Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension

More on Blueberries in the Home Garden
Tom Rood

May 8, 2002

Everyone loves blueberries and there is no reason for not having a few of your own bushes if there is ample room in the garden. Blueberries are healthful additions to the home garden. They are low in sodium and calories and contain no cholesterol. They are a source of fiber whose major constituent is pectin, a known blood cholesterol-lowering agent. They "contain measurable quantities of ellagic acid which has inhibiting effects on chemically induced cancer." The juice "contains a compound that prevents bacteria from anchoring" to the bladder helping prevent urinary tract infections. Blueberries also reportedly help improve memory, although I can't remember where I read that. Maybe I need to eat more.

The trick with blueberries is understanding basic soil chemistry. In Yates County, there is a range of soils that runs from alkaline in the northern parts to acid in the southern portions. The Master Gardeners can perform a very simple free soil pH test in the Extension Office to determine your soil's ability to support acid loving blueberries. Blueberries are on the low end of the acid loving plant lists requiring soil pH between 4 to 4.5. This soil pH must be carefully maintained over the life of the plants. So, the very first step for the home gardener is to find their own soil pH before planting blueberries.

Balancing soil pH is very important for obtaining the very best performance from our garden plants. Each plant needs a particular range of soil nutrients for optimum growth. If soil pH is too high or too low, some of these nutrients may become "locked" up in the soil and therefore unavailable for the plant's use. The nutrients released through soil chemistry depend upon the soil's pH. That is why plants seem to be selective, or grow better in some areas rather than others. Many plants do fairly well in a range of soil pH from 6.5 to 7.5. However, there are some acid loving plants that will not perform in this high soil pH and the blueberry is one of them.

Our own garden soil up here in the northeastern part of the county runs just a bit over a pH of 7. For us to grow acid loving plants such as blueberries requires some soil modification. One of the things we can do, for example, is to add inexpensive granular sulfur along with compost in the preparation of our blueberry bed. Ohio State University Extension has a fact sheet for home gardening with blueberries and it can be down loaded from http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1422.html. In this fact sheet there is a table with a range of soil pH's along with the amounts of granular sulfur to add to lower our pH from 7 to 4.5 which is 6.0 pounds for our clay soil per 100 square feet (an area ten feet by ten feet).

Sulfur is best added in late fall and worked into the soil with organic matter in preparation for spring planting. In heavy soils peat can be mixed in on a 50 percent peat to 50 percent soil basis. There are other soil additives that will change pH. Contact the Master Gardeners for information best suited for your particular soil.

Blueberries do not like "wet feet". They should be planted in an area where good drainage is available, in full sun and heavily mulched with sawdust or woodchips to a depth of four inches. Maintain a mulch depth of two to four inches over the life of the plants. If soil has poor drainage, the blueberry bushes can be planted in raised beds at least four feet wide and eight inches high. Blueberries tend to be shallow rooted plants. Large plantings of high bush blueberries should be in rows five feet apart with ten foot row spacings.

Four weeks after planting sprinkle an ounce of ammonium sulfate, or 10-10-10, around each plant keeping the fertilizer at least six inches from the plant stems. During the second and following years sprinkle the same amount at bloom time and again four to six weeks later. If the leaves begin to look yellowish sprinkle two to three ounces of ferrous sulfate or iron chelate around each plant.

Blueberries need lots of water to perform well. An inch or two per week during the growing season is preferable. During drought periods supplemental watering may be necessary. Do not water after August 31, unless the soil becomes extremely dry, to allow the plant to begin harding off for winter.

Removal of blossoms during the first and second year after planting will encourage more vigorous growth. It takes discipline to do this as we are all eager to sample the fruits of our labors, just don't leave too many blossoms.

Blueberries do not need pruning until the beginning of the fourth year. Then during March of the fourth year remove any dead wood, weak branches and any interior crossing branches to open up the center of the plant to sunlight. As the plant matures, older and very thin branches can be removed to encourage new growth. The height of the plant can be controlled by trimming back top growth. Leaving too much material on the plant may cause over-fruiting which results in smaller berries and may cause some stress to the plant.

There are generally two types of blueberry bushes: high bush and low bush. Some intermediate height hybrids, half-highs, have come on the market. Some blueberry plants have been bred for southern areas and should be avoided for our climate. We are interested in the high bush blueberries. High bush plants can range in height from a couple of feet to over six feet. Many spread out as they mature. For best results do a little research to select the best size for your garden.

Bluecrop (6-7 ft) is the most widely planted blueberry and one can not go too far wrong in planting this mid-season variety. The fruit is large, firm and with good flavor. Blueray is very early and similar in performance to Bluecrop. Chippewa (3-4 ft) is a new variety from the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station which grows four feet high and wide. It is extremely winter hardy as one can imagine in northern Minnesota. We found this variety at a nursery. Patriot (4 ft) from the University of Maine is another early season bush we found at a nursery. It grows medium height and is hardy with the Maine wild blueberry flavor.

Jersey (6-7 ft) is an older variety with a popular following. It is a late season bearer with medium size fruit. Ivanhoe, Elliott, Bluejay and Northland are other fine varieties that can be found locally. Northland is a half-high bush growing only two feet high and three wide. Read carefully the catalog information paying particular attention to what the catalog "left out" of the description for each variety.

There doesn't seem to be any limits on the imaginative uses of blueberries. Very fine wine can be made as well as a host of things from pies, jams, muffins, pancakes to eating out-of-hand. It is recommended that at least two different varieties of blueberries be planted to aid in cross pollination.. However, Elliott is reported to not need cross pollination. Growing blueberries can be a wonderful experience for the home gardener willing to beat the birds to the harvest. For those who do not have the garden space, there are pick-your-own blueberry farms nearby.

www.cce.cornell.edu/yates/mgindex.htm.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Yates Association
Last updated: 5/7/02

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