Can you plant a blueberry

How to Grow a Blueberry Bush From One Berry

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By Ashley Lall August 25, 2021

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Blueberries are one of the most healthy and versatile fruits to include in your diet. From throwing them into smoothies to eating them on top of a parfait, they add a dose of vitamins and antioxidants while also dialing up flavor. And if, like us, you get excited at the idea of growing your own produce, we’ve got some news — you can do it with blueberries. As long as you have a carton of blueberries in your fridge, you can grow your very own blueberry bush in your garden.

How to Grow Blueberries From a Berry | Home Guides

By SF Gate Contributor Updated May 18, 2020

Blueberry species such as the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and lowbush blueberry (V. angustifolium) serve a dual purpose in landscaping as both an ornamental ground cover and edible crop. They grow best within U.S. Department of Agricultural plant hardiness zones 8 and below, where they will start producing fruit during their second year in the ground.

Growing blueberries from seed is reliable when you're working with fresh seed, although the resulting shrub may not closely resemble the parent plant. The seeds require no pretreatment to successfully germinate, but chilling them will enhance their germination rate and help ensure a successful outcome.

How to Prepare Blueberry Seeds

1.

Gather blueberries in summer after they ripen to a solid, bluish-black color and the flesh yields to slight pressure. Collect several berries from your favorite blueberry bush to increase the likelihood of locating viable, intact seed.
2.

Place the blueberries in a sealable plastic bag. Store them in the freezer for three months to cold stratify the seeds, which will help fulfill their dormancy requirement and help prompt germination.
3.

Remove the blueberries from the freezer after the cold stratification period has ended. Place the bag on the counter for one to two hours, or until the blueberries have thawed to room temperature.
4.

Fill a blender three-quarters full with fresh water and pour in 3/4 cup of blueberries. Secure the lid. Run the blender for 10 to 15 minutes to macerate the berries.
5.

Pour the blueberry pulp into a large mixing bowl and let it stand for five minutes. Scoop out and discard pulp that floats to the surface. Carefully pour off the excess water. Add fresh water and let it stand for another five minutes.
6.

Pour the contents of the bowl through a fine sieve or wire mesh colander. Collect the tiny, reddish brown seeds from the sieve. Spread them out to dry on a sheet of newspaper.

How to Germinate Blueberry Seeds

1.

Fill 12-inch nursery pots with a moistened mixture of equal parts milled peat, coarse sand and loam. Sprinkle a pinch of blueberry seeds across the surface of the soil. Spread a very scant layer of milled peat over the seeds so they are barely covered.
2.

Place the nursery pots outdoors inside a lightly shaded cold frame. Cover each pot with a sheet of newspaper. Warm the pots to between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a germination mat if daytime temperatures stay below 60 F.
3.

Maintain constant moisture in the top inch of soil while the blueberry seeds germinate. Use a plant mister or a spray bottle to water because a watering can or other strong water stream will dislodge the tiny seeds.
4.

Watch for germination in approximately one month. Remove the newspaper and the germination mat after seedlings emerge. Crack open the cold frame to help acclimate the seedlings to normal outdoor conditions.
5.

Thin the blueberry seedlings to two per pot once they grow to 2 inches. Keep the strongest, most vigorous of the seedlings and remove the weaker ones. Snip off the unwanted seedlings at soil-level with small scissors.
6.

Move the nursery pots to a sheltered spot outdoors with dappled shade. Water to a depth of one inch every week. Transplant the blueberries into a sunny or lightly shaded bed with moist, acid soil the following autumn.
Things You Will Need
- Sealable plastic bag
- Blender
- Fine sieve
- Bowl
- Newspaper
- 12-inch nursery pots
- Milled peat
- Coarse sand
- Loam
- Cold frame
- Germination mat (optional)
- Plant mister
Tip
If you don't have a blender, crush the blueberries in a bowl with a potato masher, and soak them in water overnight to loosen the seeds.

References

Misouri Botanical Garden: Vaccinium Corymbosum
Horticulture Magazine: Plants We Love-Lowbush Blueberry
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension: Growing Blueberries from Seed
Texas A&M University Department of Horticulture: Propagation of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines
Alameda County Master Gardeners: Your Alameda County Garden Month-by-Month

planting, propagating, caring for, harvesting

Bilberry is a low and strongly branched berry shrub from the heather family. It easily and unpretentiously endures winter frosts, blueberries can also be found beyond the Arctic Circle. In the wild, it grows in mixed or coniferous forests, most often in the latter. Some pine forests are so overgrown with blueberry bushes that they are called so: blueberry pine forests.

