Content
Blueberry is a fairly new culture for Russia, which is still gaining popularity. The plant tolerates the conditions of the middle zone well, gives a stable yield and does not freeze in winter. Proper planting and caring for blueberries in the Moscow region will allow you to regularly collect tasty and healthy berries.
Features of growing blueberries in the Moscow region
The climate of the Moscow region is perfect for growing blueberries. This culture is unpretentious to weather conditions, it is rarely affected by diseases and pests. The plant tolerates well the close location of groundwater at a depth of 30 - 60 cm.
In the Moscow region, the berries have time to ripen even in cold and rainy summers. Most varieties are highly winter-hardy. Some hybrids do not freeze when the temperature drops to -35 ° C. Plants can easily endure winters under a light cover of leaves or peat.
To grow garden blueberries in the Moscow region, it is necessary to ensure high acidity of the soil. The plant develops at a pH of 3.5 to 5. It is measured using special instruments.
Sod-podzolic and gray forest soils prevail in the Moscow region. They are characterized by low acidity, but rather high humus content. Before planting blueberries, acidifiers must be added to such soil.
Swampy soils in the Moscow region are low-lying areas in the north and east of the region. They have a high acidity, but they are not rich in humus and other useful substances. When planting blueberries in swampy areas, a drainage layer must be made. In addition, they improve the composition of the soil due to mineral fertilizers.
Where blueberries grow in the suburbs
In natural conditions, blueberries are found in forests, tundra, and mountainous areas. On the territory of the Moscow region, it is collected in wetlands. In the wild, shrubs grow in Taldomsky, Shatursky, Yegoryevsky districts.
The wild form of blueberry is a perennial deciduous shrub up to 1 m high. Its leaves are smooth, alternate, up to 3 cm long, located on short petioles. The berries are of various shapes: from round to oblong. Their size does not exceed 1.2 cm. The color is blue, the skin is thin, covered with a bluish bloom. The pulp is greenish, watery. The fruit tastes sweet and sour.
Cultural forms can be grown in any area of the Moscow region. Compared to wild blueberries, they give a higher and better yield. Most varieties bear large and tasty fruits as early as 2-3 years after planting.
What varieties of blueberries are suitable for the Moscow region
For cultivation in the Moscow region, medium-sized varieties are chosen that ripen in the early and middle periods. These are cold-hardy plants that produce a stable harvest. Examples of early varieties for the Moscow region: Duke, Reka, Northland. From mid-season varieties for the region, hybrids Bluecrop, Patriot, Toro are suitable.
How to plant blueberries in the Moscow region
When growing blueberries in the Moscow region, planting and care are of great importance. It is important to comply with the terms and sequence of work. Particular attention is paid to the choice of location and further preparation of the soil. Be sure to measure the acidity of the soil and choose the correct substrate for the planting pit.
When to plant garden blueberries in the Moscow region
For planting, two-year-old seedlings are preferred. If the plants are sold with a closed root system, then the work can be carried out during the summer season. This includes the period from early spring to late autumn.
In the Moscow region, spring is considered the best time for planting berry crops. They are waiting for the snow to melt and the soil warms up. Usually this is the end of April - beginning of May. When choosing the exact dates for disembarkation, they are guided by the weather conditions. If frosts are predicted, then it is better to postpone work until they are finished.
Autumn planting of blueberries in the Moscow region is allowed. Work is carried out 2 - 3 weeks before the onset of cold weather. If the planting dates have already passed, then the seedling is buried in the ground and sprinkled with sawdust. In the spring, the plant is removed from the soil and planting begins.
Site selection and soil preparation
According to gardeners, planting and caring for blueberries in the Moscow region does not take much time if you follow the basic rules. Blueberries thrive best in sunny areas. In the shade, the shrub grows worse, and the berries pick up little sugars. The optimal level of groundwater occurrence is from 40 to 60 cm. Before planting, the acidity level of the soil is analyzed. An indicator of favorable conditions is the active growth of sorrel, mint, horsetail. More accurate results will be shown by an indicator or laboratory tests.
If the soil reaction is neutral or alkaline at a site in the Moscow region, then its composition must be adjusted. To fill the planting pit, sour peat, wood chips or the top layer of soil from a spruce forest are used. Rotted sawdust is also taken as a substrate.
A good option for acidifying the soil is to use powdered sulfur. A year before planting, the soil is dug up and 250 g of this fertilizer per 1 m3 is added. Instead of sulfur, 20 g of ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate per 1 sq. m. Such fertilizers saturate the soil with nitrogen and acidify it well.
