How to Grow a Blueberry Bush

[vehve]

Trees tend to make wonderful firewood

And your fruits would grow.

 

[Arielle]

As promised, a few pictures. The first two are taken 50 meters from our house. The second picture shows a spot where trees have been cleared a bit maybe 5 years ago, the first one is 20 meters from that spot and at least here, the blueberries don't seem to like too much light. Here the blueberries do ok, but nothing spectacular. Lingonberries don't really grow here.


In this next picture you can see a super productive patch of forest. Last year it was difficult to get the dogs to walk through here, they just stopped to fill themselves all the time. This is about half a kilometer from our house. It's slightly sloped here, so I think the added drainage might be a factor in the magical seeming growth. Here you get about a 10:1 mix of blueberries to lingonberries growing.

Here in Finland you could just buy some of this stuff on rolls, just like they sell pre-grown lawns.

THis is VERY lovely-- Even the bright green ground cover is a bright gem in the forest. Lots of niches where different things are happenening.

I do like a bit of wood myself as I much prefer the outdoors to the city. And I think maybe different varieties are adapted to different areas. THe best blueberries as in biggest and plumpest were the bushes a bit under a larger bush that took all the heat. So that is a good point to keep in mind-- I hadn't really given it much thought. We are clearing land but to us that means removing 3/4 of the trees or less-- usually less, lol as we like the natural cool shade and hte animals do to. WIth the increaseing temps I Think the trees will be more and more important. BUt I also need the fruit bushes and the grasses to feed the livestock-- or atleast that is my plan as I dont have pasture yet-- trying to create a rough pasture using a variety of vegetation.

 

[LindaB220]

As promised, a few pictures. The first two are taken 50 meters from our house. The second picture shows a spot where trees have been cleared a bit maybe 5 years ago, the first one is 20 meters from that spot and at least here, the blueberries don't seem to like too much light. Here the blueberries do ok, but nothing spectacular. Lingonberries don't really grow here.


In this next picture you can see a super productive patch of forest. Last year it was difficult to get the dogs to walk through here, they just stopped to fill themselves all the time. This is about half a kilometer from our house. It's slightly sloped here, so I think the added drainage might be a factor in the magical seeming growth. Here you get about a 10:1 mix of blueberries to lingonberries growing.

Here in Finland you could just buy some of this stuff on rolls, just like they sell pre-grown lawns.

That is amazing. I live in souther US in Louisiana deep south. I have a big mulberry tree but nothing else. I'd love to have a roll of that.

 

[chickadoodles]

That is amazing. I live in souther US in Louisiana deep south. I have a big mulberry tree but nothing else. I'd love to have a roll of that.

I am in Alabama, USA and I would love to get my hands on some of that greenery! But likely it would not grow here.....

lol

 

[vehve]

The grass is always greener...

I'd like to be able to grow citrus fruits, and to have a longer growth period than 4-5 months. And I'm used to the scenery. I often wonder when abroad, if foreign people think of our vistas as I do when watching grapevines in Italy or the Great Wall climbing around mountains in China.

 

[LindaB220]

Here's a link to show how Mike does thousands at a time. He puts it in very course sand (not playground) after dipping in root grower.

http://backyardgrowers.com/root-10000-cuttings-at-one-time/

I took his course but became interested in chickens instead. Bad me.

 

[Arielle]

Here's a link to show how Mike does thousands at a time. He puts it in very course sand (not playground) after dipping in root grower.

http://backyardgrowers.com/root-10000-cuttings-at-one-time/

I took his course but became interested in chickens instead. Bad me.

THanks LInda!! I read the whole thing and was seriously thinking of buying but there is no way I can swing that kind of money this year. lol I sure thought about it though.

Can someone suggest what kind of "soil" I need to use for rooting?? I have an unused sandbox of coarse crushed ( sharp) sand. a BIG OLD compost pile . . . HELP!!

When clearing brush today I noticed what had grown in over the last 2 years is BLUEBERRIES. THe biggest berries were on those bushes that were in the shade of a taller shrub.


I have ordered some more fruit trees and realize that on the west slope I need to set the trees a bit from the tree line. Which will leave 20-40feet of area available for those berry plants that are ok with the morning shade. Planning is a bear.

 

[Arielle]

The grass is always greener...

I'd like to be able to grow citrus fruits, and to have a longer growth period than 4-5 months. And I'm used to the scenery. I often wonder when abroad, if foreign people think of our vistas as I do when watching grapevines in Italy or the Great Wall climbing around mountains in China.

I cannot grow citrus here but the list is very long of what will grow here. I have traveled but I prefer to stay home now--

 

[chickadoodles]

I need to find some more sweet berries for my zone. Problem is I don't know enough about them to know which are sour, tart or sweet. Can anyone help me? I'm in Alabama. Thanks

 

[Arielle]

After looking at a number of websites that well "fruit trees" I have noticed some definitely put a great deal into the descriptions and others skim the basics. So far WIllis has the greatest detail on all the berries and fruit. Not meaing you have to purchase from Willis, but just get the deeper description from them and apply it to a named fruit from another source.

Chokecherry is very tart. CHerries are usually listed as sour or sweet so that is easy. Beyond that I am useless.

I did a lot of reading on stark bros and thought they too had supper detail on the flavor of the berries. ANd noted if they could be eaten out of hte hand or needed to be cookwed with sugar. .