Starting preparations for Blueberries

[keith44]

I've had the right place picked out for about 9 months, trouble is it's been over-grown with vines, briars, sumac, and other "trash" vegetations. A few weeks ago I started clearing away the over-growth.  Yesterday I tilled up an area 25 feet long and 4 feet wide.  Today I ran the mower with bagger through the leaves and briars that were cut out over the past few weeks, and tilled what was collected into the already tilled up area.  I'll do this periodically through this next year, and work in some peat moss, to help "improve" the soil, and try to get the PH down to around 4.5 or 5.

The plan is to have three each of the early, mid, and late season Blueberry bushes. (Yes I know the area tilled is too small to support 9 plants.  The area will be expanded slowly as time allows)

Follow up reports to follow as progress (or set backs) is made.

Keith

[Graybeard]

What type bushes will you use? Highbush or rabbiteye like we do in the south?

Normally blueberry bushes are planted 6' apart in the row and rows 12' apart. When they get ten to twelve years on them you'll wish you'd used 7' or 8' in rows and 15' between rows.

My bushes were planted in '95, '96 and a few more in '97. At one time I had over 500 but these days I imagine it's closer to 300 but each have so many canes it's hard to say how many I have.

When planting use at least two shovels of peat moss per plant in the hole. I tried to locate the planting instructions we give out to customers who buy bushes from us but didn't locate it. I'm not sure if it was only on my old game computer but I don't think so. My computer is acting up badly and it might have been deleted or might just not be showing rat now. I've gotta get Matt to do some work on it soon.

I've been growing them a long time so if you have questions I'll try to help.

[keith44]

I'll take you up on that offer!!

I'm thinking high bush, I was planning on 8' x 8' spacing when complete (that is 8 feet apart in rows, and 8 foot row spacing with the plants off set by 4 feet)

.........x........x........x........x........x
....x........x........x........x........x....

in this pattern
Planning on just growing enough for us, and sharing excess with friends.

[Graybeard]

That's a bit close between rows. As the grow older the plants get really big. Even with 6' original spacing my rows now are kinda like a hedge with few places you can walk between them. With 12' row spacing as you walk down the rows you have to duck and dodge the limbs hanging over into the rows. It makes mowing a real headache.

I found the instructions. Dunno why it wasn't showing before but this time I got all the files to show so here is what I give folks who buy bushes from me. Few of them buy more than 3-4 but those who buy a bunch I always suggest wider spacing than I have.

If you are using highbush berry bushes then I think they get at least as big if not bigger than the rabbiteye bushes we grow in the deep south. Here are the instructions:


Planting Instructions for Blueberry Bushes



Buy adequate peat moss to put two shovels full in each hole plus some additional to mix with the soil you remove from hole. You must have the peat moss before you begin planting. Wal-Mart seems to have the best prices on peat moss. A 1.1 cu ft bag will plant two or maybe three bushes easily. A 2.2 cu ft bag will plant 6-8 bushes.

Dig your hole a minimum of twice the diameter of the top of the pot your bush comes in. YES more is better. The hole should be at least as deep as the pot is tall and again a little more is better.

Use your shovel or a spade fork to loosen some soil in the bottom of the planting hole. Mix two shovels full of peat moss with this lose soil. Now set the pot into the hole to be sure you have the correct depth. The top of the pot should be about even with the ground at top of the hole. If the top of pot is above the ground make the hole deeper, if the pot is more than an inch or so below the ground add more peat moss until top of pot sets even with ground level.

Make sure your peat moss is thoroughly wetted before you plant. I do this by filling the hole with water and mixing the water and peat moss together so it absorbs the water and is completely wetted. Let the water soak into the ground and peat moss and then take your plant from pot. Try to be careful and not disturb the roots any more than necessary while removing it from the pot. Some times the dirt will fall away from the roots in spite of your efforts. This is OK but get it planted and watered quickly when it does.

Miracle Grow potting mix and garden soil both contain mostly peat moss and have a wetting agent applied so it is much easier to wet the peat moss in it than regular bagged peat. It costs a bit more but is much easier to work with if that’s important to you. Just make sure you get plenty of peat moss in the hole regardless of the source and type. Blueberry bushes need a highly acid soil and peat moss is the way you start them off right in life with that highly acid soil they need.

