Growing Blueberries: Soil Conditions, Pruning, Harvesting

Growing blueberries gives you a steady supply to an excellent fruit that has high antioxidant properties. In fact, blueberries have now been classed as one of the top super foods available.

Growing blueberries is successful in cold conditions as they are mountain fruit.

Here you will be able to:

• See how to grow blueberries successfully
• Grow blueberries with the right soil conditions
• Know the right growing conditions
• Learn how to prune blueberries
• Learn how to harvest blueberries

Blueberries are extremely hardy and insect-resistant and thrive in cold climates, but are no good for the tropics. As long as you have acidic soil, and it is moist but well-drained, your fruit will be happy and crop for you. However, they take a while before they reach maturity - 7 years in fact, and will only start bearing berries in the 2nd or 3rd year. So if you are looking for a quick growing fruit to grow, it is not this one. You will also need to have a lot of space to grow blueberries.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES: Soil

As already mentioned, the blueberry likes to have an acidic soil to grow in, and it should have lots of compost and humus. A pH of 4.5 is ideal, but a pH of 4.0-5.5 is an acceptable range. They also like moist soil but not soggy soil, so it should be well-drained.

To keep your blueberry plant happy mulch the area around the plants with a 10 cm layer of either peat moss or oak tree leaves. Both of these will leach acidity back into the soil when they start breaking down. In addition, the mulch will keep the moisture in, the weeds down and reduce.

Check the pH of your soil every year. If it gets above 5.5 apply ground sulphur at a rate of 25g (1 oz) per plant, either raked or watered in. As blueberries are shallow rooted plants, take care with the raking so that you don't damage the root system.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES: Where and When to Plant

Your blueberry plants will grow very tall and very wide. Therefore, when you lay out your beds you will need to leave a space of 1.5 -1.8 m between each plant in the row and 5 m between each row. Your plants will grow in a cone-shape being wider at the bottom than on the top.

Plant them in a sheltered position. Ideally, they will be screened from trees on one side so that they get the morning sun but the afternoon shade. However, if you try and grow this fruit in deep-shade the plants will not flower very well, therefore your crop will be poor.

Blueberries are not self-pollinating, therefore you will need to plant more than one variety. However, the advantage of this is that the different varieties will crop at different times, thereby extending your harvest.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES: Cultivation

Once established your plants should receive regular applications of compost and mulch and watering. Watering is especially important in the summer for good formation of berries. Their greatest need for water is when the fruit is reaching maturity.

As the plants grow get into the habit of nipping off the ends of the branches to encourage your plant to bush out and spread.

Every spring the plants should be given an application of manure and compost. During the flowering period an application of a seaweed fertilizer should be sprayed on the leaves to encourage fruit setting.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES: Pruning

The reason for pruning is to allow light and air to circulate through the plant and this is done by cutting out the slender center stems that do not bear much fruit, as well as the older stems that have been bearing fruit for several years. Pruning is done during the spring.

After 2-3 years of growth take out the center stems.

After 4-5 years of growth your plant will need to be pruned. The older branches can be cut back to about 30-40 cm to encourage new growth. Also cut out any deadwood.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES: Harvesting

The berries grow in clusters of 5-10 and they ripen in the summer over a period of 3-5 weeks. You should be getting about 8 kilograms of fruit off each mature tree.

Your fruit will turn blue, however, it is best to leave it on the trees until it turns black. Picking it later will allow the fruit to develop more flavour. However, this is also the time when not just you are wanting the fruit. Birds are your worst pest at this time and you may need to protect the crop from the birds by putting up some netting.

Remove the berries by by using your thumb and forefinger. Roll the berry off the cluster and into your hand without squeezing it. Place it in a container, preferably tied around your waist so that you have both hands free.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES: Storage

Once your blueberries have been picked you can eat them with yogurt for breakfast, make them into muffins, jam or turn them into desserts or country wine.

When storing them, place them in an air-tight container and place them in your fridge where they will keep for a week or more.