In the Garden: Growing blueberries is a treat for yourself
Do you love the idea of snacking on a handful of sun-ripened blueberries? You can make that happen by adding blueberry bushes to your landscape. If you need a bit more convincing, consider these two redeeming qualities of the plants: attractive cream-colored blossoms in the spring and claret-colored leaves in the fall.
Blueberries don’t require a lot of room and are pretty straightforward to grow if you understand their primary needs of full sun and well-draining, acidic soil.
Northern highbush blueberries perform well in the Inland Northwest. There are also dwarf blueberries for growing in containers. Even though Spokane is in USDA hardiness zone 6, choose varieties that are hardy down to zone 5 to be safe.
The plants are self-fruitful but will produce more and larger fruits if you plant one or two other varieties as pollinators.
Our blueberry season runs from late June through early September. Here are examples of varieties that do well here: Duke, Earliblue, Patriot and Spartan (early); Bluecrop and Bluejay (midseason); and Darrow (late). Purchase plants from your local garden center in early spring since they sell out quickly.
Blueberry bushes can live up to 50 years, so it’s important to get them off to a good start. After selecting a site, test the soil pH. Garden centers sell simple kits, while professional soil tests will provide more detailed results.
The goal is a pH level between 4.5 and 5.5. Most soils in this region range between slightly acidic and slightly alkaline. Consult with your local Master Gardeners for advice on how you can adjust the soil pH slowly.
Plant bushes 3 feet apart in holes that are the depth of the root system. Add a 2-inch-deep layer of mulch around the plants. In subsequent years, you can increase to 4 inches of mulch. This will suppress weeds and conserve soil moisture.
Here’s the difficult part: Remove all flowers from each plant during their first growing season. Even though it would be nice to have fresh blueberries right away, it’s more important for the plants to develop a good root system and branching structure.
Beginning the second year, fertilize the plants each spring. Organic blueberry fertilizers are available at garden centers, but, if you have trouble locating some, fertilizers for acid-loving plants will do the job. Always follow the label directions.
In the third year, start an annual pruning routine. Late winter is an ideal time. Begin by removing dead or damaged canes (the upright branches) first. Then lightly prune the plants to maintain an open growth habit; this will allow more sunlight to hit developing berries.
Established plants should have a mix of 1-, 2- and 3-year-old canes. How can you tell the difference between them? The newest canes are shiny and green. Two-year-old canes will be yellow-green and have bark developing on them. Three-year-old canes have a “gnarly” appearance, where they are covered with a gray-brown bark. Follow the canes down to the crown of the plant to make your cuts.
Remember that blueberry bushes have fine, shallow roots. While it’s important to keep up with any weeds that pop up, keep cultivation to a minimum to avoid damaging their roots.
Once you start allowing your blueberry bushes to bear fruit, it’s a treat watching bumblebees diligently visiting the blossoms to pollinate them. You’ll soon start spotting green berries that will slowly develop into the delicious fruits you’ve been dreaming of.
Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at susan@susansinthegarden.com. Watch this week’s “Everyone Can Grow a Garden” video at youtube.com/susansinthegarden.