Set your bush with soil that was in the pot with it in the middle of your planting hole. Finish filling the hole to the top of the soil that was in pot with the bush using a mixture of soil you removed from the hole and peat moss. Make sure the top 2” or so of the fill is your native soil you removed. Tamp it down good and water thoroughly.

If you have done the job correctly you should have a depression in the soil surrounding your newly planted bush that is from 1” to not more than 3” deep. This is a water well for use in watering the bush and it will let you know when you’ve watered it correctly. Fill the well with water and let it soak in. As long as the water is soaking in quickly you need to keep adding water. When the water stands for a few minutes without soaking in it’s time to stop watering.

WARNING: Failure to keep the bushes properly watered during their first two summers in the ground will ABSOLUTELY result in the death of your bushes. This is a absolute MUST if you want them to live and grow. Keep them watered not less often that every other day if it’s not raining during the hot dry times of the year until they are two years old and you’ll have vigorous and healthy plants.

It is advisable to remove the blooms or failing that the berries from your bushes the first two years. This will allow the bushes to put all of their energy into plant growth and you will have large mature plants at least two years sooner than if you allow them to bear during those first two years. The choice is yours but keeping the berries off will aid in keeping the bushes healthy and add reduce the time needed for them to mature.

If you have questions at any time regarding the bushes you have purchased from us feel free to call us at 256-435-1125 and ask for help. We’ll be happy to assist you with problems you have with the bushes you buy from us. We cannot however guarantee they will live as that depends completely on the way you tend to them. They were healthy and growing well in pots at our house for at least six months before we delivered them to you. IF you take care of them as stated above they should continue to live and grow. But failure to follow these instructions is an almost certain death sentence for your bushes.


You will need at least two different varieties of bushes for proper pollination. We raise and sell a total of five varieties which are: Tifblue, Garden Blue, Brightwell, Climax and Premier.

If you buy only a few bushes just make sure you have them relatively near each other and they should pollinate fine. If you are planting larger numbers of them they should be planted in rows. You may alternate varieties within the rows or plant one variety per row and make sure the row next to it is a different variety. Plant rows 12’ to 14’ apart and plant the bushes 6’ to 7’ apart in the rows. I have found that when bushes are mature that spacing of  6’ and 12’ is barely adequate to allow for easy mowing of grass and care of bushes. That’s the spacing I have. Were I to do it again I’d use 7’ and 14’ and that’s what I suggest you use if you are planting for commercial production.

The very best mulch you can use around your bushes is pine straw. You can usually find it for sale at the Calhoun County Co-Op or Wal-Mart in bales. If you apply it liberally around your bushes to a depth of several inches and for at least a diameter of 24” to 36” you will keep down weeds and when it rots into the soil it helps keep the soil around your bushes acidic.

Do not fertilize the first year you plant. After that a soil test to determine the best choice of fertilizer is recommended but you can just add a small amount (not more than four ounces) of a good balanced fertilizer (8-8-8 or 13-13-13 for example) in lieu of the soil test recommendation and it should do fine most of the time. Using a natural manure is even better, you can use cow, horse or goat manure if you have access to it.

[longwinters]

2 years ago I put in 4 northern blueberry bushes (bushes is kind of an exageration more like a couple stems each).  Anyway with our cold winters etc... I got the kind that will only get 2-3 ft tall.  I planted them in a raised bed that was pure peat moss.  At the time I could get peat moss for $3.00 a 3' cube.  Now it is $15.00 per cube...don't know why the big price change.

The 1st year we had a hail storm with hail the size of quarters.  I lost everything in my garden (It was early June so I bought what plants I could still find and replanted).  The blue berry bushes were smashed flat and not a leaf left on them.  I didn't think they would survive but the next year (last year) I got 2 qts off of them.  I mulched with straw, put netting over them to keep the robins from stealing, and hope this year to do some better.  I also planted another northern blueberry bush last year which is supposed to get to about 4 ft tall.

Other people I know have a heck of a time growing blue berry bushes.  Now if I could just get my asparagus to grow......

Long

[Graybeard]

There are three types of blueberry bushes.

Highbush is the name of the type suited to northern growners and some folks use them in the south but mostly in the northern tier of the south. That's what they use in the Carolinas and northern GA but from my part of Bama south we grow the second type.

Rabbiteye is the name of the bushes commonly grown in the deep south. They have a far better taste and sweetness compared to highbush berries. Most if not all grocery store berries are high bush.

