Blueberries are a rather healthy berry, which in its composition contains fruit acids, ascorbic acid and minerals. Also, these berries are called blue grapes, blueberries, marsh fruit. Blueberries, due to its beneficial properties, are beginning to gain popularity among gardeners.

Outdoor cultivation

Planting should be carried out in autumn, when leaves begin to crumble from the trees. You can also do this in the spring before the buds appear on the blueberry. The advantage of spring planting is that the plant has time to take root and gain strength, which means that frost will not be able to damage blueberries and the risk of freezing the root system will be minimal.

Blueberry variety selection

The choice of variety depends on your preference, as there are shrubs low and, conversely, high. It is also important to pay attention to the resistance of plants to frost.

In addition, blueberries are selected according to the following criteria:

• ripening dates;
• the area of ​​the plot on which it will grow;
• disease resistance;
• pollination;
• productivity;
• transportability;
• the taste of the fruit.

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Blueberry varieties:

1. Patriot . One of the tall bushes, its height reaches 1.5 m. The branches are sprawling. During the season, one shrub manages to collect up to 7 kg of berries. The variety is famous for its high frost resistance up to -40 ° C, and is also rarely affected by diseases. Berries of this variety have a flattened shape. It is capable of self-pollinating, that is, it does not require planting near other varieties. Experienced gardeners strongly recommend planting different varieties of blueberries nearby to increase yield. It should be noted that the disadvantage of this variety is the heterogeneity of ripening, and also by the end of the season the berries become smaller than they were at the beginning. It begins to bloom early, this may affect the fact that the flowers can freeze if they are in the spring cold. The fruits are transportable, do not deteriorate after harvesting, and are stored for a long time in a dry and dark place.
   

2. Sunrise The variety was bred in the United States in 1978. Shrub reaches 1.2 m in height. There are quite few shoots, so it does not require frequent pruning. With proper care, you can collect 4 kg of fruits, at 5 years of fruiting, about 8 kg of berries come out. You should also pay attention to the fact that the root system of the plant can freeze in the spring, so it is advisable to cover the bushes with agrofiber and mulch with sawdust or needles of conifers. The pulp of the fruit is dense, it tastes sweet and juicy. Berries are suitable for desserts.
   

3. Bluegold . The variety was obtained thanks to American breeders in 1908. Berries ripen very early. The fruit pulp is dense and juicy, this allows you to transport the crop over long distances. Berries reach up to 7 g in weight, which makes them quite large. Frost resistant grade. It is important not to miss the ripening of fruits, since if you do not collect the harvest on time, then the berries will begin to crumble and wither. It is also used as a decorative variety, since in spring and summer the leaves are bright green, and in the fall they get a yellow tint, after that they turn red. The disadvantage of this variety is the rapid drying of the berries on the bush at high temperatures, so it is recommended to spray the bush early in the morning and late in the evening with cold water.
   

4. Bonus The variety is bred in Michigan. The shrub grows to 1.5 m in height. The berries are large, from one bush you can collect up to 8 kg of fruits. It begins to ripen towards the end of July. It withstands severe frosts without additional shelter. Belongs to late ripe varieties of blueberries. Basically, berries with a diameter of about 3 cm. After harvesting, the fruits should be stored in a cool, dry place, not wet, as contact with water will adversely affect and the process of decay will begin. It is famous for its high transportability.
   

5. Jersey . Late-ripening variety with good yields, up to 6 kg from one bush. The variety is not picky about the soil, and is also rarely affected by the red ring spot virus, this makes the variety the most popular among gardeners. Berries of universal use, suitable for transportation, cooking preserves, compotes, freezing, and also well stored fresh.
   

Seat selection

The place for planting blueberries must be well lit by the sun. She does not like dark areas, so planting under large trees or houses should be canceled. Also, and not least, groundwater should lie at a depth of at least 60 cm from the roots, since excess moisture will cause the root system of the plant to begin to decay, and the shrubs will eventually die.

Landing is carried out exclusively in elevated places, as well as protected from strong gusts of wind. Peat soils, as well as sandstones, are suitable for blueberries. It grows well on acidic soils, pH - 3.5-4.5 . If the acidity is above 5, the plant will cease to bear fruit.

Did you know? Honey is prepared from blueberry berries, which is healthier than buckwheat, but the price for such a treat is quite high.

Soil preparation

Before landing, you should prepare the site. To do this, dig the soil, remove weed grass. Add mineral fertilizers to the soil based on: 150 g of nitrogen-containing and 150 g of potassium per 1 m². It is not recommended to use organic matter as fertilizer, that is, humus, it can harm the plant and lead to the death of shrubs . If the landing will fall in the spring, then all the preparation can be done in the fall.

