Blueberry Draper: Variety Description

Northern dark blue blueberries have been winning the hearts of gardeners for years. She rightfully deserved her fame: both adults and children know about its healing properties. A fighter for the youth of the body, a guardian of immunity, an excellent anti-allergic agent - all this can be said about the berry. This article will tell you about a tall and frost-resistant variety - Draper blueberries and the basic principles of its cultivation.

Geographic distribution

Prefers low-moisture places characterized by relative nutrient poverty. Blueberry Draper is a hybrid intended for cultivation on commercial sites. The geographical distribution of its closest relatives is the east of Canada and the cold regions of the western United States. Tall frost-resistant varieties are found on the outskirts and elevations of swamps.

Did you know? Draper was obtained by American breeders in Michigan in 2003. Her genes were borrowed from the most hardy blueberries Duke and G751.

Description

Tall and erect shrub. Height - up to 2 m, crown width - 1 m. Refers to self-pollinating culture . Grade Draper is characterized by resistance and endurance to harsh conditions, but is sensitive to high humidity. So, the plant can tolerate frosts down to -29 ° C, but at the same time it begins to bear fruit worse. Needs mulching.

The average yield is up to 9 kg. Draper matures in July, later than Duke. The load of the bush is lower than that of Bluecrop blueberries. The ripening is friendly. Productivity is significantly affected by pests. Bird attack entails severe crop losses. However, while it is easy to fight off birds using special devices, the fight against aphids and May bugs is much more intense.

Only chemical treatment can reliably protect the plant from the attack of these parasites. Hardest to deal with fruit rot caused by Monilia fungus. The disease affects leaves, flowers, fruits and branches. Damaged parts of the bush look like affected by low temperatures. The only measure in the fight against fungus is the removal of diseased organs.

See also the features of growing blackcurrant shrubs and gooseberries.

Root system

Roots with a large number of branches are located in the soil at a depth of 0.5 m around the bush. Their intensive growth begins in the spring during the period of kidney swelling. Then it slows down and resumes only in the fall until leaf fall.

The root absorbs nutrients from the soil by cohabiting with endotrophic mycorrhiza (a small fungus). Mycorrhiza is active only in an acidic environment, therefore, in such soils, blueberries show better growth.

Leaves

The following characteristics apply to leaf descriptions:

  • size - medium;
  • color is dark green;
  • shape - elliptical or oval;
  • plate - naked with a direct base;
  • length is 5–8 cm, width - 4 cm.

On them you can see a characteristic shiny coating.

From the leaves of blueberry the best remedies are obtained. Fresh leaves are used for the preparation of infusions, dry - for herbal teas. Such drinks help with diseases of the digestive and cardiovascular systems, and also restore the body after a protracted illness.

Fetus

The fruit is a berry with numerous seeds, the development of which takes 2-3 months.

Dimensions:

  • length - 1.1–1.4 cm;
  • weight - up to 2 g;
  • diameter - 2 cm.

The color of the berries is blue with a gray coating, the shape is round or oblate. The pulp is dense, has a delicate, pleasant aroma. The fruit tastes sweet and sour.

Landing

For planting blueberries, round pits with sheer walls are prepared. Dimensions are most often determined by the type of soil. For light loams, the size of the landing pit is as follows: width - up to 1 m, depth - 40-50 cm.

Important! Clay soil is not desirable for blueberries, as it is very dense and difficult to pass air and water. When using it, bushes are planted on the ridges of peat, sand and sawdust.

On heavy loamy soil, wide pits should be made with a shallow depth so that moisture does not stagnate during heavy watering. The same recommendations should be observed in the presence of sandy and peaty lands.

A good planting material is 2-3-year-old seedlings with a closed root system (grown in pots or bags).

Their advantage is that when planting, the plant is removed from the container without damaging the roots. The distance between the blueberry bushes should be at least 1.5 m. The bush is buried in the ground on average at a distance of 5-6 cm, the roots are straightened. They fill the plant with light soil, usually without fertilizers.

A hole is made around the bush, which is covered with sawdust to reduce moisture evaporation. After the procedures, blueberries are watered.

Recommended Dates

The period of planting blueberries depends on the climate. In the northern regions it is carried out in the spring. This allows the young plant to grow stronger. In warmer regions, a bush is planted in the fall.

Choosing a place to land

Blueberry Draper loves light, very acidic soils. It grows beautifully on peatlands, sand, substrates with rotted leafy litter. The plant is not hygrophilous, therefore it does not take root in areas with groundwater closer than 1–1.5 m.

Important! Do not plant blueberries on low soils, as there is a possibility of waterlogging. Staying in such conditions for a long time, the roots begin to experience a lack of oxygen and nutrients, as a result of which they rot and die.

Fruits best with moderate humidity in the range of 60–70%. It can survive several days of flooding during the period of intensive vegetation. Also not resistant to drought. For the Draper, you should choose lighted areas. Even a slight decrease in illumination entails a loss of crop. Light contributes to the intensive growth of the bush, the development of buds, flowers and ovaries.

Care after landing

When the seedling is placed in a constant place, the root zone is watered intensively, avoiding drying out. The optimum amount of moisture for the substrate is 60–70%.

You should not forget about mineral top dressing. The main elements for the growth and development of blueberries are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper. In order for the plant to grow well and bear fruit, adhere to certain dates for fertilizing.

A prerequisite for good care is protection against evaporation of excess water. As a rule, mulching is used. For it, needles, sawdust, leaves are used. The recommended layer of mulch is 3-15 cm.

To improve the quantity and quality of berries, the bushes are pruned. The best time for this is early spring, before the buds open.

Watering and feeding schedule

The best time for applying mineral fertilizers is the beginning of spring, during the period of active sap flow. It is recommended to add 90 g of ammonium sulfate, 40 g of potassium sulfate and 110 g of superphosphate per bush. If the plant does not have a deficiency of trace elements, then the soil does not need regular fertilizer.

But watering should be systematic. Blueberries require two weekly irrigation. The average volume of water can be up to 10 liters. The optimal watering time is evening.

Video: Blueberry Growing Principles

Sort Draper definitely deserves attention. Despite the small number of reviews, gardeners recommend planting this blueberry in their area. Its main advantage remains the high quality of the berries - shelf life, ease of transportation, taste.

Early ripening variety, proven, trouble-free.

Until recently, the variety recognized as the most important for a warm climate.

The variety is difficult to propagate. The large fruits are light blue in color and the same size, ripen a few days earlier than the Bluecrop variety, dense and slightly crisp.

Small scar, hard skin and slightly sour, very good taste.

The variety is very productive, with a short fruiting period, which makes it suitable for both manual and mechanical harvesting.

It tolerates transportation very well.

Description and photo from //rus.batkivsad.com.ua/shop/golubika/ Batkiv Sad //forum.vinograd.info/showpost.php?p=583450&postcount=1

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