If earlier blueberries could only be found in the forest, nowadays this berry is grown by many gardeners. The berry grows successfully even in the northern regions. The plant is considered quite unpretentious, and the crop brings annually. The first berries can be picked up three to four years after planting. If the blueberry is provided with competent care, the plant can survive up to several tens of years.
Selection of varieties for planting
Breeders have created many varieties of common blueberries for cultivation in the garden. All of them are divided into:
- Early ripening. The first berries are ready in early July. These include: Duke, Spartan, Stanley, Northblu, Bluetta.
- Mid-season please with berries in late July. These are Patriot, Toro, Elizabeth, Nelson, Rankosas, Bluegold.
- Late ripening ripen not earlier than the end of summer. Most in demand are Eliot, Gorbert, Jersey.
These are the best varieties of blueberries recommended by many gardeners. However, choosing a variety, you need to take into account many nuances: climatic conditions, features of the site, taste preferences.
Blueberries are short, medium and tall. For the northern territories, bushes of low growth are more suitable. Srednerosly grow in any climatic conditions.
To taste, the varieties are not divided, a lot depends on personal preferences. A variety of positive reviews from gardeners acquired a variety of Blyukrop because of large juicy fruits.
Seat selection
Blueberry prefers open terrain, protected from the winds. Shady territories will not suit her, on them the berries will turn out sour.
Blueberries feel great on peat soils with an acidity level of 3.5-4.5. Neutral and alkaline soils are not suitable, since the root structures of blueberries will not grow on them. Soil drainage is important for blueberries, swampiness will adversely affect the development of the bush. You can increase the acidity of the soil by adding citric acid (3 teaspoons per bucket of water).
Before planting, a pit is prepared with dimensions of 60 by 60 cm, to a depth of 60 cm. The walls need to be loosened - soil drainage will be better done.
A nutrient substrate consisting of sawdust, peat, needles, sand and sulfur is poured into the pit. All are thoroughly mixed and compacted.
Add manure and ash is not necessary, it is harmful to blueberries. The optimal interval between the bushes is one meter.
How to plant blueberries?
Gardeners do not grow berries from seeds, it is too troublesome occupation, suitable only for specialized nurseries. It’s easier to plant a plant with a seedling.
You can buy seedlings from experienced gardeners or in nurseries. When buying, you need to carefully examine the future bush. It should not be damaged by diseases and insects. The most successful survival are seedlings with a closed root system, they are sold in pots.
It is better to plant ordinary blueberries in spring. With summer planting, there is a risk that the plant does not have time to take root.
How to plant blueberries? When planting a seedling, adhere to the following algorithm:
- The container, where the seedling is located, is lowered into the water for 15 minutes.
- The soil around the seedling is gently kneaded. The roots must be handled carefully.
- The plant is buried in the soil by 5 cm.
- The earth is watered, the bush is mulched with sawdust.
Then you need to carry out competent and regular care for blueberries, and then the plant will bring good harvests.
Care Activities
It will not be difficult for an experienced gardener to grow blueberries, because caring for her is about the same as for other crops.
Watering blueberries is performed carefully so as not to flood the plant. It is important to prevent stagnation of water in the area. Timely watering is needed especially during the appearance of flowers and berries.
A couple of weeks after planting, the bush can be fed. Blueberry nutrition is carried out with mineral compounds of phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen. After fertilizing, the bushes are watered. The following year, blueberries are fertilized in April and June. With organics, do not overdo it.
The best feeding of blueberries is considered to be sour peat. If there is no peat mixture available, you can mix in the ground rotted coniferous litter. Trunk circles mulch him.
Caring for blueberries implies regular cultivation of the earth under the bushes. This must be done three times per season. Too often loosening is not necessary so as not to destroy the roots.
The trunk circle is mulched with a layer of 12 cm. This will help the blueberry survive the hot summers and frosty winters. For mulching, sawdust, needles, peat, oak leaves are suitable. You can refresh the layer a couple of times per season.
Pruning begins no earlier than the sixth year. Dead and diseased branches are removed. Trimming is best when winter and spring. The undergrowth is removed, the bush should not thicken much, this will help prevent fungal infections.
In severe winters, blueberries are covered with non-woven material or sawdust.
Breeding bushes
If the cultivation of berries on the site was successful, you can begin to propagate it. This is done in two ways:
- Cuttings. One of the best options. Harvesting of shoots should begin in autumn or winter. The shoots are lowered into a bag and placed in a cold, dark place. In spring, shoots are cut into cuttings 20 cm in length and rooted in a sand-peat mixture. Cuttings can be planted in the soil in the fall, starting in September.
- Layering. The method can be applied at a time when the plant is already preparing for bed.
The lower branches bend and fall asleep with nutritious soil. Top cover with a film. In spring, layering can be landed on a permanent place. It is important to ensure that the roots reach a sufficient size.
Disease and Pest Prevention
To protect the bushes from pests and diseases, you need to take a number of measures:
- In spring, the bushes are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid and a solution of polycarbacin.
- With the appearance of leaves, the bushes are treated with any fungicide treatment, repeated three times.
- After harvesting, fungicide treatment is done again.
- The last treatment is carried out before the onset of winter.
Possible diseases
Common blueberries are rarely affected by disease. Of the possible diseases that occur:
- Stem cancer. The disease is caused by a fungus. First, brown spots appear on the branches, which increase and cover all the shoots and leaves. The disease can cause complete loss of the bush. To prevent it, it is important to prevent waterlogging of the soil under blueberries and do not plant bushes too close to each other. From the spots that appear, a solution of "Topsin" and "Euparen" will help.
- Gray rot. Also a fungal infection. The disease captures the entire bush, starting with reddish spots that gradually brighten. To combat rot, Bordeaux fluid is needed.
- Moniliosis. Fungal disease, dangerous for the bush and fruits. It manifests itself in the drying out of berries and other parts of the blueberry bush. From moniliosis effective Bordeaux fluid.
- Physalosporosis. The disease usually affects branches in late summer. First there are spots that next year turn into wounds. From the disease, foundationazole, Bordeaux fluid, helps.
- White spotting. Leaves hit white spots, gradually leaves fall off. It is important to burn diseased foliage and change the mulch. Bordeaux fluid helps with spotting.
There are also viral diseases. As a rule, there are no methods of dealing with them; one has to eradicate plantings.
Pests
Parasitic insects tend to bypass the blueberries. This cannot but please its owner.
The gardener should observe that pine silkworm caterpillars are not wound up in the bushes . They weave a web and reduce the yield of bushes, using greens and buds for food.
Danger can be represented by scale insects and aphids. It is enough to manually collect butterflies from the bushes. If this does not help, you can apply chemicals. Spraying is necessary after the harvest.
Birds really like blueberries, for them this is a real treat. Garden scarecrows will help protect the landing from birds. You can hang bright ribbons on the branches that will scare away the birds.
These simple measures for the care of blueberry bushes will help to grow a good berry crop on your site.