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Planting and caring for garden blueberries is a very careful process. Growing blueberries is not easy, but if successful, the plant will regularly delight you with delicious sweet berries.
General description of garden blueberries
Garden blueberry is a small shrub, the height of the blueberry bush is a maximum of 1 m. The plant is prized for its edible blue with a bluish bloom.
What blueberries love
Under natural conditions, blueberries grow throughout the western part of Russia, in Siberia and the Urals. Most often it can be found in coniferous forests and on the outskirts of swamps. Therefore, the plant prefers moist soils and slightly shaded areas with sufficient lighting.
The shrub is very undemanding to the composition of the soil - it can grow successfully even on poor soil, as long as it is slightly acidic. Also, the plant needs protection from strong winds - in winter it can easily die in strong drafts in open areas.
How garden blueberries bloom
Blueberries usually bloom in the third year after planting. The plant produces small white flowers drooping to the ground, in the form of jugs, with a pinkish tinge. Flowers are collected in inflorescences of 5-12 pieces each, usually located on the tops of the stems. Flowering continues from late May to mid-June.
What year does blueberry bear fruit after planting
For the first time, the crop can be harvested 4-5 years after planting. The blue berries with a bluish bloom, collected in small clusters, appear in July-September, but stay on the branches after ripening for only about 2 weeks, and after that they begin to crumble.
Blueberry Growing Secrets
It is quite possible to grow blueberries in a summer cottage, but it is more difficult to get a high-quality harvest from it. So that the bushes of the plant do not die in the first few years, develop successfully and bear fruit, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of cultivation. Namely:
- water the plant more often, the bush does not like too swampy soil, however, it also tolerates arid soil very poorly, so the ground at the roots should always be moist;
- plant bushes at a distance from each other, the root system of the plant is branched, if you place the bushes close to each other, they will grow poorly;
- monitor the level of acidity of the soil - the plant loves at least 4 pH.
Also, the advice of seasoned gardeners for the care of blueberries in the spring is to monitor good drainage of the soil. If the water in the roots of the shrub stagnates, the plant will not be able to develop normally.
What can you plant blueberries next to?
Neighbors in the area for the plant must be chosen based on the requirements for the soil.In particular, you can successfully grow next to blueberries:
- lingonberries and cranberries;
- rhododendrons and hydrangeas;
- azaleas;
- heather crops.
But raspberries, gooseberries and currants will turn out to be bad neighbors for blueberries. They prefer alkaline soil and, accordingly, they will not be able to get along with berry bushes in one area.
Is it possible to plant blueberries next to thuja
Conifers, including thuja, are considered to be bad neighbors for other plants in the garden. However, in the case of blueberries, the opposite is true, it feels pretty good next to the thuja. The reason lies in the same plant requirements for the soil, and thuja and fruit shrubs love acidic soils, so they can grow side by side without problems.
Some tips for what to plant between the rows of blueberries
It is customary to plant blueberries in rows with wide gaps - this allows the bushes to actively develop without interfering with each other.
So that at the same time there is no ugly unoccupied space left on the site, it is customary to plant mainly perennial grasses between the rows of shrubs. First of all, they allow maintaining the decorativeness of the garden, and, in addition, they can serve as a natural mulch layer in the autumn, after wilting.
Photos and reviews about planting and caring for garden blueberries also suggest planting juniper and rhododendron, hydrangeas between the rows of blueberries. These plants have a superficial root system, do not take away too much moisture from the fruit shrub and do not rise high above the ground, respectively, the shading from them is negligible.
How to save blueberry seedlings for planting
It is best to buy garden shrub seedlings in the spring, shortly before planting in the ground. However, it also happens that the planting material was acquired in the fall or at the beginning of winter. In this case, the question arises of preserving the seedlings until the beginning of the growing season.
- If the root system of the seedlings is closed, then for the winter it is best to transplant it from a purchased container into a more spacious pot. It is best to use sour peat as a nutrient medium; the seedling should be transferred to a new container with an old earthen clod. Until spring, the pot with the plant must be left in a well-lit but cool place.
- If the root system of the seedling is open, then during the winter months it must be constantly moistened so that the roots of the plant do not dry out. Usually, a seedling with open roots is wrapped in damp newspapers and covered with a plastic bag, after which it is placed in the refrigerator. Regularly, newspapers need to be replaced with new ones, avoiding drying out.
At a low positive temperature in the refrigerator, open seedlings can start growing. However, it is still not recommended to place such planting material in pots.
How to plant blueberries with seedlings in spring
Planting blueberry seedlings in spring is a crucial step in growing a plant. Particular attention must be paid to the timing of planting and the creation of seats.
The most important rule of thumb is to stick to a proven planting pattern. Since the root system of the plant grows in breadth, the bushes of the plant must be planted at least 1-1.5 m from each other. In this case, the distance between the rows should be 1.5 m or 2 m.
When to plant blueberries in spring
It is customary to plant blueberry bushes in early spring, even before the active growing season begins. It is best to wait until the snow melts and the ground warms up to about 5 ° C.
However, these recommendations concern mainly the South of Russia and the middle zone. But in the Urals, in Siberia and in the north-west of the country, the plant should be planted no earlier than at the beginning of May, the soil in these regions warms up much more slowly.
Is it possible to plant blueberries in summer
In theory, it is possible to plant a garden shrub in the summer. Moreover, for the Urals and Siberia, it is often recommended to use just such a planting so that return frosts do not definitely destroy the young bushes of the plant.
However, the summer landing should be carried out in moderately warm and cloudy weather, and not in the midst of the heat.
Where to plant blueberries
Many gardeners mistakenly place shrub plantings in highly shaded and even swampy areas of the garden, trying to create the most "natural" conditions for the plant. This is a mistake; when cultivating blueberries in the country, the plant makes different demands on its habitat.
