Thank You

Mario Brgan

If you have access to pine needles or shredded oak leaves,
either can be used as mulch, and you might not have to use
granulated sulfur to lower soil pH. I have had good results
with Miracle Grow for acid loving plants, one tablespoon per
gallon of water, applied once in the spring and once again
in June. This product will lower soil pH immediately, and
does not burn or damage the roots. Soil sulfur lowers soil
pH, but is slow acting. An application of granulated soil
sulfur takes about 3 years to dissolve.

The methods described above have been used successfully in
Madison, Wisconsin, since 1992. Since your soil and climate
will be different, you might have to use different methods.
Please do not expect the shrubs to produce much the first
year, I think it is best to be satisfied with healthy plants
for the first two years, and expect significant berry
production at about 5 years.

If you need to order blueberries through the mail, be aware
that the center of the blueberry growing industry is around
Traverse, Michigan, and the plant nurseries that support this industry are in the same area.

Eric - what a great write-up/keep it up.

Bob; Did you ordered specific varities from Millers for
your place in Wisconsin??

What about winter protection? How about pruning them to keep them in shape? any fertilizers and when to apply?
I have 5 bushes that I planted 3 years ago, but I hardly get
any ripe fruit as the birdies get to them just like the cherry trees. I guess I could try placing some netting material to get a taste.

Blueberry shrubs are well adapted to winter conditions. Ours were mulched with branches cut off the Christmas tree,
and there are also some tree leaves that I leave alone over
the winter. So I will rake the leaves off the lawn, but
leave those around the blueberry shrubs to act as mulch. It
is not necessary to cover the bushes with mulch.

Our oldest shrub is now eight years, and pruning is not an
issue yet. If a branch is storm damaged, or diseased, it
gets pruned. Commercial growers know how to prune for
maximum production, but I am not expert at this.

Soil pH can be adjusted with granulated soil sulfur, but
this is slow acting, and an application takes about 3 years
to dissolve. Miracle Grow-acidic will give an immediate
drop in pH, and it adds nutrient as well. I do this 2X per
season, but the commercial growers fertilize much more
heavily, and they also achieve higher yields.

And what ingredients does Miracle Gro-Acid contain?

THANKS a lot and yes I know Kansas isn't exactly Great Lakes:)

I have to water the blueberry bushes every summer, typically
twice a week during August. So, I am probably raising the
pH of the soil a bit. There is always a small amount of soil sulfur around the roots of the blueberry shrubs, which
is slowly taken up by micro-organisms and eventually ends up
lowering soil pH. I am not certain about the pH of the rain
fall we have here. I will look into this.

Miracle Grow-acidic, is 30% nitrogen, 10% phosphate, 10%
potash, and also contains traces of boron, copper, iron,
manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. It readily dissolves in
cold water, and I mix up a weak solution, one tablespoon per
gallon of cold water. I once thought that MG-A would lower
soil pH, but the manufacturer makes no such claim.

Thanks for your assistance. I appreciate it.

I shouldn't think so, provided that you make sure your soil is acid and you keep the berry bush's roots above the water line. If you get a chance to see blueberries in the wild, you'll note that they like swamps but they don't grow in wet soil.

Here in Wilmington, NC (8A), we can grow both rabbiteyes and the new southern highbush types.

I'm having a hard time finding good recommendations of cultivars based on fruit quality, but from what I've turned up in research, many of the Southern Highbush varieities were bred in Florida during the mid-20th century when blueberry production went commercial.

Good luck.

The link below has a good summary of growing information for highbush blueberries. On the issue of pruning, it needs to be done while they are dormant. In late February or early March (depending on whether the snow has gone away enough for access...:-), I usually prune off all the spindly growth that comes from the base. Here's what the web page I've linked says about pruning:
"The highbush blueberry produces fruit only on the previous season's growth. For the first two years very little pruning is required except to remove dead, diseased or weak branches. In the third year remove only the small spindly growth near the base of the plant.

As the plant matures, remove dead and injured branches, fruiting branches close to the ground, spindly twigs on mature branches and old stems and branches low in vigor. Mature plants should be pruned severe enough to stimulate the production of new, vigorous shoots from the base of the plant. Prune in late winter or spring before growth starting."

For you southern folks, blueberries need their winter cold conditions to bloom and fruit properly. There are varieties that have been bred specifically for warmer climates - they've been bred to have less need for cold dormancy - so make sure you buy plants that have been bred for your conditions. This nursery from California lists southern highbush culitvars that might be more appriopriate for you:

http://www.fallcreeknursery.com/nursery/v-shighbush.html

As I am extremely lazy and easily frustrated, I hesitate when I think of planting blueberries.

My folks planted four bushes 18 years ago, and one survives. Our soil hereabouts isn't acidic enough, apparently. After my Father passed away, I never thought of tending the bushes. Too much to do to think of landscaping.

I know about adding sulfer now, of course.

How about Huckleberries instead of blueberries? Oh, sure, someone's going to say that blueberries are better. And I'm sure they are, in some ways.

And I think huckleberries are native here. Also, they're more of a groundcover than a bush, which I like. A groundcover should be easier to cover with birdnetting than a high bush.

So, does anyone have experience with huckleberries? Are they easier to tend than blueberries?

Chey

They will both survive zone 5

~Chills
Try burntridgenursery.com they've got quite a selection

Chey

I'm desperate for a few bushes, but am having trouble locating stock.

Help! :)

Feegle

Chey,

'Maine blueberries', the small sweet ones, grow wild in Maine. They are not a cultivar. I have no idea if you can get them commercially, or how well they would grow in another situation.

Feegle

Can I plant blueberries on this slope? As you can imagine, drainage is really good on the slope. I've used alot of cutleaf stephanandra's for ornamental effect and irrigation control - would love to fill the 'inbetweens' with blueberry bushes. Am I beyond wishful thinking?

Also, are bears attracted to blueberries? We are moving to 2.5 acres in Marmora Ontario near Peterborough and I was thinking of planting some of these bushes in and around the grass perimeter near the pine trees. I know I'll have to share with birds and deer but don't want to attract bears too.