introduction
grow blueberries
Blueberries were discovered in the 20th century. After that, scientists began to figure out how to grow blueberries.
The blueberry bush is resistant to many pests and diseases and can bear fruit for up to 20 years.
A blueberry bush not only contributes to fruiting but also beautifies the landscape.
The leaves of the blueberry bush turn yellow-red in the fall, which makes a very beautiful picture, and in the spring it offers a beautiful picture with its white flowers.
what to do with potted blueberry bush in winter?
There are three types of blueberries: Highbush, short bush, and half-high hybrids.
The most commonly planted blueberries are highbush varieties, and most fruit is produced by this variety.
There are many varieties of this type of blueberries that are cold-resistant, and the taste and size of the fruits are better than other types of blueberries.
A suitable place for planting blueberry bushes
weather
Both southern highbush blueberry and rabbit’s eye blueberry are grown in warm climates.
According to Sunset magazine, the rabbit’s eye blueberry is best suited for hot, humid areas.
When selecting blueberries for specific growing conditions, it is important to know how many cooling hours there are in the area.
That is, you should know how many hours the air temperature in the winter months is between 0 and 2 degrees Celsius.
Some southern highbush blueberry varieties, such as Gulf Coast and Misty, require less than 300 chilling hours.
Other varieties, however, such as Jubilee, require 500 to 700 chilling hours.
Several rabbit-eye blueberry cultivars, such as Powder Blue and Premier, require fewer chilling hours and 100 to 200 chilling hours are sufficient for successful growth.
light and air
Blueberry does best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Choose a site for planting blueberries that receives 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
In gardens and woodlands, blueberries can tolerate shade from trees, but should not be planted near other trees because blueberry roots compete with the roots of other trees for nutrients and moisture.
Also, avoid planting blueberry bushes in places that are usually dry and where the sunlight is intense.
Blueberry plants should not be planted in places that are exposed to the wind.
right place
Blueberry bushes are long-lived, some living more than 50 years. For planting blueberries, choose a place where the plant will remain permanently.
To get a variety of blueberry fruit, you need to plant two blueberry varieties in each location so that the blueberry bushes can cross-pollinate.
Both the Southern Highbush Blueberry and the Rabbit’s Eye Blueberry require pollination.
Blueberries planted in the same location should have the same flowering and fruiting season.
Suitable soil conditions for blueberry planting
Blueberry is one of those plants that like acidic soils and grows best at a pH of 4.8 to 5.5 but can also tolerate a pH of 3.5 to 5.5.
The pH scale indicates the amount of hydrogen ions in the soil. A pH of 6.5 to 7 means neutral, a lower pH means the soil is acidic, and a higher pH means the soil is alkaline.
PH Test kits can be used to change the acidity of the soil, and you can also take a soil sample to a lab and determine the PH. Sulfur, ammonium sulfate, and ferrous sulfate can be used to increase the acidity of the soil.
Soils with a pH greater than 7 are difficult to acidify, and you should not plant blueberries in such soils.
Blueberries do best in loamy and sandy soils that have good drainage and are evenly moist.
Peat moss and other organic materials improve soil quality and increase soil acidity.
In areas where the soil pH is neutral or acidic, the solution is to dig a hole in the ground 60 to 90 cm deep and 180 cm wide, then fill it with peat moss, compost, sand, and cotton.
Fill it with seeds or soybean meal to make it suitable for planting blueberries.
Planting distance of blueberry plants
Both southern highbush blueberry and rabbit’s eye blueberry are large shrubs. Southern highbush blueberry reaches a height of 180 cm and a width of 90 to 120 cm when fully grown.
Rabbit’s-eye blueberry is 3 to 4.5 m tall and 2.5 to 3 m wide when mature.
Consider a space of 120 x 120 cm for each of the southern highbush blueberry bushes and select a space of 210 x 210 cm for each of the rabbit’s eye blueberry bushes.
By providing enough space for the blueberry plant, the need for pruning is reduced, and enough space means that there will be no problem for the blueberry plants if there are weeds, and the blueberry plant and the weeds do not compete with each other in obtaining nutrients.
