Blueberries are a healing berry that grows well in the wild and at home. Its beneficial properties help in the treatment and prevention of many diseases due to the content of a large amount of vitamins, microelements and other components that are very important for human health.
This shrub plant belongs to the Lingonberry family. The culture can reach a height of over 1 meter. Distinctive external features of blueberries are small oval leaves of a dark green hue, pink or white inflorescences and dark blue fruits with a dense waxy bloom up to 1.5 cm in diameter. The berries taste sweet, with a large number of small seeds inside.
The most favorable growing conditions for blueberry bushes are located in Siberia and in the East (in the northern regions). The active bloom of blueberries begins in early June, and the first harvest can be harvested around the end of August - early September. The berry crop prefers moist forest soils and marshlands.
Garden blueberries are not easy to grow, they require a lot of attention during planting and maintenance. If all the necessary requirements for its cultivation are met, you can get an impressive result.
Garden blueberry - its types and cultivation features
Among the many species and varieties of blueberries, you can find plants of various heights - from low (about 30 cm) to real giants (with a height of about 3 m). Three hybrid tall shrubs bred by American breeders. Their goal was to develop varieties with high yields. This goal has been achieved - blueberry hybrids give huge yields on a small plot of land. Fruits are formed earlier than other species and ripen faster. Of course, the place of cultivation and the variety of the crop are of great importance. The only drawback is the inconvenience during collection due to the high plant height.
For planting blueberries in the garden, experienced gardeners recommend purchasing seedlings with a closed root system. This will make it much easier to care for the culture. The most common variety for growing at home is considered to be bog blueberries or drunkards. This variety grows well in any climate and in any weather. The berry shrub of this species is considered a long-liver. It has been able to bear fruit for over 90 years. In care, it is unpretentious, in height - from 30 cm in natural conditions - up to 70 cm when grown in a garden. Forest berries begin to bear fruit much later than domestic ones. The first harvest after planting seedlings can be obtained as early as the next season.
Planting rules for garden blueberries
Planting time can be in the spring or autumn month, but with autumn planting there is a threat of freezing of young plants.
The landing site should be sunny, but free from drafts and strong gusts of wind.Do not plant plants on a shaded area of land, as this will affect the amount of harvest and the taste of berries. The fruits grown in the shade have a sour taste, and their total amount is several times less than the average yield in a sunny area.
The soil is acidic, the site is not in close proximity to other crops. An ideal soil for blueberries, which includes peat with sand or peat with clay, a drainage layer is also required.
Planting holes for seedlings should be at least 60 cm deep. The plant is placed in the hole with great care due to the fragile root system. The hole is filled with a soil mixture consisting of peat, fine sand and sawdust. Since blueberries love acidic soil, it is necessary to add a substance to oxidize it (for example, sulfur or citric acid). Sulfur will need about 40 grams, and acid - 3 teaspoons. One of these substances is dissolved in 10 liters of water and poured under each bush.
The distance between seedlings when planting is at least 1 meter.
Top dressing is not recommended for the first time.
Basic blueberry care
Watering
The volume of irrigation water and the regularity of irrigation depend on the climate and weather conditions in which the blueberry grows, as well as on the period of development of the horticultural culture. During the rooting of a seedling in a new place, the soil should always be slightly moistened, but without stagnant water and without drying out. At this stage (for about a month), it is recommended to water the bushes 4 times a week.
When growing moisture-loving blueberries in arid regions (after the plant has rooted), watering should be carried out at least 2 times a week. Usually gardeners recommend that this process be devoted to the morning and evening time and in no case in direct sunlight during the day. If necessary, at noon, it is better to use the humidification method of spraying.
It is necessary to increase the volume of irrigation water and the number of irrigations before the beginning of the flowering and fruiting period. At this time, the water regime is of particular importance for blueberries; it will affect the quantity and quality of the future harvest.
Lush and lush flowering, as well as the juiciness of blueberries depends on timely watering and spraying, without a lack and excess of moisture in the soil.
Weed control
Weeds have a great negative effect on a young plant, especially at the initial stage of development of berry bushes. That is why it is necessary to timely weed the soil near the plants and rid them of weeds.
Loosening the soil
The development of the root part of the plant, as well as normal air exchange, depends on this procedure. Loosening is recommended regularly, but very carefully so as not to damage the roots. The root system of garden blueberries is about 50 cm deep.
Mulching
During the period of plant formation, mulching will provide them with reliable protection and nutrition. It is recommended to cover the soil near the root trunks with a mixture of sawdust and rotted manure. The mixture is added as needed several more times.
Fertilizers and feeding
Timely and correctly selected dressings significantly increase the yield of fruits and improve the palatability of blueberries. The first fertilizing with mineral fertilizers is carried out only starting from the second year of the life of the shrubs. Fertilizer is applied in two stages in spring: before bud break and again after about 1.5 months. The amount of top dressing applied depends on the age of the blueberry.
To understand what kind of mineral components are lacking in blueberry bushes, you need to take a closer look at the appearance of the culture:
- Slow growth and yellow leaves - nitrogen needed.
- Purple leaves - phosphorus.
- Spots on foliage, dying off of young tops - potassium.
- Deformation of the edges of the foliage - calcium.
- The yellowness on the veins is iron.
- The red border of the leaves is magnesium.
- Whitish leaves are sulfur.
Shrub pruning
Young seedlings are not pruned. This procedure is only necessary for mature crops. Pruning is carried out before bud break in early spring. It is necessary to remove damaged or dried branches and those that spread along the ground. Pruning shrub shoots is needed when blueberry fruits lose their taste and external characteristics change for the worse. For example, the number and size of fruits have decreased markedly.
Experienced summer residents and gardeners recommend rejuvenating pruning of branches about once every 10-12 years. It can be carried out in one season at once, deleting all old branches at the same time. Only this will affect the amount of the crop obtained. Alternatively, you can split the procedure into two steps and prune some of the branches in one season and the rest in the next.
The healing and beneficial properties of blueberries
Blueberries are used in the complex treatment of many diseases. For example, in the treatment of gums and throat, diarrhea and constipation. Traditional medicine recommends blueberry fruits to increase immunity and recuperate after suffering infectious diseases.
Berries are widely used in cooking in the manufacture of tasty and healthy dishes, as well as for preparations for the winter. Blueberries retain their beneficial qualities not only raw, but also dry and frozen.
