Blueberry It has long been known in our area, but not everyone risks cultivating it. Some gardeners believe that the trouble with the plant more than the resulting crop. Others do not know how to grow it. We hope this material will help everyone to properly cultivate the plant.
Blueberry: description of the plant
Blueberry - It is a shrub that some biologists consider to be a vaccinium genus. It also includes blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries. Blueberries have a fibrous root system without root hairs. She has green shoots, which then transform into cylindrical erect branches covered with brown or dark gray bark. The leaves of the plant are hard, small, smooth, whole, with the edges curved down, reaching 3 cm in length. Their upper part due to the wax coating is shiny, bluish-green hue, and the lower is light streaked.
Five-serrated flowers with a white or pinkish corolla. It stretches up to 6 cm in length, has 8-10 stamens, which appear on the tops of two-year branches by several pieces. The bush grows to a meter, but some varieties are drawn up to two.
Did you know? Blueberry, ordinary or undersized, swamp, marsh - deciduous shrub. Most often grows in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The fruits of the plant are oblong, blue with a bluish bloom, reaching a length of 12 mm. The pulp of berries is greenish. On average, the weight of one berry is 10 grams, but some species produce large fruits that weigh up to 25 grams. In this case, one bush can be removed up to 10 kg.
However, not all varieties are suitable for growing in our strip. There are varieties of early, middle and late maturation. In our latitudes, it is recommended to take the first two, since the latter does not have time to ripen by about 30 percent.
Choosing a place to plant blueberries
Planting and care for blueberries begin with the right choice of place for shrubs. For him it is necessary to determine a sunny, well-lit place, and light partial shade is permissible, but then the berries will be more acidic. Make sure that the groundwater does not pass close to the landing site. They should flow at a depth of one meter or more. It is desirable that the place is not blown by the winds.
Did you know? The plant has also national names: tit, blue grape, fool, pigeon, gonobobel, drunkard and others. Often people complained of a headache after its use. But researchers argue that the problem is not in blueberries, but in the ledum, which often turns out to be its satellite plant. The berries themselves are very helpful.
Blueberries are planted in spring or autumn, but spring planting is preferable. During the summer, the plant survives on the site and becomes resistant to frost.
Soil requirements
In order for blueberries to get acclimatized well on the plot, it needs a suitable soil composition. Ideally planted in sandy or peaty soils, which are slightly acidic or acidic. Clay soil can also be used, but then there should be good drainage under the bush. If the soil in your garden is completely different, you can create a plot with such conditions manually.
Important! For planting it is recommended to take seedlings in containers or pots, that is, with a closed root system. However, when planting, even with an earthy clod, care must be taken not to damage the fragile roots. In addition, the roots themselves do not take root with the earthy clod. Capacity should be lowered for 15 minutes in the water, and then get a lump with a seedling and gently knead it to straighten the roots.
The plant does not like its predecessors, so the soil for blueberries should be kept under steam for several years before planting. Before planting, they dig it up with organic and mineral fertilizers. It is desirable to hold this event in the fall, if the landing is scheduled for spring.
Plot breakdown
A good crop of berries harvested those gardeners who know how to properly plant blueberries. Planted in rows, which extend from north to south. So the bushes will receive the maximum amount of light. The distance between them depends on the type of plant: tall should live at a distance of a meter - one and a half from each other, and short people - about 60 cm. But if you plan to grow it on an industrial scale, make a distance of at least two meters. In this case, between the rows will be able to pass a special technique.
Important! It is desirable to decide on a grade in advance. And in the decision it is necessary to build on the characteristics of the climate where it is planned to grow it. So, if it grows in a cool zone, the Canadian short-growing variety will get accustomed well. In regions with a long hot summer, garden blueberries will give a good harvest. If you do not guess the ripening period, all your cares for plant care may be in vain.
Planting and breeding blueberries
Blueberries are planted in the ground, usually in spring, before the buds swell. But seedlings are mined in various ways: seed, cuttings, branches, dividing the bush.
Planting Blueberry Seeds
Growing blueberry seeds is probably the most time consuming method. They are harvested in the fall from full-fledged healthy berries. After collecting the fruits are dried and sown in the beds for the cultivation of seedlings. It should be sour peat soil.
During the spring planting, the seeds must first be hardened and their immunity improved. To do this, they are subjected to stratification. - keep three months in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment with access to air. They are also planted in the beds to a depth of a centimeter, and sprinkled on top of a mixture of sand and peat in the ratio of 3: 1.
Now for the seeds need careful care. They should germinate at a humidity of 40% and an air temperature of 23-25 ºC. Remove weeds regularly. Loosen the soil, water enough. The first feeding can be done only one year after sowing the seeds. The seedling is ready for planting in open ground in two years, and will begin to bear fruit in about eight.
Reproduction of blueberry cuttings
Much faster and safer to grow blueberries from cuttings. Cut them in the fall, after the plant has dropped the leaves, or in the spring before sap flow. Take root cuttings 8 - 15 cm long. The thicker the cutting, the faster the roots will form. In order for them to settle down faster, they are first kept in a cool place at a temperature of 1-5 ºC. Then they must be planted in a mixture of peat and sand (1: 3), and sprinkled on top of it by another 5 cm. Insert the cuttings into the substrate obliquely. Saplings for planting in open ground also develop within two years.