At what distance are blueberries planted

The distance between seedlings should be 1.5 m for short, and for tall –3.5 m minimum, possibly more. Between the rows leave no less than 2.5–3 m. Such a landing will allow you to harvest without any difficulties. If the branches begin to bend under the weight of the fruit, a trellis should be installed for the garter of the plant.

Read also how and when to transplant blueberries.

Landing depth

Planting depth should not exceed 50 cm, pit diameter of about 60 cm for both undersized and tall blueberry bushes. Such sizes will make it easy to plant bushes and they will have enough space, including for seedlings of two years of age.

Than to fill a hole

Experienced gardeners recommend drainage if planting is carried out on clay soils. Sawdust, compost, as well as coniferous bark are suitable for filling the pit. The drainage pillow should be 10 cm high. Pits begin to cook in the fall, for this you should dig a plot on which blueberries will grow . Urea mixed with limestone can be used as acidification. For 1 m², 0.5 kg of urea and 0.4 kg of lime will suffice. Fertilizer is applied to moist soil.

Did you know? Blueberries freeze fairly quickly. 5 minutes will be enough for freezing.

Blueberries and sawdust

Sawdust for the pit, as well as mulching, it is advisable to take from the bark of coniferous plants. They must be dry. Their advantage is that the compaction and decomposition process is rather slow in contrast to other refueling materials . Also, sawdust, which are in the pit, nourish the plant with useful trace elements important for blueberries and its development. Thanks to the mulch from the sawdust, the foliage does not fall under the plant, which will rot and thereby cause a fungal disease, like gray rot.

Blueberry Mulch

The mulching height should not be less than 10 cm in height. If you used foliage or straw for mulch, you should take care to regularly replace these materials, as they quickly begin to rot, and this can adversely affect blueberries and lead to diseases.

The material for mulching the soil is straw, sawdust, plant leaves and pine bark

Blueberry Care

Although blueberries are a picky plant, they must be looked after to obtain high yields. Regular weeding of the soil will allow excessive moisture in the soil not to linger, and water will not stagnate under the shrubbery . It is necessary to remove branches that are broken or begin to rot, and for 3 years of growth on the bush, it is advisable to leave up to 8 shoots.

We recommend reading how to care for blueberries in spring and autumn.

Also, pruning will allow shrubs not to be too dense, and this will save them from the formation of rot on the foliage and increase productivity. Regular harvesting of weeds will allow the plant to grow normally and get enough moisture . Thanks to the care, fewer pests will settle on the blueberry, and the plant will become less affected by diseases.

Flowering care

During the flowering period, the number of waterings should be increased up to three times a week . Before watering, soil should be loosened, this will help remove clumps under the plant, as well as dry crust, which is formed from drying out moisture. Thanks to this, the water will go deeper into the ground. Immediately after watering, the soil should again be loosened . Such an event will allow the water to evenly distribute in the ground, and the roots will receive the necessary moisture for the development and growth of blueberries.

Optimal watering

Watering should be twice a week, 1 bucket under the bush in the morning, as well as 1 bucket in the evening. If the air temperature exceeds + 35 ° C, then plants should be watered 3 times a week.

Important! If it is very stuffy on the street, you should spray the plant with water early in the morning, such procedures will save the plant from drying out.

If the site is large, it will not be superfluous to install a drip irrigation system. It will allow you to moisten the soil under the plant in dry weather during the day.

How and what to fertilize

At the beginning of spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied - ammonium nitrate or sodium nitrate, 60 g per 1 bush. They allow you to form a blueberry fruit and protect against infectious diseases . At the end of summer, phosphorus top dressing should be applied at 100 g per 1 bush, for example, Fertika Autumn, Kafom K.

Fertilizers that contain phosphorus can strengthen the plant and increase their resistance to various diseases . In autumn, add magnesium sulfate no more than 15 g per bush, as well as 2 g of zinc sulfate and potassium sulfate. It is not recommended to fertilize with these top dressings in the spring, as they can damage the root system.

Learn more about how and what to feed garden blueberries.

other methods

It is possible to grow a plant not only in open areas, but also in greenhouses and containers. To do this, you should know the features of such an erection of blueberries.

Blueberries in a greenhouse

When growing blueberries in greenhouse conditions, it is necessary to monitor air humidity, which should be about 60%. For this, a drip irrigation system is installed. Due to the increased humidity, blueberries can begin to wither, and shrubs will succumb to fungal diseases that are difficult to cure. Also, when planting, alternate varieties for pollination should be alternated. This will increase productivity.

Growing blueberries in a greenhouse allows you to protect the plant from insects, as well as birds, which can destroy the fruits of shrubs and harm the plant itself

Growing in containers

Tall blueberry varieties are suitable for growing in containers and pots. But you should take care of the large size of the pots so that the root system develops normally. The container should be 5 times more than a lump of land on the roots of blueberries .