We have customers who live in Virginia and they time their vacation each year around our blueberry season and drive down to pick loads of berries to take back and have enough for a year until it's time to return and pick again. They say there is just no comparison between the berries we grow and what's grown up their way.

The third type are called low bush and these are what we used to call huckleberries as kids. They have now hybridized them to the point they can grow to as much as three feet tall and that's the type you got longwinters. They are fine for growing in containers but really if you're gonna put them in the ground highbush would be a better choice for you.

[Old Syko]

Greybeard helped me get started a while back.  With his directions and the reluctant help of a couple local growers, I discovered that in southern Indiana the most hardy and best producing berries are Duke, Blueray, Bluejay, Patriot, Bluecrop, and Brigitta.  I suggest you adhere to Greybeard's cautions on planting distances.  Some of these plants get quite large and need plenty of room.  Plenty of peat for planting and an unreal amount of pine straw to use as mulch once planted are very important.  From that point on just water, water, water.

Greybeard, if you ever lose your directions I have them on paper in a folder here in my office.   

[squirrellluck]

Greybeard, ain't huckleberries a lot smaller than blueberries? And maybe a bit more tart? We got 'em everywhere over here in Louisiana. Just curious. Have thought about planting blueberry bushes but as long as I got  plenty of huckleberries to pick... Thought about some blackberries but same thing, they growing wild here and as long as it last I guess I'll wait. Anyway just curious about the deference between blue and huckle berries Thanks.

[Graybeard]

Huckleberries are also called low bush blueberries. So they are same. I've not bothered to pick huckleberries in years even tho I had bushes here when we moved here in '94 and there might still be some in the woods if I were to go looking.

I do seem to recall them a bit more tart/less sweet but some of that might have been me picking them before they were fully ripe also.

Native huckleberry bushes don't get much size to them but plant science has developed hybrids from them they still call low bush same as huckleberries but the plants get much larger up to 3' tall and produce larger berries and more of them than native huckleberry bushes.

[keith44]

Hey Graybeard, How tall do the High bush, and rabbiteye blueberry plants get (assuming proper pruning) and will rabbiteye thrive in KY?

Keith

[Old Syko]

Keith I'm told the Rabbiteye and others won't withstand the cold and snow well.  You'll be in about the same zone I am and we have to use the northern varieties.  Duke and Blueray are strong producers here.  As far as how tall the bushes get, one grower here has Patriot and Brigitta bushes that are over 7' tall and wide.  I don't like picking from a ladder.  This is another reason I like the Duke and Blueray.  They stay a more manageable size for picking.  Somewhere around chest high.  Last year I had berries up to 3/4" and sweet as sugar.

[keith44]

Thanks Syko, that helps, alot.  Duke I haven't heard of, Blueray is one of the varieties I was considering.

[Graybeard]

Nope no rabbiteye bushes in KY way too far north. In fact I'm at the upper end of their range here in NE Alabama. I lose the majority of my crop to cold weather at least one year in three and at best I get a bumper crop one year in three or four years.

I'm not sure how big high bush plants get as I don't grow them here and know no one else who does.

I've seen rabbiteye bushes 20' tall and looking more like trees than bushes. They were perhaps 40 years old and had not been pruned in who knows how many years. Some of mine are as much as 10' or so tall tho normally I keep them pruned to more like 7' to 8' max as folks can't reach the higher limbs anyway. They are some what brittle and when the pickers pull the limbs to reach the higher berries they just break the limbs off so nothing is gained by letting them get taller than 7' to 8'.

[Old Syko]

Keith the Duke plants will start to bloom about a week to ten days later than most all other strains suitable here but will actually produce ripe fruit about 2 weeks ahead of all the others.  They're actually our favorite. 

Just a bit of advice on storing blueberries.  Don't wash them before freezing.  Take them directly from the plant to freezer boxes and freeze them.  When thawed out they are good as fresh.  If you wash the wax off before freezing they literally turn to mush.  Frozen blueberries and strawberries with a bit of either yogurt or ice cream in the blender makes a great fruit smoothie.      

[ken w.]

I planted the variety Herbert and they are the best I have found and they grow great up here in New York. I fertilize with 10-20-20 with sulfur. A small handful in the spring and bit during the year. This year I will add a few different varieties.