Blueberry bushes require little work
Nothing says summer like a bowl of sun-ripened blueberries.
Considering how expensive they are at the market, you’d think they are difficult to grow. Nope. They are actually easy to grow and make a wonderful addition to the landscape.
In the spring, blueberry bushes are covered with lightly fragrant, bell-shaped blossoms which bumblebees and honeybees excitedly explore.
During the summer, the berries develop from small green berries into plump, deep blue orbs. In the fall, the leaves turn bright red, providing a dramatic accent in the garden.
Blueberries have very few pests or diseases, especially in this region. The only annoying pest many gardeners have to deal with are robins and other birds that are certain you planted the berries just for them.
I’ve grown blueberries for about 20 years now and find they require very little attention. The only early spring duty I have is to ensure the soil is still acidic, in a pH range of 4.5-5.2.
In the past, I’ve added peat moss to the surface of the bed. Last year, I sprinkled sulfur in pellet form on the bed. The bushes must have loved it because they look very healthy and put on more growth than usual.
Blueberry varieties are classified by when they ripen, in early, mid or late season. Even though they will produce berries without a pollinator, they will be much more productive if you plant more than one variety.
My favorite cultivars are Patriot (which has marble-sized berries), Blueray, Bluecrop, Collins and Berkeley. All of these reach a height of 3 to 4 feet.
It will take the bushes a few years to kick into peak production so the sooner you add them to your garden, the better.
The bushes have shallow, fine roots so avoid cultivating the soil once they’ve been planted. Weed control is important, however, since they compete for moisture and nutrients, so hand-pull weeds as needed without disturbing the blueberry roots.
A thick layer of mulch will make it more difficult for weeds to sprout while helping the soil retain moisture.
Once the bushes have gotten well-established, do a little light pruning in late winter each year. The goal is to have a nice mix of 1-, 2- and 3-year-old branches.
How do you know how old they are? Well, the youngest branches are gold in color with smooth bark. The oldest branches are gray with a rough bark and the middle-aged branches are somewhere in between the two in their appearance.
Most sources recommend keeping six to eight main branches per bush so each year, I just remove some of oldest branches. I also prune out any crossing or broken branches.
The very best part of growing blueberries is harvest season, which is in July and August. Try to be patient by letting the berries turn a deep blue because they will be sweeter and more flavorful.
In addition to eating them fresh or in smoothies or muffins, they are a snap to freeze. Just pop them into a freezer bag and that’s it.