Garden blueberries: planting, feeding, watering

Today our conversation will be about "black pearls". Guess what kind of berry we mean? Of course, about blueberries! Garden blueberries differ significantly from all others in that they do not accept the usual fertilizers. An acidic and humid environment is important to her. We suggest that you figure out all the techniques and features of this capricious bush together.

Garden blueberry: what is it?

Garden blueberry

A small shrub is called blueberry, the height of which barely reaches one meter. The shrub has small leaves, smooth branches, and its flowers are very small, with a five-toothed structure with a pinkish tinge. Since childhood, we know that blueberry fruits are blue-eyed, edible and very tasty.

Garden blueberries and blueberries: differences

Garden blueberries: differences from blueberries

Many people will ask what are the differences between blueberries and blueberries, because they belong to the same family! Yes, it is, but there are still differences. Let's break them down together:
First, the appearance of the bushes is different. The blueberry bush is tall and the stems are firmer in structure.
Secondly, the blueberry bush grows close and parallel to the ground, almost lying on it when the blueberry reaches up to the sun.
Third, blueberries are hardy and can grow in poor soil, while blueberries grow exclusively in pine forests.
Fourthly, if we compare the color of the juices of these two berries, we will see that in blueberries it will be devoid of color, while in blueberry juice there will be a dark, closer to black, shade.
Fifth, blueberries have a less pronounced taste and sourness in relation to blueberries.
Sixth, the flesh of blueberries is greenish, while those of blueberries are dark blue.
We now know how to tell the difference between these two berries.

Where does the berry grow, when is it necessary to harvest the fruit?

Blueberry bushes can be found in any area. Usually, this berry grows in the Siberian part of Russia and the Urals. In wetlands, the shrub feels most comfortable and bears fruit with large berries, rich in taste.
Most often, blueberries are ready for consumption from the second half of July to September. It is better to pick berries by hand, without using special machines, as they can damage bushes and fruits.

Is it possible to grow a berry in a summer cottage?

If you ask questions: "Is it realistic to grow blueberries on your site?", We will hasten to please you. Yes it is possible. But only with the correct observance of some points.

Planting rules for garden blueberries: choosing seedlings

The most important thing is healthy seedlings. To distinguish a diseased plant, check its leaves. They should be free of various stains. Also, study the bark. It should be of a uniform color, and there should be no burgundy or brown spots on the branches.
If you ordered seedlings by mail or via the Internet, and found the above defects, then cut off the diseased parts of the branches.
Never buy blueberry seedlings if they are not planted in a special pot, if their roots are open!

How to choose a landing site in your country house?

Blueberry bushes are best planted in a sunny, but ill-conceived place. From the north, they should be protected by a wall or fence. The wind is the main enemy for blueberries. It easily abrades the bark, exposing it to various infections. At the same time, berries lose some of their useful properties and are stored for less time. The height of the fence for protection from the wind must be more than one meter.

Blueberries garden planting and care: substrate, planting pit

After choosing the ideal place for the future shrub, it is important to properly prepare the planting hole.
Avoid soil containing common fertilizers such as manure or ash. They are very harmful to blueberries.
Having dug a hole, remove the earth extracted from there aside. Cover the recess you create with planks, creating your own habitat for the root system of the shrub. This will make it easier to maintain the acidity of the earth, and the necessary moisture will linger longer.
Fill the hole with a mixture of soil, sawdust, and pine needles.
Determine the optimum hole depth depending on the soil you are planting on. The less water stagnates in the ground, the deeper the shrub needs to be planted.

Rules for planting garden blueberries, procedure

Landing rules

Three hours before planting, place the pot containing the seedling in a container filled with water. The earth must be nourished, otherwise the shrub will not take root in the soil and will not yield a crop.
After the soil with the root system is saturated with moisture, remove the plant from the pot. Gently mash the earthen ball, remember that blueberries have very thin and delicate roots. Don't damage them! These manipulations will help the already planted plant grow.
Immerse the roots of the bush in the prepared hole, spread them in different directions and fill with earthy mixture. Make a circular groove around the bush and fill it with water.
It is important to exclude moisture evaporation. To do this, sprinkle bark or pine needles around the blueberries. In addition to helping to prevent evaporation, this manipulation will help increase the acidity of the soil, as bacteria will process this composition and release acids.