In general, such a neighborhood is not accidental. Like pine, blueberries do best in acidic soils with close groundwater. It is also a shade-loving shrub, so it should be planted under the canopy of trees that can provide constant partial shade under them.

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Planting blueberries

Before planting blueberries, it is necessary to prepare in advance the area where they will grow in the future. Usually, garden soil is not acidic enough, so prematurely planting blueberry bushes in unprepared soil can lead to yellowing of the leaves, stunting, and even death of the plant. For successful cultivation, pits 150x150 cm in size and 60 cm deep each are prepared for each bush. The excavated soil from the pits is mixed with peat chips (in a ratio of 2: 1), in order to further acidify the soil, we add powdered sulfur. Also, if possible, you can add kitchen cleanings and oak leaves, and in heavy soils - river sand. Such preparation is carried out in advance, the main thing is that the prepared soil settles in the pits before planting. For example, if you planned to plant blueberry bushes in October, the soil must be prepared no later than September.

Blueberries are planted in spring or autumn, bushes planted in autumn, from October to early November, take root best of all. The best option for planting would be two- or three-year-old bushes with a clod of earth on the roots. The root ball should be wet before planting: bushes planted with dry roots, in most cases, do not take root and die. Before planting, in the previously prepared soil, we dig a recess to the size of the root ball, where we plant the bush. During planting, we loosen the earth on the root ball and carefully straighten the roots. Then we fill up the pit, compact the soil around the planted bush with our feet and water it abundantly. If possible, we mulch the ground at the landing site; you can take fallen leaves, sawdust or peat as mulch. If you are transplanting old bushes (more than 3 years old), after planting, you need to trim the branches to a height of 20 cm - this will help the bush take root better in a new place.

Bilberry propagation

Bilberry is propagated by seed or by dividing the bush.

Propagation of blueberries with seeds

First you need to get blueberries seeds. To do this, knead the ripened berries and mix the resulting slurry with plenty of water. After mixing, empty seeds and the remains of berries float up, which we drain together with water. We do this until the water runs clear. As a result, at the bottom of the vessel we will have seeds suitable for planting. They are (dry a little before that) and planted in pots or boxes filled with peat. Seedlings will hatch in a few weeks. For the winter, it is better to transfer containers with seedlings to a bright room in which a temperature of 5-10 ºС is maintained. In the spring, blueberry seedlings dive and then grow. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place only the next year.

Propagation of blueberries by dividing a bush

When propagating by dividing a bush, the mother plant is dug up in autumn and divided into partial bushes, it is desirable that up to 5 intact buds remain on each of them. Landing in the ground is the same as for 2- or 3-year-old bushes.

Care of blueberries

Pruning

Regular pruning of blueberries is necessary from 3-4 years of age. Damaged, dried or diseased branches are removed first. Ideally, each bush should consist of 6-8 healthy branches, which will make up the skeleton of the bush.

In order for the plant to give healthy and strong shoots, we cut the old branches (more than 4 years old) to a height of up to 20 cm. If the bush has given a lot of side shoots with buds, they must be completely cut out. The berries on them are small and ripen late.

Shrubs older than 15 years must be completely pruned to a height of 20 cm above the ground. This will rejuvenate the bush and help maintain its yield.

The best time to prune blueberries is early spring, as long as there are no frosts. While pruning can be done during the entire growing season of blueberries, pruning late (especially when blueberries are in bloom) will result in lower yields.

Watering

Blueberries should be watered regularly, but not too much. The main thing is that the soil under the bushes remains moist. Excess moisture can lead to diseases of the bushes (for example, root rot).

Top dressing

In order to have a better harvest, blueberry bushes should be fed with both organic and mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers, such as compost, manure or peat chips, are applied under the bushes every 3 years at 3-4 kg per square meter. m. Superphosphate, potassium magnesia and ammonium superphosphate are used as mineral fertilizers. If the acidity of the soil is low, again it is desirable to add powdered sulfur (50-60 g for each bush annually). But with high-quality mulching with sawdust of the soil under the bushes, this can not be done - such a mulch in itself regulates the reaction of the soil well.

Harvest

Blueberries can be harvested from mid-June to early September. The fruits ripen unevenly, so they are harvested several times, every 5-10 days. Berries of blue-violet, black color are chosen for collection. They will become ripe in 7-8 days after they change color. It is these berries that are the most juicy, sweet and fragrant. In order not to damage the berries during picking, they are not cut off, but turned a little, while grabbing them with the thumb and forefinger. The harvested crop at zero temperature can be stored for up to 6 weeks.

