Contents:
- American blueberry - cultivation
- Trimming blueberries
- How to plant blueberries?
- The best varieties of American blueberries
American blueberry - cultivation
Blueberries root shallowly. Therefore, for planting, it is enough to dig a flower bed 35-40 centimeters deep. The hole should be at least 1 meter in diameter for the roots to grow wide.In natural locations, blueberry grows in humus, acidic and permeable soil. In the garden, blueberry shrubs can be successfully grown for many years if we plant them in an acidic peat substrate with a coarse structure , in coniferous bark mulch or under 15-20 cm thick mulch made of shredded coniferous wood. We extend the period of harvesting the fruit by planting bushes of several varieties with different ripening times.
Blueberry is a plant sensitive to the salinity of the earth. It is best to feed it with a special fertilizer for this group of plants or with a complete fertilizer containing little chloride.In the first two years, we allocate one tablespoon of fertilizer to one bush.Later the dose can be slightly increased.
Trimming blueberries
The first cut should be made at the beginning of spring, which is called the actual cut. It is a procedure that should be performed before the appearance of active flower buds.During pruning, we remove shoots damaged by fungal diseases or caused by frost.
Another cut is made to remove old shoots that are 3-4 years old. the bush should be x-rayed so that the strongest shoots are able to bear fruit and maintain the harvest. In this case, it is best to leave up to 10 strong shoots, not more. Regardless of when a possible fungal disease appears - you should act immediately and trim damaged or infected shoots.
What is blueberry shoot gangrene and how to remedy it?
Gangrene of blueberry shoots is a disease caused by spores of the fungus Godronia cassandrae, which spread with rain. The disease manifests as necrotic spots with a purple border that can cover the entire circumference of the shoot and the root collar. As a result of the disease, the blueberry shoots die. Due to the lack of chemical agents approved to control this disease in amateur crops, prevention is extremely important.As a preventive measure, it is worth using natural sprays of marigold, nettle, horsetail, garlic and onion, which immunize plants against fungal diseases and fight diseases on infected plants. When planting shrubs or under already growing plants, it is worth using live mycorrhizal mycelium for blueberries, which increases the resistance of plants. If fungal diseases of blueberries occur, cut and destroy infected shoots.
- explains the expert Anna Błaszczak
How to plant blueberries?
The American blueberry should be planted deeply for the root system to develop properly. When you combine and plant several shrubs next to each other, you can dig a wider hole to be able to plant them in rows. The pit should be about 50-60 cm deep and the same width to ensure proper development of the plant. It is important to add appropriate mulch, bark and acidifying peat to the blueberries.During planting, we can water the blueberry with milk whey, which accelerates the plant's growth and makes the fruit juicy.
Best blueberry varieties
- 'Reka' - habit erect, frost-resistant, high yielding, slightly sweet, large, compact, dark blue berries, ornamental shrub with reddish stems, nice autumn leaf colors.
- 'Patriot' - a disease resistant variety, it grows strongly, shoots are 1.6 m high, it is suitable for higher regions, the fruit is light blue and fragrant, gathered in dense clusters.
- 'Bluecrop' - very resistant to frost, flowers resistant to spring frosts, rather unsuitable for growing in warmer regions, sweet and juicy berries, harvested from the end of June.
- 'Elizabeth' - late variety with great ornamental value, rain-resistant fruit with excellent taste ripens from mid-August, quite a long harvest period.
- 'Ozarkblue' - a he althy variety with a dense, compact habit, bushes about 1.60 m high, frost-resistant, light blue, very sweet fruit ripens from mid-August.