Blueberry planting methods
Blueberry is propagated through seeds, cuttings, and cuttings.
Sowing by seed
You can sow blueberry seeds from the fruit itself. To obtain the seeds, place the fruit in a container of water for 10 to 15 minutes until it is mashed, and separate the seeds from the pulp. The seeds may settle to the bottom of the container.
After removing the seeds, mix them in a napkin with peat moss and store them in the refrigerator for three months.
It is best to buy quality seeds. Of course, this work is very difficult and requires knowledge and experience.
Even if you manage to get seeds, the degree of germination of seeds by this method is usually low.
Sowing blueberry seeds should begin in the fall in warm climates and in the spring in northern climates. Plant the seeds with peat moss in the growing tray.
During planting, the soil should be kept moist at all times. Planting blueberries requires a lot of patience.
In some conditions, it germinates in just 3 months, in other cases, germination takes up to a month.
After germination and reaching a length of 5-6 centimeters, the cuttings should be transplanted into a larger pot.
Planting by taking cuttings
Another method of blueberry propagation is cuttings. For this, use harder branches with a life of one year and a length of 12 to 18 cm.
Cuttings that have flowers are not suitable for cutting. Cutting time is late winter and early spring.
Wound the end of the cutting for better germination. The use of germination and rooting hormones has a better result in the propagation process.
The suitable soil is a mixture of black peat moss and perlite. The cuttings should be 3 cm deep in the soil and move them to a place with light and away from sunlight.
The suitable temperature of the environment should be around 22 degrees Celsius. Rooting takes about 6 months.
Softwood cuttings are another type of cuttings. This kind of cuttings is made from the ends of young logs and the current season’s growth.
The actual trunk is still bendable, but if we bend it too much, it will break.
The length of softwood cuttings is about 25-30 centimeters, and the right time is the end of the lunar month and the beginning of August.
We separate the leaves from the lower part of the cuttings, but if all the leaves of softwood cuttings are removed before root production, they have a negative effect on rooting.
Because of the leaves, these cuttings require higher humidity, so it is helpful to cover the cuttings with a clear plastic sheet or spray them with water twice a day.
Rooting of softwood cuttings of this plant takes about 6-8 weeks, which is faster than hardwood cuttings.
Propagation method with plant stalk
The use of plant stalk is another method of propagating this plant. Plant stalks grow next to the mother plant, and after about two years of growth and development next to the mother plant, they can be separated.
Note that the desired plant stalks should be scolded during these two years and not allowed to grow too tall, as these plant stalks usually have a weak root system to prevent the stem from growing too much and the root from developing properly.
The right time to separate plant stalk from the mother plant is late winter to early spring.
Blueberry plant care
The amount of watering per week should be one to two inches. Be careful not to overwater and wet the soil.
Blueberry bushes should be pruned every winter. The first year blueberries bloom, all flowers should be removed.
This will make the plant more flexible before it bears fruit. Prune back any overhanging parts or stagnant stems to encourage stronger growth.
Remove dead branches and cut back discolored parts of the blueberry bush annually.
If the blueberry plant is less than a year old, give it a natural fertilizer to increase its productivity. If possible, use an organic fertilizer to prevent root damage.
The addition of nitrogenous fertilizers is useful for blueberries. Soybean or alfalfa are good options.
Give one or two cups of these ingredients per plant. Blood powder and cottonseed meal are also useful. Fertilize in early spring and repeat in late spring for better results. Always water after fertilizing.
Test the soil pH once every two years. If the soil pH is below 4, enrich the soil so that the soil pH reaches 4 to 5. To raise the pH of the soil, you can also mix the soil with lime.
If the soil pH is above 5, mix the soil with granulated sulfur to lower the PH. You can also use compost and acid peat moss to acidify the soil.
CONCLUSION :
Consider a space of 120 x 120 cm for each of the southern highbush blueberry bushes and select a space of 210 x 210 cm for each of the rabbit’s eye blueberry bushes.
By providing enough space for the blueberry plant, the need for pruning is reduced, and enough space means that there will be no problem for the blueberry plants if there are weeds, and the blueberry plant and the weeds do not compete with each other in obtaining nutrients.