Did you know? As a rule, blueberry is cultivated, which grows in a cool and temperate climate. But there is still a high garden blueberries, which are grown mainly in America. However, American and Canadian breeders succeeded in breeding hybrid varieties, which are now grown in our country, but in the southern regions.
The method of dividing the bush
You can get new blueberry seedlings by dividing the bush. For this, they dig it up and divide it into pieces, each of which must have roots at least 5 cm in length. The planting of new seedlings is carried out immediately. Such bushes, as well as those planted by cutting, begin to bear fruit after four years.
Reproduction blueberry layering
Blueberry seedlings can be obtained and layering, but it is a long and unproductive process. To do this, take a long branch of a bush, bend to the ground and in the place where they are in contact, sprinkled with sawdust. They take root in about two to three years. Then the branch is separated from the parent and planted for rearing.
Sometimes do the other way - strongly cut the bush, make a double dose of mineral fertilizers around it, and then close it with a layer of sawdust for about 25-30 cm. In this case, the young shoots that grow this year, take root in two - three years. Then you can remove the improvised greenhouse, cut rooted branches and plant them in containers. There they should grow for another two years and only then they can be planted in a permanent place. They can give the first berries the next year.
Blueberry Planting Technique
Blueberries require a special planting scheme, which does not depend on the time of planting. For the bushes are preparing pits to a depth of half a meter and a size of 60 x 60 cm. Its walls are well loosened to provide air access to the roots. Then, a substrate of high-moor peat mixed with 50 g of sulfur, sand, needles and sawdust is laid on the bottom of the pit. It is important not to take organic and other fertilizers at this time. They alkalize the soil, and it must be acidic.
The seedling is lowered into the pit and spread its roots evenly throughout the entire plane. Then they are sprinkled with soil so that the root neck is under the ground at a depth of 3 cm. Now the seedling needs to be watered and mulch the soil 12 cm. For this, peat, straw, bark or sawdust are used.
In the spring, in the first year of the sapling's life, strong branches are shortened by half, and weak branches are cut off. In the second year, pruning is not carried out.
Growing blueberries on the trellis
Tall blueberries can be grown not only by bushes, but also on a trellis - lattice design that supports the branches of the plant. For this you need to dig into the ground at a distance of 2 - 4 m two-meter concrete or wooden supports. Between them it is necessary to tighten the wire in rows with an interval of 40-50 cm.
The planting of blueberries is carried out along a stretched wire with a step of 70 cm between the bushes. When the branches of the bush are drawn up, they are periodically tied to the wire. In this case, the shoots are placed so that each gets the maximum amount of heat and sunlight.
Due to the fact that the berries in this position are better blown, lit and warmed up, they grow more juicy and sweet. To care for the bushes planted in this way should be the same as for those that are planted in the usual way: feed, water, mulch, cut.
For this type of cultivation is recommended to use the following varieties of blueberries:
- Rankoscale;
- Bluray;
- Patriot;
- Coville;
- Herbert.
Blueberry care
Activities for the care of blueberries do not stand out anything special. She needs watering, feeding, loosening, mulching, pruning. Loosening is carried out several times per season, but very carefully. The tender blueberry roots are only 15 cm from the surface. Therefore, it is recommended to mulch the bush and loosen the soil, without removing the coating material. But this should not be done too often, so that the soil does not dry out.
Watering blueberries
The plant requires rigorous watering. Water should not stagnate near the roots for longer than two days, but the lack of moisture is bad for its well-being. Water twice a week with two buckets for each adult bush. Moreover, one watering involves the introduction of one bucket in the morning and one after sunset. In July and August, when flowers are laid and fruiting begins, watering should be taken very carefully.
The quality of the crop depends on a sufficient amount of moisture. When industrial cultivation provides drip irrigation for blueberries. On particularly hot days it is recommended to spray the plant early in the morning and in the evening to avoid overheating.
Top dressing and blueberry fertilizer
The plant is considered low-demanding to the fertility of the soil, but the application of mineral fertilizers responds perfectly. It is recommended to bring them in early spring, when sap flow begins and the buds swell.
Important! Blueberries are contraindicated in organic fertilizers!
Zinc sulfate, superphosphate, magnesium sulphate, potassium sulphate and ammonium sulphate are best absorbed by the plant. The latter, which refers to nitrogen fertilizers, is applied in three stages. In early spring, they give 40% of the finished norm, in early May - 35%, June - 25%. Under one bush it is necessary to deposit 70 - 90 g. This will be enough for a bush until the next spring.
Phosphoric fertilizer for garden blueberries (superphosphate) contribute 100 g per each bush once in the summer and once in the autumn. Zinc and potassium sulfate give 2 g once a season, magnesium sulfate - 15 g each.
Blueberry Formation
To blueberries regularly yields, it must be cut. Pruning can be formative and sanitary. The first is carried out in the spring before the kidneys are poured. Particularly carefully, the procedure is carried out on bushes at the age of 2 - 4 years.