Planting blueberries in the suburbs
To grow blueberries in a dacha in the suburbs, it is important to carry out planting work correctly. A hole is dug on the site, which is filled with a prepared substrate. Plants are planted in groups or rows. If there are a lot of seedlings, then it is better to dig a trench right away.
The procedure for planting blueberries in the Moscow region:
- A hole with a diameter of 1 m is dug on the site to a depth of 0.5 cm.
- If the soil is clayey or not loose enough, then a drainage layer is made. For this, broken brick or small crushed stone is placed on the bottom.
- The pit walls are insulated with iron sheets or polyethylene.
- A substrate is poured into the pit, consisting of an equal amount of sand and peat. A little needles, sawdust or sulfur are also added to it.
- A ridge is formed above the pit, on which the seedling is placed.
- The roots of the bush fall asleep and watered abundantly.
- The trunk circle is mulched with peat, rotten sawdust or needles.
It is convenient to grow blueberries in containers on personal plots in the Moscow region. The bush is planted in a wooden box or ceramic pot. The plant will decorate a veranda, loggia or terrace. The containers are filled with peat, and drainage is poured onto the bottom. If the bush grows in containers, then for the winter it is removed to the basement or cellar.
How to grow blueberries in the Moscow region
According to reviews, blueberries in the Moscow region respond positively to care. Plants are provided with watering, feeding, bush formation.
The culture prefers moderate watering. During the growing season, the soil is kept moist. However, it is taken into account that prolonged stagnation of moisture will lead to the death of the plant. For irrigation, take warm settled water.It is brought under the bush, do not allow it to fall on leaves and shoots. In the Moscow region, it is enough to water it 1 - 2 times a week, taking into account the precipitation.
When choosing fertilizers, they are guided by the pH level of the soil. The first sign that you need to acidify it is the reddening of the leaves. If you do not take action, then white spots will appear on them, the plant will stop developing and will not bear a harvest.
Options for feeding blueberries in the Moscow region:
- 10 g of urea or 20 g of ammonium sulfate in a bucket of water;
- 10 g of potassium sulfate or Nitroammofoska per 10 liters of water;
- 10 ml of liquid for car batteries for 10 liters of water;
- 50 g of sulfur in powder per bush;
- 3 tsp citric acid in a large bucket of water;
- any mineral complex for blueberries or rhododendrons.
In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied under blueberries in the Moscow region: urea, ammonium sulfate, Nitroammofosku. During flowering and fruiting, they switch to potash and phosphorus fertilizers. It is convenient to use special mineral complexes Florovit, Dobraya Sila, etc.
Blueberry care in the Moscow region also includes sanitary pruning. Due to the formation, the bush does not grow and gives a good harvest. In the third year after planting, no more than 5 powerful shoots are chosen. The rest of the growth is cut at the root. Broken and dry branches are removed annually. In adult plants, old shoots are cut off, which no longer bear fruit.
For the winter in the Moscow region, blueberries are spud, peat or humus is poured into the trunk circle. To shelter young plants, a frame is erected and a non-woven fabric is attached to it. In the spring, the structure is removed.
When blueberries ripen in the Moscow region
In the Moscow region, the first blueberries ripen in the middle of summer. Usually the harvest is taken in 2 - 3 receptions. Most of the fruits are ready for harvesting in the first wave of fruiting. They are large in size. The remaining berries are harvested as they ripen over the next 2 to 3 weeks.
The ripening time of a culture in the Moscow region depends on the variety. Early hybrids give a harvest from the second decade of July. Medium fruiting varieties are ready for harvest in early August. Late blueberries ripen from the second decade of August.
Pests and diseases
The agricultural technology of garden blueberries in the Moscow region includes protection against diseases and pests. The culture has a high immunity and is rarely affected. Diseases and insects spread when plantings are thickened and high humidity. Therefore, special attention is paid to the formation of a bush and watering.
In a rainy summer in the Moscow region, signs of fungal diseases appear on blueberries: gray rot, spotting, moniliosis. They are found by dark spots on the leaves, fruits and shoots that dry out ahead of time. The affected bushes are treated with Topaz or Hom. Affected plant parts are removed and burned.
The most dangerous pests for blueberries in the Moscow region are caterpillars, leafworms, scale insects, and aphids. Insecticides Actellik, Karbofos, etc. are effective against them. For prevention, the bushes are powdered with tobacco dust or ash.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for blueberries in the Moscow region will allow you to grow a healthy bush and collect high yields. A separate area is prepared for the culture, peat or other components must be used to acidify the soil. During the growing season, blueberries are provided with care: they are watered, fed, and pests are prevented.
