How to Grow a Blueberry Bush

[Raech]

You can link to a blog. We cannot entice BYC members to a different poultry site.

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/blog/page/60 So here is the blog, I am really addicted to it and only 1/2 way through it.

 

[ronott1]

http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/blog/page/60 So here is the blog, I am really addicted to it and only 1/2 way through it.

Thanks!

It looks like a nice blog.

 

[sunflour]

Hey guys, guess I have caught the Blueberry Bug

Started with 3 and was gonna put in pots, but local independent garden shop had sooo many of the ones that grow well in GA..

Couldn't help but add to the grouping and now have 8 Rabbiteye Blueberry bushes several different early and mid blooming cultivars for cross pollination. And have a fenced garden I am converting into a Blueberry Garden!

Another dumb question: these are potted plants, not bare root. I know I need to remove any blooms and fruit at planting. Do I really need to prune the plants? I have read to prune off 1/3 height of the plants, but I don't want to. I'm thinking of just removing any low or weak looking areas and leave the rest to mother nature.

What do ya think?

 

[ronott1]

Hey guys, guess I have caught the Blueberry Bug

Started with 3 and was gonna put in pots, but local independent garden shop had sooo many of the ones that grow well in GA..

Couldn't help but add to the grouping and now have 8 Rabbiteye Blueberry bushes several different early and mid blooming cultivars for cross pollination. And have a fenced garden I am converting into a Blueberry Garden!

Another dumb question: these are potted plants, not bare root. I know I need to remove any blooms and fruit at planting. Do I really need to prune the plants? I have read to prune off 1/3 height of the plants, but I don't want to. I'm thinking of just removing any low or weak looking areas and leave the rest to mother nature.

What do ya think?

Good question!

Trimming some of the branches will make the roots grow faster.

 

[sunflour]

@ronott1 That's what the experts say, so I will take your advice and review the planting pruning.

Thanks for advice.

 

[Arielle]

Raech, love that masonry ladder. I have LOTS of ideas beyond blueberries running thru my head!! lol

WIld blueberries have more of some nutrients than the modern cultivars, so dont limit yourself to just the supersized berries. Personally I dont like the modern cultivars for flavor and will NOT buy them in the market. ONLY wild blueberries will do. From one source the Vitamin 17 is higher in wild types. So if this chemical can fight cancer I"m all for it. ( I dont beleive all the hype about the Vit 17 being poisonous at the levels I eat. Or the rabbit-- heehee, he should be dead based on those accounts. lol ) So I am pushing for more wild blueberries, as well as other berries.

Had a heated discussion over chokecherries with DH. He is a native tree expert compared to me but I didnt beleive him. HE says we have a typeof wild cherry but it is NOT the chokecherry. THough the cherry configuration is the same. ANd they taste just as bitter until fully ripe. Delicious rpe but puts on a pucker when bitter!! lol A quick snack in the fall when out in the woods. ( I havent died yet. lol)

 

[Raech]

Raech, love that masonry ladder. I have LOTS of ideas beyond blueberries running thru my head!! lol

WIld blueberries have more of some nutrients than the modern cultivars, so dont limit yourself to just the supersized berries. Personally I dont like the modern cultivars for flavor and will NOT buy them in the market. ONLY wild blueberries will do. From one source the Vitamin 17 is higher in wild types. So if this chemical can fight cancer I"m all for it. ( I dont beleive all the hype about the Vit 17 being poisonous at the levels I eat. Or the rabbit-- heehee, he should be dead based on those accounts. lol ) So I am pushing for more wild blueberries, as well as other berries.

Had a heated discussion over chokecherries with DH. He is a native tree expert compared to me but I didnt beleive him. HE says we have a typeof wild cherry but it is NOT the chokecherry. THough the cherry configuration is the same. ANd they taste just as bitter until fully ripe. Delicious rpe but puts on a pucker when bitter!! lol   A quick snack in the fall when out in the woods. ( I havent died yet. lol)

I ended up deciding on doing the blueberry bed with pvc, but I will be doing the masonry ladder over my new raised bed. It frosted lightly the other morning and got 1/2 of my plants outside. Hoping they come back, but I won't be caught with my pants down next year thats for sure, going to put greenhouse plastic over the ladders. It got my pumpkins, purple basil, peas, peans and my new walla walla sweet onions I had just bought. Was planing on the cucs going across the masonry this year, but my indoor cats keep pruning the 1 plant so it isn't doing so well.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: DANG!!! So sorry that the frost killed off so much. YOu might check out GOod will type places for old sheets and such, or light blankets. Great for tossing over plants ( with a littel support) to keep the spring frosts off the tender young un's. Or keep plastic milk jugs on hand. WIth bottom cut out of course. lol Hope you will replant!!!! Y ou have a longer growing season than I do-- we just planted watermelons to start them inside as they cannot go out until mid May. Though inside the mice have them for a snack!! lol Will see if we have caught all the furry buggers. Have moved to the snap trap as we have live caught some 5-6 and I am TIRED of them.

 

[Raech]

Freshly planted and waiting on bird netting.

 

[sunflour]

Got the Blueberry Patch planted this week.

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