Important! When choosing a container, you should be careful, because for blueberries it should be wide. This is due to the fact that the root system extends more in diameter than in depth.

Landing is done in acidic soil, it can be purchased in specialized stores for plants or you can take peat, land, river sand and mix in equal proportions. You can water blueberries using a drip system or sprinkling, as the soil must be constantly moist.

Blueberry Pollination

The best pollinators for blueberries are bumblebees. But bees are also good pollinators due to their abundance. But if it is not possible to put hives on a site (2 to 6 pieces will be required per 1 ha, depending on the variety of blueberries), then different types of berries should be planted nearby for pollination. Near early - mid-ripe, and mid-ripe - with late ripe.

Pest Prevention

Insecticides are used to control insects. The main pests of blueberries are:

• Leaflet triangular flat . Caterpillars of this butterfly harm blueberry leaves by pulling and twisting them with the help of their web. If you notice twisted leaves, they should be removed from the bush. For prophylaxis, use the preparations "Actellik", "Kemifos", spraying should be carried out during budding.
  

• Arrowwort heather . Caterpillars eat leaves from June to September. During budding on the bushes, carry out preventive spraying with the Iskra preparation. In the future, it is recommended to periodically inspect blueberries, collect caterpillars from the plant and destroy them.
  

But if damage to the kidneys by a tick has begun, the bushes should be removed immediately. Also, birds like to feast on blueberries, so shrubs should be covered with nets.

Disease protection

To protect blueberries from disease, regular spraying should be carried out, as well as checking shrubs.

Blueberry Disease:

• Fruit rot . This disease progresses in berries that remain on the branches to winter. Therefore, you should remove all berries from the bush before winter. If you leave the fruits, then the disease passes to the branches, as well as to future leaves. In this case, you should dig out the bush completely and burn it. To combat the disease, the drug "Topsin" should be used.
  

• White spotting . Brown spots appear on the leaves. Ultimately, foliage curls, dries and falls. Leaves should be collected and burned. For prevention, mulch the soil under the bush. Spray with Topsin or Bordeaux fluid.
  

• Gray rot . The whole plant is completely affected, the leaves and stems become dry, the growth of the bush stops, it ceases to bear fruit. To avoid this, spraying with Azofos should be carried out until the buds on the branches begin to bloom.
  

How to reanimate blueberries

If, after planting, the plant begins to dry out, the leaves curl, this may also indicate that the shrubs lack moisture . Before landing, a lump of soil was not soaked. Therefore, you need to dig a seedling, soak it in water, knead the root ball so that it is a little in the form of a cake. This procedure will allow blueberries to recover.

See also why garden blueberry does not bear fruit and does not bloom.

If the leaves begin to turn red and dry, then this indicates that the soil is not sufficiently acidic . You can increase the acidity using ferrous sulfate, colloidal sulfur, or citric and oxalic acids. To do this, 5 g of acid is diluted in 1 liter of water per bush and water the plant. This method gives a temporary effect, but it can be used between applications of drugs for acidification.

Winter preparations

If the temperature is below -30 ° C, you should cover the plant along its entire length with agrofibre . The branches of the shrub should be bent to the ground and install arcs of wire, on which to pull the canvas. This procedure will allow the plant not to freeze in the winter.

It is interesting to learn how to grow blueberries from seeds.

Also, it will not be superfluous to insulate the plant near the basal part, for this you can additionally fall asleep with sawdust, needles or hay, they will retain heat in the soil, and the root system will not freeze.

It is not recommended to use a film made of polyethylene, since under it the moisture stagnates, the plant does not ventilate and does not receive fresh air

Harvesting and storage of crops

After ripening, the berries will need to be collected from the bushes, while it is important to carefully pick them. Harvest is recommended to be stored in a dry place, preferably without exposure to sunlight. After harvesting, you should not wet the berries, since excess moisture will affect the quality of the fruit, as well as reduce shelf life. Berries can be frozen, dried, and also made from them jam.

We advise you to read delicious blueberry jam recipes.

Mistakes when growing blueberries

Mistakes that gardeners often make:

1. Growing in the shade . With this cultivation, the fruits of the blueberry will not be so juicy and sweet.
2. Loosening . It should be no deeper than 3 cm, since the root system is quite close to the soil surface.
3. Fertilizers You can not use organic fertilizers - bird droppings, as well as manure.
4. Rare watering . The earth will begin to dry out, and the plant will have nowhere to take moisture.
5. Incorrect preparation of a seedling for planting . A lump of land on a seedling should be pre-soaked, and only after this proceed with planting.

Blueberry plants should be checked regularly so that there are no pests or diseases, and also constantly care for shrubs. Irregular care will not only reduce the quality of the berries, but also affect the amount of the crop.