How to Grow a Blueberry Bush

[Arielle]

Arielle, many of the wild low bush blueberry in your "neck of the woods" has a pretty good quality berry. They will grow well in partial shade but produce better with more sun. It is not uncommon for these wild patches to be lightly managed. I would gently open it up, and allow more sun in.
You can prune the high bush to a more manageable height. Also prune out the oldest canes. This will invigorate the bush, encouraging it to put out more shoots. The bush will be more productive for it.

I grow a number of varieties, and have a lot of plants. Approximately 200 plants, but half are still in pots. In the southeast we grow rabbiteye blueberries, and southern highbush.

Some rabbit eye varieties sucker profusely, and they can be dug and potted in the winter. High bush will also, but much less profusely. Still stealing a sucker here and there, will add a few ore plants.

You can take hardwood cuttings, and some do. They are not easy. Softwood cuttings under mist is best, but that set up encourages and is best suited for large volumes.

The low bush varieties are easier to layer than the others.

We have a wild low bush variety, but the fruit quality is poor. I had wanted to cross a northern low bush, and our southern low bush. The challenge is tat we do not get enough chill hours. What I need is the pollen. I can manually pollinate the flowers, but I do not think I could get the northern low bush to flower here. What I have liked about the southern low bush, is their drought resistance and ability to thrive in poor soils.
Rabbit eye blueberries are natives, but you only run across a bush with good fruit every now and then.

I would prune the higbush, baby them, and steal a few suckers. Also let some sun get to the lowbush. Obviously they will be very low maintenance.

Hi George!!

Wow-- I didnt know you were gifted with plants too!! Wonderful!

I would gladly send you some pollen in the spring if that is what you need!! Just tell me what I am looking for-- I rarely see the flowers but perhaps I'm just not looking at the right time as I'm more interested in the berries!!

Yes, thriving in poor soil seems to be the mainstain of the Maine blueberries and the scortching sun beating down as my mother and I pick in the afternoon heat . . . .never to be forgotten.

I did grab a few suckers off the tall blueberry as it was useless to let them continue growing just to add to the dense number of stems. Will be hard to thin out because of that-- will have a look and see how to remove some over time. THis bush is past production for the year. Would be nice to have it down to my level again--

I do prefer the wild berrries even if small. I'm really after the B17 and the old style wild berries that it is found in. THe new cultivars have bred out the bitterness which is a clue to the B17 content. Now regarding the blueberries specifically, I am assuming they have some B17. Certainly the chokecherry is VERY BITTER and has a high concentration. My mother and I made the most wonderful jam with the chokecherries. A number of the small trees grow on her property. I digress . . . . will make a point of stopping in to see the blue berry barrens where we used to pick-- sure hope it hasn't fallen to the construction boom. I'm planning to steal a few berries or cuttings.

 

[chickadoodles]

I have just been reading up on growing berries and found that while I am sprouting and rooting them I can add 2 tbsp of vinegar to 1 gal. of water to make the soil more acidic for them. And how to prepare the soil when I get either raised beds or put them in pots.

 

[chickadoodles]

Thank you Arielle for posting that post from gjensen. I need to find some rabbiteye blueberry and southern blueberry bushes. Since I am also in the south.

 

[Arielle]

Rabbit eye blueberries are new to me!!

Anyone have teaberry?? That is what we call a very short 2" and shorter plant that is a woody stem, wide waxy oval leaves, usually 2-3 leaves, and a big bright red berry that hang under the leaves. THe inside of the berry is a spongy white. We call it teaberry but it is likely to have other names.

Both berries and leafs are edible, and have the same flavor thought the leaves are a more intense and lasting flavor.

IT seems to like poor soils, in the understory. not full sun for sure.

Maybe is is a NEw England plant.

 

[gjensen]

I have just been reading up on growing berries and found that while I am sprouting and rooting them I can add 2 tbsp of vinegar to 1 gal. of water to make the soil more acidic for them. And how to prepare the soil when I get either raised beds or put them in pots.

It is best to have an acidic growing medium with good drainage. Composted fine bark fines is best. Peat moss mixed is second.It helps to water with water that does not have too high of a ph. City water can very from 6.5 to 7.5 etc. Deep wells can be similar, and shallow wells more acidic. I would want to know what my water's ph is. Not that you cannot use it, but it helps to know where you re going. Rainwater is best for getting them started, if you can. I add sulfur to my planting beds once per year. Over the years the composting mulch's ph tends to neutralize, and my water is neutral. The leaves will tell on you.

Even though they like a moist growing medium, they cannot stand soggy.

Raised beds depends on your soil type, and water table. What kind of soil do you have and where do you live?

 

[chickadoodles]

Rabbit eye blueberries are new to me!!

Anyone have teaberry?? That is what we call a very short 2" and shorter plant that is a woody stem, wide waxy oval leaves, usually 2-3 leaves, and a big bright red berry that hang under the leaves. THe inside of the berry is a spongy white. We call it teaberry but it is likely to have other names.

Both berries and leafs are edible, and have the same flavor thought the leaves are a more intense and lasting flavor.

IT seems to like poor soils, in the understory. not full sun for sure.

Maybe is is a NEw England plant.

I have not heard of a teaberry. Most of our property is full sun except the fence line and one spot of pines in the middle back bottom. We only have wild blackberries. Sorry.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: I am in Alabama in the middle of the black belt. We have prarie soil heavy clay and a high water table. We are on well water our well is 250' deep. I have a ph tester that I got from TSC hoping to use it on the blueberries. I do appreciate your helpful advice so much. Thank you.

 

[gjensen]

Thank you Arielle for posting that post from gjensen. I need to find some rabbiteye blueberry and southern blueberry bushes. Since I am also in the south.

I prefer the rabbiteyes for vigor, and low maintenance. There are some varieties with good fruit, and they are very productive. They also (on average) tolerate a wider selection of growing conditions. They are native to the south, and I tend to prefer natives. Southern Highbush can have excellent fruit, on average they are less vigorous, and tey are hybrids between northern highbush and misc. low chill our blueberry relatives. I do have highbush, and love them. They just require more preparation (in my experience). In fact I would recommend growing them in composted pine bark. They require more water to.

 

[gjensen]

I am in Alabama in the middle of the black belt. We have prarie soil heavy clay and a high water table. We are on well water our well is 250' deep. I have a ph tester that I got from TSC hoping to use it on the blueberries. I do appreciate your helpful advice so much. Thank you.

If you have clay, I would dig the bed out. Removing the material, and replacing it with a mix. I would bed it, but the bed would be to contain the acidic mulch. Blueberry roots are shallow, and you will find them growing their hairy roots in the composting bedding. They are not bog plants, nor are the highland plants. In the wild they tend to be found at the edges, or transition zones. What is your normal chill hours?

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: Thank you so much gjensen. I will pick up some rabbiteye's this fall. And I guess I will pass on the Southern Highbush. I also like natives and try to find them.