Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a low-growing plant that produces healthy berries. Belongs to the Heather family. The plant got its name due to the fact that the berries and juice are black. You can meet blueberries in the Taiga in Asia and northern Europe, as well as in some parts of North America. It grows in a subarctic climate. In the garden, blueberries are grown as an ornamental plant, for the purpose of obtaining tasty berries or for use in folk medicine.
Description of blueberries
Blueberry is a shrub that grows up to 15-50 cm in height. The branches grow at an acute angle in relation to the trunk. The leaves are rounded, serrated along the edge. In spring they are green, and by autumn they turn red. The root system is located at a depth of 6-7 cm. The flowers of blueberries are greenish-pink, and the fruits are spherical, painted in a deep dark blue color. Their diameter is 7-10 mm. The flowering period is May-June. Blueberries ripen in the second half of summer or early fall.
Planting blueberries outdoors
It is advisable to plant blueberries in a semi-shaded place. This plant loves acidic soil. Groundwater should be as high as possible. If you plant blueberries in the sun, you will have to spray the plant with water in hot summer weather.
In warmer regions, blueberries can be planted in August-September. In temperate or more severe climates, it is best to postpone planting to late spring.
The distance between the rows should be about 2.5 m, and between the seedlings in a row - 1.5 m.The depth of the planting pit is about 80 cm, the dimensions are 60x60. At the bottom of the pit, you need to pour expanded clay or other material for drainage.
With low acidity of the soil, you need to mix the soil that we took from the planting pit with peat in a 2: 1 ratio. For each seedling, add a quarter teaspoon of sulfur. If the ground is heavy, sand can be added. The mixture is poured into the pits. It should stand for several weeks.
It is best to plant seedlings 2-3 years old in the soil. Before planting, the seedling, together with an earthen lump, must be lowered into the water, and the planting hole with the mixture must be poured with a solution of citric acid (1 tsp per bucket). The soil must be loosened, a deepening of the required size must be made, and then the seedling must be placed. In this case, you need to spread the root system well, and then cover it with earth. After planting, the soil must be compacted and watered. It is advisable to mulch with peat or sawdust.
If the seedling is more than 3 years old, its branches need to be cut to 20 cm in height. This will make it easier for the plant to adapt.
Care for blueberries in the garden
Watering
The main thing in caring for blueberries is timely watering. It is important that the soil is constantly slightly moistened, therefore it is necessary to water the blueberry bushes every 2 weeks.In drought, this is done more often. Every month, when watering, you need to add a little acid to the water. But you don't need to overdo it with watering either, as a fungus can develop. Therefore, it is advisable to mulch the soil with a layer of sawdust or needles.
Top dressing
Every 3 years in the fall, you need to apply about 3 kg of organic fertilizers per 1 m2... It can be compost or rotted manure. From mineral fertilizers, superphosphate, potassium magnesium in dissolved form is suitable. These fertilizers are applied every year. Fertilizers that contain chlorine should not be applied, as this plant reacts poorly to them. The condition of the plant is significantly improved after foliar feeding with various microelements. The procedure is performed in the evening.
Pruning
At the age of 3-4 years, pruning is necessary for blueberries, as weakened branches and bony growths appear. The bush should have 8-9 good branches. Four-year-old branches are shortened, leaving 20 cm. Side shoots that bear poor fruit are also removed. When the plant is 15 years old, it needs anti-aging pruning. To do this, cut off all the branches, leaving 20 cm each. If blueberries in your garden serve only as a decoration, the bush can be given any shape.
Wintering
Winter frosts are not terrible for the plant, but flowers can die from spring frosts. This should be taken into account when caring for blueberries in the garden.
Diseases and pests of blueberries
Pests such as scale insects and aphids can attack blueberries. To combat them, insecticides are used. Sometimes the plants are affected by gray mold or rust. If dark spots with a reddish tint appear, this is miscospereliosis. With rust, the spots are brown, and with gray mold, the berries are mummified. When a fungus is affected, fungicides are used. For example, Fundazol. The sooner you start fighting blueberry disease, the easier it will be for you to defeat it.
If blueberries are infected with a viral disease (red ring spot, filamentous branches, etc.), the plant must be dug up and burned.
