitrogen as they decay, and you will have to compensate with extra feeding.

PRUNING BLUEBERRIES
Leave the plants alone for two or three seasons, trimming only tangles or broken twigs. Then, cut back a little on the extremely heavy crops of small berries and remove some of the oldest canes and clip out the weakest twigs. For the largest berries, clip off the outer Third to Half of the fruiting twigs you retain. If you never prune, you will still get fruit but it will be small, and eventually decline in quantity.

PESTS & DISEASES
Blueberries suffer from very few difficulties, but birds, chipmunks and squirrels can decimate the berries in just a few hours. Surround the blueberry bush with four stakes, hammered 6 inches into the ground, so they make the corners of a box with the bush in the center. Set the stakes at least 6 inches away from the bush so the netting won't touch the bush's sides once it's installed over the stakes. Use stakes at least 12 inches taller than the blueberry bush so that they stand 6 inches taller than the bush, once installed. Drape the bird netting over the top of the stakes. Select netting with small holes to exclude smaller birds and small mammals. The netting should not rest on the bushes themselves, otherwise the birds can access the ripening berries through the net openings. Anchor the edges of the netting to the ground with a mound of soil or rocks so that birds and animals cannot crawl beneath the netting. Use scare devices to frighten away small mammals that may chew through netting. Motion-activated sprinklers, bird tape, and whirligigs or other moving lawn ornaments startle animals if they come near the bushes. Harvest blueberries as soon as they ripen so that animals don't have a chance to raid the planting.

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Blueberry Varieties

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EARLY SEASON

?DUKE?
The most widely planted early ripening northern variety. Heavy, consistent yield with an attractive, firm, light blue, high quality berry. Duke blooms late but ripens early which protects the blossoms from spring frosts. Branches may droop to the ground when laden with fruit, and requires the use a simple trellis as support. Fall foliage is orange-yellow blooming in white during the spring.

?PATRIOT?
Early-season harvest of large, aromatic, tasty fruit. Patriot is a superb variety for both container and landscape use. Low 3-5 feet bushes have attractive open, spreading habit with fiery red to orange foliage in the fall. It's cold-hardy and widely adaptable.

?SPARTAN?
Early varieties usually produce medium size fruit, but Spartan's is very large and abundant. The bush is tall and upright, which benefits the overall ripening of the berries because of air circulation and sun penetration into the plants canopy.

MIDSEASON

?BLUECROP?
Growing 4-6 feet high with an upright, open habit, Bluecrop is generally considered the best all-around variety for adaptability, long production period, good fruit yield and disease resistance.? Large berries have that classic sweet taste one associates with blueberries.? Bluecrop grows well in zones 4-7 and displays red fall coloring.

?RAZZ?
Plump, powder-blue, medium to large berries boast remarkable flavor with raspberry accents; perfect for fresh-eating, baking, and jams. Hardy 5-6? plants produce generous yields of berries that ripen in mid-season over several weeks; puts on a pretty show of distinctive creamy flowers. Canes? orange-red autumn hues make for ornamental displays.

?BLUEJAY?
Medium to large blueberries with high sugar content. This Native American variety ripens in July and yields heavily for weeks. Plant with at least two other blueberry varieties to ensure adequate cross-pollination. The 5-6' tall bushes become a blaze of crimson in the fall, so they are ideal arranged as an informal hedge.

?NORTHLAND?
Northland is the most cold-hardy Highbush variety. It is easy to grow and adaptable to many different soil types. The berries are excellent for jams and baking because of their high sugar content. The bright yellow wood and compact shape makes Northland a good candidate for landscaping.

LATE SEASON

?JERSEY?
Garden variety standard with late season harvest. This old, reliable variety has medium-sized berries that ripen in late season and are superb for baking. Easy-to-grow, vigorous plants make wonderful upright hedges, growing to 6-8 feet high. Foliage turns flaming orange in the fall.

?SUPERIOR?
Superior Blueberry Bush is a late ripening blueberry with a balanced flavor and firm fruit. After harvest the foliage will take on dramatic shades of red, yellow, orange, and maroon. Blueberries are self-fertile. Plant two varieties for greater fruit production.