Blueberries
Introduction
Blueberries originate from North America where they grow wild, and this means they are vigorous, tough, and able to survive the British weather. Blueberry bushes produce significant quantities of berries after only three years, and are capable of being productive for thirty years.
Blueberries are a great choice for the allotment, garden, or patio, and not just for their blueberry harvest. In spring, they produce beautiful small white flowers from which the blueberries will come. Over the summer, there is the beauty of the blueberries themselves. The best display of all is in the autumn, with the turning of the leaves from their original deep green colour to red and then to gold.
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Planting
- Planting depth: cover root ball
- Allow at least 1 metre between plants in all directions
Harvesting
- Eat fresh or freeze, also makes excellent compote
(inside)
(outside)
(fresh)
(stored)
= jar, = freeze, 
= store
Varieties
Blueberries are self fertile, meaning that it is not necessary to have more than one blueberry plant to grow blueberries. However, when growing blueberries, it is best to have two plants or more as this will produce a bigger yield through cross pollination.
Blueberry plants can be subdivided into three groups based on when they fruit:
- Early – Late June & July
- Mid Season – Late July & August
- Late – August & September
If you have space, go for a selection of varieties to cover the summer period, both to give you a longer harvest but also to maximise the yield.
Blueberries are not only grown for their fruit. In spring, they produce beautiful blossom, and in autumn their leaves turn spectacular orange and red colours.
Blueberries prefer an ericaceous soil but will grow in all soil types. They also perform very well in pots. Look for smaller varieties with less vigorous growth.
A recent innovation is the advent of pink blueberries. You may also want to select later season varieties that form bigger fruit. Blueberry plants are tough, cold resistant plants, that are capable of providing fruit for thirty years or more.
The easy way for a gardener to organise their growing and discover gardening ideas.
Growing
The most important point to remember when growing blueberries is that they prefer an acidic soil. Growing blueberries in pots is an ideal way of accommodating this, by filling the pot with ericaceous compost. It is best to use a big pot. Ensure that the pot has good drainage holes at the bottom – as blueberries like a moist well drained soil. Ideally, the pot should be placed in full sun, but blueberries will still grow well in partial shade.
If planting in open ground, dig a bigger than usual planting hole and add plenty of ericaceous compost to it. This is the approach I have used successfully on my allotment. The best time to plant blueberries is in their dormant months from late autumn and through winter.
Care for blueberry bushes is straightforward, but as with most types of soft fruit, the wildlife around the plants will be watching attentively for the fruit to ripen. A net is essential to avoid the fruit disappearing.
It is best to water blueberries with rainwater to help sustain the acidic soil environment.
It is recommended to avoid pruning blueberry bushes until they are about five years old. At this stage, old unproductive wood can be removed. The best and biggest blueberries come from two to three years old wood, so you will need to retain some old wood, as well as new growth, in the pruning process.