To keep blueberries as long as possible (not in the form of jams and compotes and without the help of a freezer :) ), there is another proven storage method. To do this, take a glass container, which is calcined in the oven for several hours. These bottles are filled with blueberries, carefully cleaned from various debris and leaves. Then cork the bottles with corks and fill with wax. In cool and dark rooms, berries in such bottles will remain for a very long period of time.

Species and varieties of common blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Common blueberry is not divided into varieties; there was no special cultivation of this plant.

They say that in our forests you can find a form of blueberries with white fruits, but we did not come across such a plant. Well, this wonderful plant looks like this:

Common blueberries at the time of flowering:

But common blueberry seedlings are rarely found on sale, usually varietal blueberries are sold instead (these plants even have the same generic name - Vaccinium). You can distinguish blueberries from blueberries as follows:

Blueberry bushes grow no higher than 40-50 cm in height, while plants of some blueberry varieties grow up to 3 m in height

Blueberries are smaller and darker than those of blueberries, and more juicy in taste

And the most important difference, because of which blueberries got their name: blueberries, when consumed and picked, turn hands, mouth and lips black, but blueberries do not

Blueberry planting, cultivation, feeding and variety selection

April 13 2020

Garden blueberry is a perennial berry shrub belonging to the Cowberry family. A bush grows up to 60 cm in height, but varieties and higher are often found. Flowering usually begins in May, and you can collect fruits all summer. Small berries of blue-violet, light blue, dark blue hue are sweet and sour in taste, contain many vitamins and useful microelements. Usually, fruiting occurs 3-5 years after planting the seedling. And although blueberries, which are often grown in the country, do not require complex care and a lot of time, there are still features of caring for this shrub. For example, timely watering and pruning is important for her.

Growing blueberries requires choosing the right location. So, she loves high humidity and partial shade, so the question of the landing site must be approached responsibly. In this article, we will try to tell not only about when, but also how to grow blueberries at home so that the bush bears fruit every year and for a long time.

When and how to plant blueberries

Prepare the soil before planting blueberries. It’s good if it is the shore of a reservoir, because, as we have already noted, blueberries love moisture. The soil should be acidic (at pH 5.5, the yield of shrubs will already be lower, and at 6.8, growth will stop altogether). The ideal acidity is pH 3.5–5.0 with humus content in the soil. Soil should be prepared 30 days before planting. Since most summer cottages have insufficiently acidic soil, this can harm blueberries.

Before planting the seedling, it is recommended to keep it in water for several hours. In general, the landing procedure does not require special preparation. You need to plant a blueberry bush along with a lump of soil. So the plant will take root better and faster. The lump of soil at the root must be loosened, and the roots straightened. Next, the hole is covered with soil and rammed. Then the plantings are well moistened and mulched with spruce branches or peat.

If you need to replant a bush that is several years old, after transplanting, you need to cut off the branches, leaving 20 cm in height - this way the bush will take root faster.

It is equally important to know when to plant blueberries. If you decide to start planting before winter, the right time to plant blueberries in the fall is October or early November. In spring, it is April or early May, when the frosts pass. As practice shows, bushes planted in autumn take root better. For planting, choose seedlings that are 2-3 years old. A month before planting, make holes 45 × 45 cm in size and 60 cm deep. Leave the distance between plants about 1 m. Next, peat, garden soil, rotted thyrsus of conifers are mixed and added to the hole. If the soil is heavy, add river sand.

Care after planting

Growing blueberries is not a very complicated process, but it is still important to observe all the nuances so that the bushes bear fruit for as long as possible.

Watering

Even a novice gardener can grow blueberries at home. It is important not only to know when and how to plant, but also how to properly care for plants. So, you need to water regularly, but in moderation. The soil under the bush should remain moist, but not stagnate. Blueberries do not respond well to both drying out and stagnant water. On hot days, blueberries are recommended to be sprayed and watered more often. When cultivating on an industrial scale, drip irrigation will be most acceptable.

Pruning

Shrubs that are 3-4 years old and older need constant pruning. Damaged and diseased branches are removed. After pruning, it is recommended to leave up to 8 healthy branches, which will form a bush. In order for garden blueberries to give strong shoots and healthy branches, they need to be cut to a height of 20-30 cm. Bushes 15 years old and older should be completely cut to a height of 20 cm from the soil level. So you can rejuvenate the bush, and its productivity will not decrease.