Collection and storage of blueberries
In the middle of summer, active blueberry picking begins. In the forest, it ripens first on the forest edges, and then on marshy soils in the lowlands of the forest. It is recommended to pick berries only from those plants that are less than 15 years old. Their age can be determined by the number of side shoots. The berries are harvested in dry weather. To significantly speed up the collection process, a special fruit picker is purchased. It works like a comb. The branches and leaves remain, but the berries fall into the box.
Storage
When the blueberry crop is harvested, it must be cleaned of leaves, stalks and other parts of the plant. To clear up the debris faster, you can simply fill the crop with water. The berries will fall down, and the leaves and twigs will float up. After that it will be easier to sort through them.
The berries are frozen, dried or jam is made from them. To dry blueberries, you need to pour a layer of berries on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at a temperature of 45-50 ° C. The berries are stirred periodically until they are completely dry. They are stored in containers made of wood or cardboard. The room must be dry and protected from the sun.
If you have a large freezer, wash and dry the berries, then lay them out in one layer on a tray. Put in the freezer as it is. If the tray is made of metal, line it in front of this paper towel. After a few hours, the berries will freeze well in the freezer, after which they can be poured into an airtight bag. You can store blueberries in the freezer for up to a year.
If you want to keep the berries as long as possible, wash and dry them well, and then place them in well-calcined glass jars. The container is closed with corks and then filled with liquid wax. Banks should be kept cool and dark.
Types and varieties of blueberries with photos
Species blueberries are planted in the gardens, as the plant does not yet have varieties. Sometimes blueberries are passed off as one of the blueberry varieties. But in fact, these are different types of plants, although they are related.Sometimes they are confused, since in English the name of the plants sounds the same. Both blueberries and blueberries are called blueberry. The following types of blueberries can be seen in our gardens.
Hairy blueberry (Vaccinium hirtum)
The native land of the species is Japan and Sakhalin. Shrubs grow in forests and on bolts. Grows up to 1 m. Leaves are oblong, pointed at the end. The diameter of the berries is 5-7 mm. They are spherical and blue, almost black.
Caucasian blueberry (Vaccinium arctostaphylos)
It grows in the northern part of Asia Minor, as well as in the Caucasus. You can also meet the plant in the north of Iran and in some areas of Bulgaria. It is a tree 2-3 m high or a large shrub. The leaves are large, the berries can be eaten. The disadvantage of this species is the low winter hardiness of the plant.
Angus bilberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
The native land of the species is North America. It is a low-growing shrub that does not grow above 0.5 m in height. The plant has very good winter hardiness.
Oval-leaved bilberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium)
In the wild, it grows in Japan, in some places in North America, and also on Sakhalin. You can also meet the plant on the Aleutian and Kuril Islands. It also grows on the Commander Islands. The height of oval-leaved bilberry is 3-4 m.
Panicle bilberry (Vaccinium scoparium)
You can meet the plant in such US states as Alabama, Carolina, California. Occasionally found in Colorado. This is a low-growing shrub that does not survive the winter very well. Plant height averages about 20 cm. It does not bear fruit annually.
Useful properties of blueberries
Healing properties
The main advantage of blueberries is the presence of antioxidants in the berries. They are found in other products as well. For example, in blackberries, grapes, red cabbage. But there are much more of these substances in blueberries. Blueberries are also rich in a variety of micronutrients. They contain a lot of magnesium, potassium, iron, etc. Not only the berries themselves, but also the leaves of the plant are rich in useful components. The berries and leaves also contain organic acids, pectins. They are rich in vitamins B, C, A, PP, etc.
Berries have antimicrobial effect. They are astringent and prevent decay. Blueberries have the unique property of improving vision, including twilight. Therefore, it is actively used by astronauts, and during the war the berries were eaten by British pilots.
People have long known that blueberries have a positive effect on visual acuity, relieve fatigue, and expand the field of vision. Therefore, the people use blueberries for vision problems. Scientists have found that this product improves blood circulation in the retina and aids in retinal repair. To improve lost vision, you need to consume a spoonful of fresh berries, previously filled with water, half an hour before breakfast.
Berry juice helps with skin diseases, burns, ulcers.
Contraindications
But if you have a malfunctioning pancreas or duodenum, berries should not be consumed. Blueberries are contraindicated for oxalaturia, allergies and constipation. In other cases, the use of berries and decoction of leaves will bring many benefits to the body.
