Highbush blueberry , otherwise also known ashighbush blueberry , is an increasingly willingly cultivated shrub, giving very tasty and nutritious fruits. However, blueberries do not grow well in every garden. See whatblueberry cultivationon the plot looks like, when is the best time toblueberry planting , andblueberry care in subsequent years of cultivation. Here are my secrets on how to grow these delicious fruits!
Highbush blueberry - Vaccinium corymbosum
American blueberry - properties
American blueberry is a shrubbelonging to the heather family (Ericaceae). Blueberry shoots are highly branched, and plants can reach 2.5 m in height. American blueberry leaves are green, elliptical, and leathery. Flowers with a bell-shaped creamy-white crown (sometimes pink) are gathered in clusters.Blueberries bloom from April to May , and the fruits ripen from mid-July to September, depending on the variety.
Blueberries are small, slightly flattened berries dark blue or navy blueThey are firm, juicy, usually sweet and very tasty. They are suitable for direct consumption, for preserves and for freezing. They store quite well and can withstand transport.
Blueberry fruitis not only excellent in taste, but also has numerous nutritional and he alth benefits. They have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the intestines, reduce the level of bad cholesterol, and even positively affect the hormonal changes taking place in our bodies. Blueberry fruits are also known for their anti-cancer propertiesWith these benefits, they are low in calories (100 grams of blueberries is only 57 kcal), so eating them does not threaten you with gaining weight. But the American blueberry is not only a fruit for slimming people.Blueberry fruit is excellent for diabeticsas its glycemic index is only 55. "
Ripening blueberry fruit
Fig. pixabay.com
Blueberryowes its he alth benefits to its high content of vitamins and minerals. Particularly noteworthy here are: vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6, A, E, K and folic acid. Blueberry fruits are also distinguished by a high content of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, selenium and zinc.
Also important areblueberries contained in blueberries :
- polyphenols (have antioxidant properties, thus preventing the formation of cancer and cardiovascular diseases),
- phytoestrogens (regulate cholesterol),
- anthocyanins (lower blood pressure),
- fiber and tannins (improve the functioning of the intestines and facilitate the removal of toxins from the body).
Unfortunately, in tradeAmerican blueberries are one of the most expensive fruitsAnd although Poland produces about 30-40 thousand annually. tons of this fruit, however, about 85% of Polish blueberries are exported.In Polish stores you can more and more often find blueberries imported from otherEuropean Union countries, mainly from Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. And although these fruits could still be trusted, blueberries imported from Morocco, Ukraine and Peru raise doubts.Organic blueberries are a real rarity , and if they appear, they are exorbitantly expensive.
Therefore, it is worth finding out whatblueberry cultivation in the gardenlooks like and growing these delicious fruits yourself.The more thathighbush blueberry feels quite well in Polish climatic conditions(frost resistance zone 5B). Berries ripen unevenly, so if you have bushes of even only one variety of American blueberry, you will be able to gradually pick the berries from the bushes for up to a month.
American blueberry - cultivation and requirements
Highbush blueberrylikes sunny, warm and secluded positions. This plant requires acidic soils, preferably with a pH of 3.8 to 4.8. Another condition for successfulblueberrycultivation is the high humus content in the soil. Optimal conditions for blueberry growth exist only when the content of organic parts in the soil is above 7%. It is also necessary to maintain the proper level of groundwater. This level should be kept at 35-60 cm throughout the growing season. In the event of a significant drop in the groundwater level, it becomes necessary to water the blueberry bushes regularly.
In amateur cultivation, the best conditions forhighbush blueberrycan be obtained in forest and forest plots, among pine forests. In such places, the soils are suitably light, sandy, humus and acidic.
If our plot or garden is located in areas less conducive to blueberry cultivation, properacidification of the soil for blueberrycan be achieved by using acid peat, sulfur or sawdust from coniferous plants. Acid garden peat is mixed with the soil in a ratio of 1: 1, to a depth of 30 cm, and then sawdust, spread oak leaves or forest litter are laid around the planted plants. When acidified with sulfur, sulfur is evenly spread over the soil surface and mixed with the top layer of soil one year before planting the bushes. The amount of sulfur sown depends on the pH of the soil as well as its fertility. On sandy soils, the dose of sulfur is lower, and on heavier or organic soils, the dose is higher.