So, it is necessary to plant blueberries in areas with sufficient lighting - if you place it in a thick shade, the bushes will not wither, but they will not be able to bear fruit either. Also, the soil at the roots of the plant cannot be waterlogged - the bush does not tolerate swampiness, the earth should only be moderately moist.
Preparing a pit for planting blueberries
In order for garden blueberries at their summer cottage to grow healthy and bear fruit, it is necessary to properly prepare the planting pit.
- In a well-lit or slightly shaded area, dig several holes about 45 cm deep and at least 90 cm in diameter.The roots of the plant go shallowly into the ground, but they need a lot of space in the horizontal plane.
- A suitable drainage is arranged in the holes - chips of pine bark are placed on the bottom, which will ensure good air exchange and drainage of water, and at the same time acidify the soil. The drainage layer should be approximately 5 cm.
- High acidity peat is poured on top of the drainage layer; it will form the basis of the soil. Peat can be mixed with a small amount of fine sand or rotted sawdust.
- A little ordinary soil is added to the peat, it should not be heavy, loamy soil is ideal for the plant.
If desired, for garden blueberries, you can dig not only planting holes, but also trenches, in which case the shrub will also serve as a hedge. To equip trenches, a long hole about 1 m deep is dug in the right place and, according to the standard scheme, drainage is arranged in it and soil is poured.
How to properly plant garden blueberries in spring
Before planting a plant in the ground, it is necessary, first of all, to prepare a seedling. To do this, it is pulled out of the pot with a closed root system or from a package if the system is open, and the roots are carefully examined.
It is enough to put a seedling with open roots in a container of water for a short time. If the roots are in the ground, then you need to assess their condition. If they braid the earthen ball very tightly, then the roots can be slightly turned, without injuring, so that the garden blueberries take root in a new place faster. It is also recommended to soak such a seedling in water before planting.
The landing algorithm itself is as follows:
- small indentations are made in the prepared holes according to the size of the seedlings;
- plants are placed in the holes with or without an earthen clod and, if necessary, gently straighten the roots;
- garden blueberries should be slightly below the edge of the hole, after which the roots can be completely covered with earth;
- the land around the planted bush will need to be crushed, and then watered and mulched abundantly.
After planting blueberries in their summer cottage, it is recommended to cut them slightly and remove the fruit buds so that the plant can use its resources for growing roots and green mass.
How to grow blueberries in the country or on the site
Caring for blueberries in spring and summer is quite simple - it is important to adhere to the most basic rules. If the place for the shrub is chosen correctly, then the garden blueberry will quickly take root and begin active growth, and soon it will be able to please with fruiting.
How to water blueberries
Often watering blueberries is especially important in the first time after planting, it is necessary that the water qualitatively soaks not only the soil nearby, but also a dense earthen clod at the roots. The soil under the bushes of the plant should always be moist, and the appearance of new shoots will testify to the successful engraftment of seedlings.
Caring for blueberries in summer involves watering at least twice or three times a week, in extreme heat and, especially during fruiting, daily. It is also very useful to spray the bushes of garden blueberries - but this should be done early in the morning or in the evening, when the bright sun has already left the site.
Soil mulching
The soil around the garden blueberry plantings must be mulched. Mulch prevents rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, improves the acid composition of the soil.
Suitable for mulching garden blueberries:
- sawdust and chopped bark;
- peat and sand;
- foliage, hay and straw.
However, you need to know about some of the nuances. It is not recommended to mulch blueberries with sawdust and bark in the spring, as they will reduce the nitrogen content in the soil. Hay and straw can only be used on light soils, if blueberries grow on loam, then such mulch will make the soil too heavy and contribute to waterlogging.
The thickness of the mulch layer should be about 10 cm, and the mulch should be laid out within a radius of at least 1 m from the bush in all directions. For the first time, blueberries are mulched immediately after planting, but later, when the mulch layer is re-laid, its density can be reduced to 5 cm.
Feeding and pruning rules
For healthy development, garden blueberries need fertilizing with minerals - nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is recommended to introduce it from 2 years after planting, before that, the bushes have enough nutrients originally contained in the soil. Garden blueberries are fertilized with complex fertilizing mainly in the spring, after the growing season begins.
From 3 years of age, a garden plant requires regular pruning, mainly sanitary, during which weak and diseased branches of the plant are removed. Pruning is carried out in early spring before bud break. In the course of cutting shrubs, it is necessary to cut off not only weak and dry branches, but also small growths located near the ground, as well as dense branches in the middle of the bush.
Pests and diseases
Blueberries are quite resistant to garden pests and are rarely affected by insects. However, in the spring, May beetles and beetles eating leaves and flowers can be dangerous for her. Sometimes scabies, aphids, leafworms and caterpillars of pine silkworm settle on the leaves of the bush.
To get rid of pests, it is recommended to use insecticidal agents, such as Actellik or Karbofos. It is best not to wait for insect damage, but to treat the plants prophylactically - spraying should be carried out in early spring and after fruiting.
As for fungal ailments, most often garden blueberries suffer from the following diseases:
- gray rot;
- double and white spotting;
- stem cancer and drying of branches;
- physalsporosis.
Almost always, diseases appear due to waterlogging of the soil, so it is necessary to carefully monitor the frequency of watering the plant. If ailments do appear, the plant must be treated with fungicidal preparations, for example, Fundazol or Topaz.It is recommended to carry out annual spring and autumn treatments with Bordeaux liquid for prevention purposes - in the fall, garden blueberries should be sprayed after harvest.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for garden blueberries is challenging. But if you follow the basic rules of care and follow the special secrets of cultivation, then the fruit shrub will be able to please with a bountiful harvest within a few years after planting.
