Blueberries
Overview
Blueberries are very attractive landscape plants with beautiful fall foliage colors. They seem relatively slow to come into their mature fruitful size, which for northern Highbush blueberries can be 6'-8' in height and six years of age. Although blueberry plants are sold in numerous local nurseries and by catalog nurseries, they are a very challenging fruit for the Ohio gardener. The single greatest growing challenge is their love and absolute need for extremely acidic soil pH, preferring 4.5 to 4.8!
Ongoing Management
Insect & Disease Control
Several insects can cause damage to blueberries. They include spotted wing drosophila, blueberry tip borer, plum curculio, cranberry fruit worm and cherry fruit worm.
In addition, blueberries are susceptible to several diseases, including mummy berry, powdery mildew, twig blights, botrytis blossom blight, leaf spots and cane gall. Sanitation, proper siting, and chemicals labeled for the problem and the crop provide adequate control.
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Culture
The first year, remove blossoms to stimulate and invigorate vegetative growth and consequently root production. In addition, prune young bare-root plants by removing any broken canes, damaged canes and small side branches. Cut back the top third of the remaining single stem canes. In the next couple years, continue to remove any damaged or crossing canes. In the fourth year, begin selective pruning which involves removing one-third of the oldest stems and cutting out any dead wood, crossing canes, weak or spindly branches and suckers.
As fruit is developing, sizing and ripening, the plants require 1 "-1 ½" of water, whether by precipitation or supplemental watering. The use of drip irrigation or soaker hoses is an extremely economical way to water plants and does not cause unnecessary leaf wetness and humidity around the planting.
Before harvesting the berries, taste a few to check for ripeness. Some cultivars have berries that appear to be the correct deep blue color for ripeness but are still quite tart and not fully ripe. Also, there are some pink-colored blueberries now on the market.
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Fertilization
To fertilize blueberries, use an acidifying fertilizer like ammonium sulfate, and regularly apply it to the planting. Suitable fertilizers include elemental sulfur, aluminum sulfate or products recommended for camellias, azaleas or rhododendrons. Manures are not recommended to fertilize blueberries because they are alkaline.
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Watering
A 3" - 4" layer of wood chip mulch will maintain appropriate soil moisture levels and prevent weeds. Because of blueberries' shallow root system, hand pull weeds instead of tilling or hoeing. Supplemental watering is also important to produce a satisfactory harvest.
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Pruning / Cutting Back
See also, Fact Sheet HYG-1430, Pruning Blueberries in the Home Garden.
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Integrated Pest & Pollinator Mgmt Notes
Several insects can cause damage to blueberries. They include spotted wing drosophila, blueberry tip borer, plum curculio, cranberry fruit worm and cherry fruit worm.
In addition, blueberries are susceptible to several diseases, including mummy berry, powdery mildew, twig blights, botrytis blossom blight, leaf spots and cane gall. Sanitation, proper siting, and chemicals labeled for the problem and the crop provide adequate control.
Getting Started
Blueberries grow naturally in sandy to loam soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.2. The soil must be moist, yet well-drained during most of the growing season. These requirements present challenges for Ohio gardeners with the state's prominence of heavy clay soils.
One solution is raised beds filled with an appropriate mix of growing media to provide the desired acidity and drainage. Mix native soil with peat moss or other composted organic matter in a ratio of three parts soil to one part organic matter. Be sure to take a soil sample One solution is raised beds filled with an appropriate mix of growing media to provide the desired acidity and drainage. Mix native soil with peat moss or other composted organic matter in a ratio of three parts soil to one part organic matter. Be sure to take a soil sample and send it to be tested at a qualified soil testing facility. Follow any recommendations made or apply any amendments to the soil in the fall previous to planting the blueberries. Eliminate any guesswork regarding existing soil nutrients or any lack thereof, and determine the trends of the soil pH to move up, down or remain the same. Always take a soil sample and use the soil test as a guide before applying any lime, sulfur or fertilizers.
Plant two varieties for cross-pollination and greater plant productivity. Space plants about four feet apart, except for ‘Berkeley,’ which should be planted five feet apart.
Another option is to grow blueberries in containers filled with an acidic soil mix (e.g., an azalea soil mix). Several dwarf varieties are especially well suited for container gardening.
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Selection of Cultivars
There are multiple types of blueberries, including, rabbiteye, southern highbush, northern highbush, lowbush and half-high (northern highbush x lowbush) hybrids. Only northern highbush and half-high blueberries are recommended for growing in Ohio. A list of specific named cultivars is found in Fact Sheet HYG-1422, Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden.
More Information
Books and Papers
- Controlling Diseases and Insects in Home Fruit Plantings, by The Ohio State University Extension
Web Sites
- Fact Sheet HYG-1422, Growing Blueberries in the Home Garden
- Fact Sheet HYG-1430, Pruning Blueberries in the Home Garden
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