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I love blueberries, but I buy them at the store. Not cheap. Does anybody grow there own?
Does anybody grow there own blueberries?
- Thread starter Bulls Beers
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jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
I have tried with 4 plants in a raised bed. After a few years with no fruit they got replaced by hops. The crazy part is that they have been healthier and fruiting in the pot that they were moved to.
You can get them frozen for around $10 for 3 lbs.
We put two in this spring. They are currently dropping their flowers and it looks like we might have some berries. I'm by no means an expert, but I do know you want at least two for pollination purposes and they like acidic soils. We added a bunch of peat moss to help get the pH down.
smitty2324
Well-Known Member
When you plant them, put them in the sunniest place in your yard.
We have a lot of blueberry farms in the area so if I want blueberries, they are pretty cheap.
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I get blueberries everytime the wife is mad at me.......
Oh, wait,
Yeah. I try to keep 4 alive after i got the plot nice and acidic. So far, I have only managed to delay their death.
Oh, wait,
Yeah. I try to keep 4 alive after i got the plot nice and acidic. So far, I have only managed to delay their death.
bknifefight
Well-Known Member
If you just put them in, pick off the flowers. At this point in their lifespan, they need to be focusing their energy on growing a strong root structure, not flowering.
I currently have 7 "bushes" that have not grown at all since being planted. I dug them up this spring and replaced the soil they were in by digging out and adding organic soil with peat and sand to aid drainage to 2.5' diameter holes by about 24 inches deep and adding elemental sulfur to drop the pH. So far they have grown better than the previous 3 yrs combined. We shall see how long this lasts or if it is just a prolonging of the inevitable, as Gila notes.
If you have acidic soil already (pH < 6 at a minimum) and decently well drained soil, go for it.
Yep, picked 100 pounds for about 100 bucks last year in South Haven.
If you have acidic soil already (pH < 6 at a minimum) and decently well drained soil, go for it.
Yep, picked 100 pounds for about 100 bucks last year in South Haven.
My grandparents have had 5 blueberry bushes for my entire life, and I have no idea how much longer than that. Those bushes have got to be at least 35 years old, and produce more blueberries than we can eat. Fortunately, I have decided to take those blueberries and make a blueberry melomel next month. But the bushes sit in the sunniest possible place, with absolutely no shade ever. They are never fertilized or watered, they just depend on what's naturally in the soil and what falls from the sky.
We have a few wild blueberry bushes on our property - my wife gets about a gallon or two off of them when she can beat the bears to them. However, when we want blueberries we take a short 5 min drive into the forest and can easily get 50+ pounds in an afternoon. This year we are looking for about 200 pounds of berries for wine, mead, and jam 
J-Gee
Member
I planted 7 or 8 bushes about 26 years ago,always get a bumper crop,and this year will be no exception.Last year they yielded well over 100 lbs.
Froze 35 pints yesterday. Expect 200 more pints from 80' of plants. Great on cereal or in smoothies
We bought 10 bushes 25 yrs ago. As they send out suckers we take cuttings and plant them directly where wanted.
Need full sun and plenty of water (1" per week)
Work lots of peat into the soil. Add Sulfur. Mulch with pine or hardwood bark. Side dress with sulfur, fertilizer, and trace nutrients every 2 years.
Prune when dormant
We have given cuttings to many people who have had great success and many who can't keep a plant alive.
If you will prep the soil, water, give sun and keep pH down with S, they WILL grow and produce heavily
We bought 10 bushes 25 yrs ago. As they send out suckers we take cuttings and plant them directly where wanted.
Need full sun and plenty of water (1" per week)
Work lots of peat into the soil. Add Sulfur. Mulch with pine or hardwood bark. Side dress with sulfur, fertilizer, and trace nutrients every 2 years.
Prune when dormant
We have given cuttings to many people who have had great success and many who can't keep a plant alive.
If you will prep the soil, water, give sun and keep pH down with S, they WILL grow and produce heavily
As a kid (Maine) we had both high bush (we planted) and low bush (wild - been there forever). The high bush took 4-5 years to become productive, had larger berries, and less flavor. The wild blueberries always seemed to be mixed in with hornets/bees had small berries, but wow did they taste better. We never did much to either bushes and they did very well.
When I get a chance to retire (Maine) the plan is to plant some high bush and map out the wild berries.
When I get a chance to retire (Maine) the plan is to plant some high bush and map out the wild berries.
bknifefight
Well-Known Member
If it was mixed properly, it shouldn't hurt. I've heard that you can drink star san mixed. But that doesn't mean I would try it, just in case it kills them.
boo boo
Well-Known Member
However, when we want blueberries we take a short 5 min drive into the forest and can easily get 50+ pounds in an afternoon.
Much like myself. Blueberries grow wild everywhere around here. I usually pick 20 to 30 gallons of lowbush berries each year for wine and baking. As I'm on the road ( service industry ) I sometimes get the chance to pick berries on my lunch break, and the exercise don't hurt either.
I don't bother using my blueberry rake, but pick by hand so I get a cleaner crop.And Nfld blueberries have the most antioxidents than anywhere else.