For them it is important to form a strong crown, so frostbite, drooping, diseased and weak branches, as well as those that appeared at the roots, are subject to circumcision. It is important for them to leave 3 - 5 strongest branches. Starting at the age of four, shoots over five years old are also shot.
Important! On the bushes of the first year of life it is recommended to remove all the flowers so that the plant can develop properly over the season.
Technique pruning depends on the type of plant. Shrubs that grow straight up, cut in the middle, and sprawling and undersized cut off the lower branches. Also pay attention to the neighboring bushes are not intertwined with branches.
Sanitary pruning is carried out throughout the season. As soon as you notice suspicious shoots, immediately cut them off and burn them away from the site.
Blueberry mulching
Mulching, as well as loosening the soil, helps to maintain the required level of soil moisture under the bush. Bark, sawdust, pine needles, rotted leaves, and straw are used as mulch. Mulching pine cones gives the bushes a sophisticated look - the bushes will perfectly fit into the landscape design. The layer of mulch depends on the age of the plant: the blueberry is older, the thicker it should be.
Important! Using fresh mulch material slows the growth of blueberries. The fact is that in this case microorganisms actively decompose the material, and they draw nitrogen from the soil. Therefore, when using fresh mulch, pre-add a double dose of nitrogen fertilizer under the bush.
Mulch allows you to slow the opening of the kidneys in the spring and plant leaves in the fall in the fall. Also, the plant feels less sharp temperature drops that can destroy it. But at such a shelter, blueberries produce shoots more intensively, wood ripens better, which also helps it to withstand the cold.
Wintering blueberries
Blueberry flowers can tolerate frosts down to -7˚С, so spring frosts are unlikely to affect the level of the crop. But autumn frosts, even at -2 ° C, can destroy the still immature crop. In order to prevent his death, before autumn frosts on the bushes throw some improvised material, such as burlap, film, spunboard.
Sometimes it is recommended to sprinkle the plants during such periods - spray it with water from a special small nozzle onto a hose or a small-atomizer.
Another question is how to cover blueberries for the winter. If it is about tall varieties, they can easily tolerate frosts down to -25˚С. But if winter is given out without snow or with a small amount of precipitation, they can freeze. In this case, the bushes can also be covered with sacking, a spunboard or tied with lapnik. To this end, in autumn, a frame of supports and a cross-wired wire interlaced between them is installed over the bushes. Actually, this is the whole preparation of blueberries for the winter and ends.
Frequent mistakes when growing
Despite the fairly comprehensive information on the cultivation of blueberries, which is in the public domain, gardeners and gardeners make a number of common mistakes. Among them it is worth noting the following:
1. Planting a bush on wet soil or in a lowland, based on the considerations that in the wild nature blueberries grow in swamps. In fact, in the wild, it grows on the edge of swamps, on hills, hummocks, and therefore even lacks moisture. Excess moisture does not give enough air to the roots, and in winter still threatens frostbite. Therefore, for the bushes of blueberry should choose a place with moderate humidity.
2. High acidity of the soil. At pH values above 5.5, the mycorrhiza fungus does not live in the ground, which plays an important role in the absorption of nutrients by the plant. Blueberry leaves get a light green color, which indicates a lack of nitrogen.
3. Excessive shade of the bush. The plant itself may well grow in the shade, but then it ceases to bear fruit or gives a meager and sour harvest. Therefore, if you want a lot of juicy berries, provide the plant with sunlight and a minimum of wind.
4. Incorrect predecessors. Blueberry besides perennial herbs, few people suffer from their predecessors. It also does not tolerate soils that were fertilized less than five years ago.
5. Violation of the rules for the selection and preparation of seedlings for planting. Many people think that having a large number of branches of a sapling is a guarantee of its good survival. In fact, you need to pay attention to the root system of the plant. If it is in a close pot and the roots are wrapped inside, such a plant is weakened. Having dropped him in this condition, you will not get the expected result. Be sure to straighten and unravel the roots of the plant before planting. They themselves will not do this and the root system will not grow.
6. Improper composition and dose of fertilizer. Many people think that blueberries can be fed with the same fertilizers as other berry bushes. Но на самом деле привычная органика и хлористые минеральные удобрения губительны для того самого грибка микориза, который живет на корнях растения и помогает ему усваивать питательные вещества.Therefore, it is necessary to use only mineral fertilizers that are applied no later than mid-June.
7. Excessive loosening of the soil. Since the root system of the bush is close to the surface, loosening should be carried out no deeper than 3 cm, and when weeding, do not use a hoe and other garden tools. It is recommended to mulch the soil. This will save it from weeds, pests, diseases, improve the temperature and water-air regime. Loosening the mulch helps preserve fragile roots, which, if damaged, are very slowly restored.
Today, gardeners are increasingly interested in growing blueberries and collecting healthy and tasty berries. But few know that caring for it is different from the usual berry bushes. In addition, waiting for the first harvest may be delayed for several years.
In this case, each mistake can negate the years of labor. Therefore, before undertaking the cultivation of blueberries, it is necessary to carefully examine its agricultural practices. For a competent approach, you will be awarded with a rich and juicy harvest of useful berries.