Blueberry fruit collection
If the bushes are already planted, we acidify the soil in several terms, each time giving small amounts of sulfur (0.5-1.0 kg per 100m² of soil) or highly acidifying ammonium sulphate fertilizer. Specialfertilizers for blueberries that acidify the soil also work well
We can also reach fora quick and proven way to acidify the ground under the blueberrywhich is the soil acidifier pH substrate. It is an acidifying fertilizer prepared especially for garden crops and very easy to use. It is diluted in water (100 ml of acidifier per 10 liters of water) andis poured over the ground before planting blueberriesIt can also be used under already planted shrubs. 10 liters of acidifier solution is enough for a 10m² surface and should lower the soil pH by about -1 pH. However, the result may vary depending on the amount and soil structure of the garden.
American blueberry - planting
In the case of American blueberry cultivation, it is recommended to plant two-year-old bushes , as they already have a well-developed root system, they take on well and start bearing fruit the following year. One-yearblueberry shrubsrequire special care and will bear fruit only after another two years.
The distance between the plants depends on the strength of the bush growth and the type of soil. Currently, highbush blueberry shrubs are planted in plantations at a distance of 3 m between the rows, and in the rows, plants are planted every 1.2 to 2 m. This enables mechanical cultivation and convenient harvesting.In amateur cultivation on the plot, the spacing between the rows of 2.5 m and 1 m in a row is sufficientIn order to ensure good sunlight of blueberry bushes, the rows should run in the north-south direction.
Blueberry bushesare planted in spring or autumn. Planting blueberries in springis less risky, as the plants are not exposed to frost, but you should be aware of the need to water them. When planting shrubs in the fall, it is necessary to protect the American blueberry for the winter to protect the roots from frost. We do this by covering the soil around the plants with peat, sawdust or leaf mulch. It is recommended toplant the blueberriesabout 5 cm deeper than they grew in the nursery. After planting, the bushes should be watered.
Young blueberry seedlings should be inoculated with a specialblueberry mycorrhizal vaccine(excellent for many acidophilic plants)
What's this? Mycorrhiza is a mutually beneficial coexistence of plants and specific symbiotic fungi that make direct contact with plant roots.Thanks to the use of the mycorrhiza vaccine, our blueberry shrubs will accept much easier, and in the future they will better tolerate unfavorable soil conditions and periods of droughtThey will cope much better also when the soil in your garden is not properly acidified.Therefore, it will allow you to limit the number of treatments related to fertilization and acidification of the soil under the blueberries.
American blueberry - care and pruning
Pruning is the basic procedure inblueberry careBushes without pruning give weaker growth with a small amount of flower buds. The fruit becomes smaller and the yield drops. The best fruiting time is when the plant has 2-3-year-old, maximum 4-year-old shoots. For the first 3 years after planting , cutting of blueberriesis limited to removing weak and diseased shoots. Intensive cutting is performed only after the 4th year. All the oldest shoots are then removed. On average, a good bush should have 6-8 main shoots. Drying, diseased, damaged, thin shoots and thickening the middle of the shrub are also removed.
Cut the shrubs shining through the blueberryin early spring, before starting the vegetation. You can also performsummer blueberry cutting , right after harvesting the fruit, remembering, however, that we do it in sunny and dry weather.
The rejuvenating cutting of blueberries is performedafter 10-15 years of cultivation, when the bushes are already too compacted and the yield drops significantly. We make this cut in early spring, cutting out all the shoots close to the ground. In spring, new shoots grow, and we leave a few of the strongest ones.
Proper blueberry carealso consists in watering the bushes regularly (try to pour water directly onto the ground in the inter-rows, yes so as not to wet the bushes) and to mulch the soil with shredded and slightly composted pine bark. This mulch will help keep the soil moist and reduce the growth of weeds. Weeds that appear between the blueberries should be weed regularly.
Become confident in pruning fruit plants
"If you are unsure how to cut or simply afraid to do it, the fantastic book "Cutting School 2" ontrimming fruit trees and shrubs
This is the second part of the best-selling book "Cutting School", in which the authors Lucyna and Alicja Grabowskieexplained the secrets of cuttingornamental plants in a simple and clear way. The first book The School of Cutting for its simple language and clear, accurate drawings was loved by garden owners all over Poland.The book quickly became a bestseller- 20,000 copies sold! "
"Cutting School 2" will make youconfident in pruning fruit trees and shrubsand learn to cut plants so that they grow according to your expectations and bear fruit abundantly. After reading this book, your approach to pruning plants will probably change completely!