When is the best time to prune? It is early spring after the frosts have passed. You can prune later, but if you do it during the flowering period, the bush can be damaged, which will cause low yields.

Top dressing

Growing blueberries at home involves fertilizing. Moreover, it needs both organic and mineral fertilizers. Organics are applied every few years (for example, 3 kg of compost per 1 sq.m.). In general, you don't need to overfeed blueberries with organic fertilisers. It is better for the plant to carry out fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

Harvesting

As we have already mentioned, blueberries can give birth from July to the end of summer or even early September. The fruits most often do not ripen evenly, so they are harvested with a period of 5-10 days. Ripe berries are considered to be those that have changed color to dark purple. Ripe berries at 0 ° C can be stored for up to 6 weeks. To keep blueberries longer, take a glass jar and bake for a few hours in the oven. Berries need to be peeled and put in a container. Next, the jars are corked and filled with wax. Place the container in this form in a dark place - and the berries will be preserved for a long period of time.

Propagation of blueberries

Wherever you decide to plant blueberries: in the garden, in the garden, it is important to know how they reproduce.

By dividing a bush

Blueberries, which can be grown in Ukraine in any region, are most often propagated by dividing a bush. After harvesting in the fall, dig up the bush and divide it into several parts so that each has several buds. Next, simply plant each part as you would regular seedlings.

Cuttings

Blueberries, which are easy to grow, can also be propagated by cuttings. This method involves harvesting cuttings at the end of summer 5 cm long. Plant them on the site and cover with a film so that rooting occurs. Then they are placed in a nursery for rearing.

From seeds

How to grow blueberries from seeds? Firstly, for this you need to acquire seed material, which you can get yourself. Mash ripe berries and add water to the resulting gruel. As a result, empty seeds and particles of berries will float up, which must be drained. Seeds left at the bottom can be sown. Dry them and sow them in small pots with a substrate. In winter, seedlings are left at 5-10 ° C in a lighted room. In the spring they dive, and transplanted into the garden only a year later.

The benefits of blueberries

Most summer residents grow blueberries not only for the taste and aroma of berries. Many people know how useful they are for the body. Eating blueberries regularly can improve vision and relieve eye fatigue. Blueberries, whose bushes do not require complex care, are also useful for brain function. The berries contain iron, which is absorbed much faster than from drugs.

It is impossible not to mention the benefits of blueberry leaves. Their decoctions have an antiseptic and tonic effect. The leaves make a delicious tea with a pleasant taste. Brew 2 tablespoons in a cup of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. This tincture can not only be drunk, but also used to rinse the hair and moisturize the skin.

Garden blueberries: varieties

Reka is one of the popular varieties. It quickly adapts to growing conditions, produces tasty berries with a pleasant aroma, the bush grows quickly and is resistant to wet soil.
Blue Gold - grows up to 1.2 m with a lot of shoots, so they need careful care. The berries ripen in July-August and have a pleasant sweetish taste. The variety is resistant to diseases and severe frosts.
Spartan is a mid-season variety with large berries that have a pronounced aroma. The peculiarity of the variety is its frost resistance, but it is demanding on the composition of the soil.
Airlie Blue is an early variety that produces large fruits. This variety is popular among gardeners, because for a long period it bears fruit with a pleasant taste. It is possible to plant blueberries in the country, as well as for industrial purposes.
Toro - powerful bushes, grow up to 2 m. The berries are large, blue in color, have a small scar. It is easy to collect berries, as they are collected in brushes. The crop can be harvested in two steps.
Chandler - fruiting for 6 weeks and produces berries that reach the size of a cherry. Their taste is rich and pronounced. For this variety is so valuable among gardeners.
Chanticleer - a tall bush up to 1.6 m produces medium and large fruits with a light blue tint. The variety is frost-resistant, so the cultivation of blueberries in Ukraine is possible in any region. Berries are well stored, they can be transported over long distances.
Patriot - a bush can be up to 1 m high. Patriot blueberry planting is possible in any region of Ukraine, as it can withstand up to -30 °C. The variety gives fruits large, light blue in color, with a pleasant taste and aroma.
Elliot - variety bushes have more shoots, so they need regular care. Berries ripen at the end of summer, acquiring a rich dark color. The peculiarity of this variety in its flowering - in the spring you can enjoy the beautiful flowers of a pink hue.
Duke - a variety whose shoots and buds are frost-resistant.
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