How to transplant bushes to a new location?

When replanting a bush to a new location, pay attention to the depth. It is important to plant blueberries exactly as they were previously planted. The only thing is that you can lower the bush three to five centimeters lower if there is a need to close the root system.
It is better to replant a young plant. His age should not exceed two years and when his height will be fifty centimeters.
Remove all young shoots and blooms before transplanting. The minimum distance between shrubs should be one or one and a half meters.
After you've transplanted your plant, don't rush to fertilize the soil. You need to wait until new young green shoots appear and only then use fertilizer for this type of shrub, or two ounces of azalea.
If heavy precipitation has passed, repeat these manipulations in two to three months.
Distribute the fertilizers themselves in equal parts around the trunk at a distance of twenty to thirty centimeters.

How to feed a plant

Top dressing

You need to start feeding the shrub only when he turns two years old. You need to enter it in small fractions, gradually. Mineral fertilizers are excellent for feeding. They contain the necessary compounds and minerals in the right proportions.
The best time to fertilize is spring.
Below we will analyze the different types of fertilizers for blueberries:
- nitrogen. Necessary for the growth of the shrub itself and its fruits. They are used in conjunction with magnesium for the best effect. The frequency of use per season is three times. The first feeding should be done before the first buds swell in the spring. The 2nd - in the last days of May, and the 3rd - by the middle of June.
- phosphoric. They support the life of the shrub, make it more resistant to external factors and increase the volume and quality of the crop.Top dressing is introduced in two stages: 1) in April; 2) in June.
- potash. Improves frost resistance, helps to survive the cold Russian winters. Protects against drought, various diseases, as well as insect pests. Top dressing is introduced in two stages: 1) in April; 2) in June.

How to properly prepare a plant for winter?

Blueberries tolerate winter well, however, it is impossible to predict how "strong" the frosts will be. Therefore, it is important to properly prepare your favorite plant for the cold.
Feed the bush correctly with nitrogen fertilizers. Observe the prescribed feeding times. Remember that excess nitrogen will prevent new shoots from ripening. In no case do not fertilize with nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the fall!
In the fall, provide sufficient soil moisture in the root system. It should be soaked thirty-five centimeters deep, no less. So, for bushes that are three to four years old, it will take up to five buckets of water.

When and how can bushes be cut?

Blueberry berries only grow on the branches that were formed last year, so it is important to prune the plant in early March, when the buds have not yet blossomed.
In autumn, it is dangerous to carry out this operation, since you can accidentally cut off the branches on which there are fruiting buds. If this happens, you can lose the entire crop for the next year.
You can start cutting off the bushes only when he is three years old. By this time, a strong "skeleton" of the plant has been formed.
You can only cut off branches that are at the base, or that are affected by some kind of disease.
For your convenience, we have drawn up a small plan, according to which it is worth cutting blueberry bushes:
⁃ cut only those branches that are closest to the ground;
⁃ keep "upright" branches;
⁃ if the growth in the middle of the bush is dense, then find the weakest / oldest branches there and cut them off;
⁃ cut off all small growths, leave only the branches that make up the strong and strong skeleton of the plant.

How garden blueberries are watered. Photo of the harvest.

Water the shrub abundantly, but make sure that the clod of earth in which it originally grew in the pot is also well saturated with water. Otherwise, even with damp ground around, the shrub will suffer from drought.
Watch your bush until you see good growth in the summer. We can say that the plant has taken root when the growth is about sixty centimeters.
Check the watered ground with your hands. It should be moderately moist, but the water should not run off in streams.
On your site, drip irrigation is perfect.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that blueberries can very easily take root on your site, subject to all the simple rules that we told you. The reward for your efforts will be a large amount of tasty, high-quality, and most importantly - healthy harvest, which will delight you until the cold weather!

Garden blueberry photo

Garden blueberries: the secrets of growing