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Were you aware that the blueberry you know today originated in the 20th century? Finding these native Americans in the wild was the only way to enjoy them before the turn of the 20th century. Later on, researchers began to uncover the mysteries behind blueberry cultivation, and to everyone's relief, they succeeded.
Small to medium-sized bushes called blueberries (Vaccinium) are an eye-catching and useful addition to any garden. They have delicious, dark blue fruits in the summer, little white bell-shaped flowers in the spring, and beautiful colours of yellow, red, and purple on their leaves in the autumn. When the berries begin to mature, cover them with netting or cultivate plants in a fruit cage since birds also like the berries.
Blueberry Planting Guide
Here's how you can grow blueberries in your backyard:
Planting Period
The ideal blueberry bushes to choose from are those that are two to three years old and have bare roots. Older plants require several years to start yielding substantial harvests because they experience more transplant shock. Planting blueberry bushes is usually done in the early to mid-spring.
Suitable Planting Site
Choose a location that gets full light yet is protected from windy gusts. Refrain from planting near tall trees or bushes that might obstruct sunlight or compete with them for nutrients and moisture in the soil. Verify that the planting location has adequate soil drainage. To maintain your planting hole's soil loose, acidic, and well-drained, you may use some peat moss. Gardeners can also cultivate blueberries in containers that receive enough sunlight and moisture.
Efficient Spacing And Depth And Full Light
To provide for ample harvesting area, blueberry plants should be positioned in rows four to five feet apart, with consecutive rows spaced nine to ten feet apart. When dealing with bare-root plants, make sure the root ball is no deeper than 1/2 inch below the surface of the ground by spreading the roots out into a hole that has been made and covered with dirt. Plant blueberries in containers at the same depth as they were in the nursery pot. Since blueberry bushes are hardy plants, they usually don't require any kind of support system.
For optimal growth and fruiting, blueberry bushes require full light. This entails getting at least six to eight hours a day in direct sunshine.
Acidic Soil
Blueberries require extremely acidic soil (pH 4.0 to 5) to be cultivated. Additionally, they thrive on soil that is high in organic matter. Blueberries can thrive better on raised beds where you can regulate the pH and soil composition if your garden has a lot of clay soil. Dense clay soil is not as good as sandy soil.
Sufficient Watering
Make sure to water the plants deeply at least once a week. Because of their weak roots, blueberries require at least a few inches of water each week—more in dry spells. To guarantee that your plants receive constant watering, you may also install an automated irrigation system.
Ideal Temperature
Depending on the species, blueberry plants have different temperature needs. The classic highbush varieties like cold, humid winters, while some varieties cannot withstand below-freezing temperatures. The majority of kinds like shielding from arid winds.
Ammonium Sulphate Fertiliser
Your blueberries should not be fertilised in the first year. Until the plants become established, the roots are susceptible to salt. After a year of planting, you can begin feeding your blueberries depending on two primary indicators: the opening of the flower buds and the formation of berries. To prevent weeds from consuming soil nutrients instead of your blueberry bushes, remove weeds regularly. Typically, blueberries are fertilised using ammonium sulphate rather than aluminium sulphur.
