Content
Blueberry Brigitte Blue is one of the varieties of garden blueberries, which is distinguished by high yield, taste and ease of care. The key to good growth is the correct choice of a planting site and adherence to a number of recommendations for growing Brigitte Blue blueberries.
Description of blueberries Brigitte Blue
The Brigitta Blue variety belongs to the late species of blueberry, is tall (the bush reaches a height of 1.8 m). Blueberries grow quickly, the bushes are not too tightly pressed together, they begin to bear fruit in the 4th year of life.
Features of fruiting
Of the features of the Brigitta Blue variety, the following can be noted:
- Brigitte Blue is a self-fertile blueberry that can set fruit without additional pollination. However, the proximity to any other blueberry variety increases the number of fruits.
- The berries are medium in size, reach 15mm in diameter, are light blue, have a sweet and sour taste.
- Fruiting of the culture begins at the end of summer, at least 5 kg of berries grow on each bush.
- The berry has high storage qualities, can be used for fresh consumption, making jams and compotes.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of this blueberry variety are:
- high productivity;
- the ability to use the shrub for decorative purposes;
- unpretentiousness;
- unaffected by disease.
The downside of Brigitte Blue is only the late ripening period, which does not always make it possible to grow a plant in the northern regions (it may simply not have time to ripen).
Breeding features
Brigitta Blue can be propagated in two ways:
- Seminal... The seed is planted in the fall. In the spring, the first shoots appear, which require careful care and regular watering. After two years, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place. Such a shrub will bear fruit only after 7 years;
- Vegetative... Cuttings taken in the process of pruning a bush are placed in a sand-peat mixture, after 2 years they are planted in a selected area. When dividing a bush, a part of the plant with developed rhizomes is selected and planted in a permanent place. The harvest will appear in 4 years.
Planting and leaving
Brigitte Blue is a blueberry variety that loves sun and warmth. Therefore, when growing berries, this factor must be taken into account when choosing a suitable site and following a number of planting and care recommendations.
Recommended timing
Experienced gardeners say this tall variety should be planted in the spring. During the summer period, the plant will have time to get stronger, which means that it will better endure wintering.
Site selection and soil preparation
The area for planting blueberries Brigitte Blue should be well lit, protected from drafts and gusts of wind. In addition, the variety prefers well-drained, moisture-permeable soil. The acidity of the soil should be in the range of pH 3.5 - 5, otherwise, the plant will slow down its growth, which will negatively affect its fruiting.
When choosing a place, it is worth preparing the landing pits in advance so that they can stand for at least 2 months before planting. The pits themselves must have a certain size - a depth of 40 cm, with a diameter of 50 cm.
Landing algorithm
Correct planting of the Brigitte Blue variety will allow you to get a good harvest already in the fourth year of life.
- Before planting, seedlings must be soaked for 20 minutes in warm water.
- Pour foliage, sour peat, sawdust, chopped bark (optional) into the holes for planting blueberries.
- In case of insufficient acidity, pour citric acid or sulfur into the pits.
- Lower the seedlings into the holes, spread the roots.
- To deepen the root collar by no more than 5 cm.
- Drizzle.
- Lay a layer of mulch on top of the backfilled soil - about 7 - 10 cm. You can use foliage, sawdust or needles.
Growing and care
The late blueberry variety Brigitte Blue needs some care manipulations that are not difficult even for beginners.
Watering schedule
Blueberry Brigitte Blue loves moisture. Immediately after planting and for 4 weeks, the bushes are watered every 3 to 4 days. Watering is best done in the early morning or late evening, monitor the moisture level in the soil to prevent excessive moisture. After a month, watering is reduced to once a week.
Mature plants and bushes that have begun to bear fruit require an increased amount of moisture. Therefore, it is recommended to increase the amount of applied water by 5 - 10 liters, but the regularity of watering is reduced to 2 - 3 times a month.
Feeding schedule
This blueberry variety is demanding not only for the presence of beneficial trace elements in the soil, but also for its acidity. Its level can be determined both with the help of special pH testers, and in appearance: the acquisition of white or white-yellow foliage.
To acidify the soil, you need to water the shrub with a solution of vinegar, citric or oxalic acid. Add 2 teaspoons of whatever product you choose to the bucket. In addition, sour peat can be applied under the bush twice a year with a layer of 10 - 15 cm.
Timely feeding is also necessary for blueberries. It is carried out only with mineral fertilizers. It is worth starting from the second year of cultivation, during the period of bud swelling, during flowering. You need to make no more than 1 tablespoon of the finished fertilizer for each bush. Every year the amount of mineral substances doubles. From the 6th year, the dosage remains fixed.
To determine what the blueberry is lacking and how you can fertilize it, you need to pay attention to its appearance:
- a lack of nitrogen is indicated by a weak growth and a change in the color of the leaves to yellow;
- lack of potassium is expressed in the appearance of spots on the leaves;
- calcium deficiency can be determined by the onset of foliage deformation;
- lack of magnesium due to reddening of greenery;
- lack of phosphorus leads to the fact that the leaves acquire a purple hue and become pressed against the branches;
- with a lack of iron, they turn yellow, and green streaks are visible on their surface;
- a sharp yellowing of the foliage indicates an insufficient amount of boron.
To save Brigitte Blue blueberries, you need to apply any of the following fertilizers:
- zinc sulfate;
- superphosphate;
- potassium sulfate;
- ammonium sulfate;
- magnesium sulfate.
Pruning
It is necessary to start pruning blueberries only in the second year of life; many gardeners recommend postponing this process until the 4th year.
The first pruning is done to form a bush, since it is enough for a plant to leave only 8 - 9 strong shoots.
From 6 to 7 years, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, in which shoots older than 5 years, dried and diseased branches are removed. In the autumn, it is necessary to remove only dried shoots.
Preparing for winter
Blueberry variety Brigitte Blue in regions with warm winters, where frosts of more than -15 degrees are not observed, does not need additional shelter. In more severe climatic conditions, the tall variety must be covered. The procedure is carried out after autumn pruning, when night frosts reach -10 degrees.
- Press the blueberry branches to the ground.
- Secure with staples or other suitable devices.
- Cover with any covering material or spruce branches.
It is necessary to remove the insulation during the melting of the snow.
Pests and diseases
Brigitte Blue is a blueberry variety that is resistant to various diseases. They can arise only with an excessive deficiency of nutrients and prolonged moisture retention in the root areas.
Among the pests, there are also not many who want to damage blueberries. Only birds and May beetles can be distinguished.
Birds often feast on delicious berries, gathering on branches in whole flocks. The only way to protect the plant is to cover the tree with a net.
May beetles can reduce yields, as they spoil not only blueberry foliage, but also flowers. And their larvae, being underground, violate the root system. To get rid of the larvae, dilute 25 ml of ammonia in a bucket of water and spill the roots with the solution.
As a preventive measure, it is recommended to treat the plant with insecticides every spring, repeating the procedure in the fall, or to carry out an event as needed.
Conclusion
Blueberry Brigitte Blue is a tall variety of garden blueberries, distinguished by high productivity, unpretentious care and taste.
Reviews about blueberries Brigitte Blue
