Now every gardener wants to surprise others and neighbors with something unusual, grown on his site. If you have a blueberry “patriot,” the variety of which is described in this article, your neighbors will definitely not remain indifferent. Everyone will ask you for a stalk. There is nothing complicated in growing this plant, simple nuances will provide you with a high yield and excellent taste of berries.
Grade description
To everyone who begins to be interested in such a plant as blueberries "patriot", a description of the variety, reviews can tell a lot and help make a decision. If you are still in doubt whether you want to see this beauty on your site, read in more detail with the characteristics.
The variety is mid-season; ripening occurs in the middle of July. Depending on the region, these dates may vary slightly. The plant is perennial, in height can reach even two meters. The bush is not very branched, its stems are predominantly rectilinear. In spring, it is covered with beautiful flowers, and in the fall it has a very decorative color. Due to this property it is used for decorative purposes.
Useful properties of the plant
Blueberries "patriot" (description of the variety, features, reviews about the berry literally beckon to plant it on the site) has not only decorative properties, but also a number of other useful characteristics. Its berries perfectly remove toxins and decay products, which is caused by the presence of natural anthocyanins in them. Also in the fruits of this plant there are necessary elements that stimulate the digestive process, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, have a beneficial effect on the work of the heart.
Blueberry variety “patriot”, berries with sourness which do not leave anyone indifferent, is very useful for pregnant women. After all, it is in it that there is such a necessary folic acid, as well as elagic acid.
Blueberries are also very useful for people with visual impairment. If you work at a computer for a long time, then you just need to periodically include these berries in your diet. But with peptic ulcer, you need to be very careful about the use of these fruits.
Tasty fresh blueberry fruits have a beneficial effect on the human body and contribute to increased immunity.
Choosing a place to land
Blueberry "patriot" (description of the variety, reviews, the planting of which sometimes just push it to start on its site) has its own characteristics of agricultural technology. These include the choice of planting location and soil. Most of all, this shrub will like a sunny place, protected from the winds.
As for the choice of soil, the acidic composition is best for blueberries. If the acidity is insufficient, then the yield will be poor. With a large discrepancy in acidity, the bush may stop growing altogether. However, if the acidity index is above 3.7, then the plant may begin to hurt, or even die.
When choosing a place for planting blueberries, you need to choose a not very waterlogged place. Also, ground water should not get too close to the soil.
Landing and care
Description and cultivation of the patriot blueberry variety does not cause any difficulties. Two-year-old seedlings are preferably planted in rows or individually. After the landing site is determined, you should dig a hole about 70 cm deep. The distance between the bushes should reach 1.5 meters. This distance is necessary for the plant to develop normally.
Before planting blueberries in a hole, you need to fill the last with certain materials, the type of which will depend on the type of your soil. If sand prevails in the soil, it is better to put clay at the bottom. Shredded moss is also good as a supplement. If the acidity of the soil is very weak, then irrigation water with dissolved organic acid can be used.
After planting new plants, the soil around them needs to be mulched. This will protect against drying out and will also inhibit weed propagation. A layer of mulch is made at least 7-9 centimeters. As the mulch decays, it needs to be updated.
Growing in hot climates
Blueberries are a "patriot", planting and caring for which under normal conditions are not difficult, in hot climates, needs additional attention. In conditions of extreme heat and drought, plant bushes should be sprayed daily. Several times during the season, it is recommended to loosen the soil.
Bush pruning
Blueberry "patriot" (a description of the variety is given in this article) needs periodic pruning of the bush. This enables him not only to have a neat appearance, but also to heal, to get rid of diseased branches. Also, during trimming, it is recommended to remove old and broken branches. This is best done in spring or in winter. If you do not remove the old branches, then the distribution of nutrients will occur incorrectly, which can adversely affect the crop.
Blueberry propagation
Blueberry "patriot" (the variety description is given above) can perfectly reproduce in several ways. First of all, seed material is suitable for this. You can also use lignified cuttings or divide the root system.
To select high-quality seed material, you need to pour crushed berries with a glass of water. Good seeds will immediately settle to the bottom. They can immediately be collected and dropped off in containers of sand. However, this method did not earn much trust among gardeners, since the plants obtained in this way can begin to bear fruit only after 6-7 years.
The following breeding method is considered more successful. Several low-growing branches are bent to the ground and sprinkled with sawdust or earth. As a rule, after a couple of years, such a branch has its roots, and this bush can already begin to bear fruit. However, for this it is previously separated from the mother plant.
Blueberry disease
Diseases of the Patriot blueberry in some cases can carry a significant danger and even lead to the death of a bush. To avoid this, timely preventive measures must be taken.
Very often among blueberry diseases, moniliosis occurs. In appearance, it looks like frostbite of some parts of the bush. In this case, the affected parts must be cut and burned to avoid further spread of the outbreak.
If red swelling began to appear on young shoots - this is an occasion to sound the alarm. These symptoms can signal the appearance of physalosporosis. The disease is characterized in that it has a tremendous spread rate. Control measures are quite dramatic - cutting and burning the bush.
Blueberry "patriot" (a description of the variety is presented in this article) may also be affected by gray rot. The disease is quite dangerous, often the bush is completely destroyed. There is a possibility of rehabilitation, but this process is long and troublesome, and no one gives a full guarantee of success. Nevertheless, if the disease is noticed in time, then there are still good chances to cure it.
Blueberry Wintering
Blueberries are winter-hardy plants and can withstand frosts to minus thirty degrees! However, in snowless winters, the probability of freezing of bushes is very high. In order to prevent this point, it is necessary to start preparing your bush for the winter in advance. Twigs must be neatly tied and bent to the ground until the first frost. As soon as a stable minus temperature is established, the plant is covered with burlap or other similar material. However, polyethylene should not be used.
According to the reviews of experienced gardeners, for the winter, the base of the blueberry bush is better to further protect. A mixture of peat and sawdust is well suited for this purpose. If snow falls, it will serve as additional protection against freezing and the plant should winter well.
Micronutrient deficiency
The appearance of blueberries can tell the gardener exactly what trace elements the plant needs. If you began to notice that the leaves on the bush began to fade or even turn yellow, and the yield dropped significantly, then the plant lacks nitrogen. But if the leaves begin to blacken and die, then there is a high probability of a potassium deficiency. With a lack of magnesium, a red fringe may appear on the leaves.
Often gardeners in their reviews complain that a grid of green and yellow veins begins to appear on the leaves of blueberries. This may be the result of a banal lack of iron. But the appearance of bluish leaves on the top should really beware: this is a lack of boron, which can have quite serious consequences.
The lack of certain trace elements negatively affects not only the appearance of the bush, but also its fertility and vitality. Strong exhaustion should not be allowed, because due to the lack of one or another microelement you can not only not get the desired crop, but also destroy the plant. To avoid trouble, you need to timely feed and make the necessary preparations in the soil. Timely preventive measures will be the key to a good harvest and a healthy garden.