Growing Blueberry in the Home Garden

Blueberries are shrubs but lots of people just call them bushes and its ok. Growing blueberries requires less time and attention. They are woody plants and take two to three years to provide a good yield.

what do blueberry plants look like

Blueberry plants look attractive that's for sure. In case you have never seen one in real time, just check the picture below. Imagine having these shrubs in your garden, it would be grand wouldn't it?

How to raise / grow blueberries

The first question is "what time of the year do you plant blueberries?"

Blueberries are high chill plants and grow well in regions which have a colder climate predominantly. Atleast 400-1200 hours of below 44 degree F temperature would be required.

Growing blueberries bushes would require Acidic soil. Perform a soil test to determine if you soil is alkaline or acidic. If it is alkaline you can add sulphur to make it more acidic.

Tip: Check up with your local co-operative extension society regarding the feasibility of growing blueberries in your area.

Planting blueberry bushes

Fruits plant take a long time to mature. Buy saplings or grown plants from the dealer, instead of seeds. Use these tips while buying.

Check the plant carefully for any signs of weak health :The root system should be in a good condition and stem should be strong. There should be no rot or pest signs.

Confirm if the plant is "virus tested" or "certified : Ask the salesman if the blueberry plant is virus tested, always go for a hybrid variety which is resistant to common fungi and virus infections.

Go for quality instead of cost : Blueberries are landscape investments and so you should not bother about bargaining. Go for quality, you get what you pay for.

Buy from a reliable source :Word of mouth is reliable, so ask around. If you go in for online shopping, make sure you buy from specialists. Don't buy from online sources who sell plants as a sideline.

Check for accurate labels :The label should not only contain the plant name, for ex: "northern blueberry", but also the cultivar name or variety name ex: bluecorp, toro or jersey. This is a like a seal of authenticity.

Read about pruning blueberries here: How to go about pruning blueberries

Growing blueberries from cuttings

Blueberries can also be grown from cuttings. The process is however a little tedious and requires expert care. If you are casual gardener or a beginner, you are better off buying a sapling or a grown plant from the nursery.

Mostly the nursery vendor would give you a blueberry plant in a tin container. The other popular method is balled and burlapped plants which are field dug and placed inside a plastic or cloth bag.

Preparing the soil for growing blueberries

Blueberries require acidic soil and they hate water logging. Make sure the water drainage capacity of your soil is high.

Tips to improve water drainage capacity of soil

Dig in a lot of organic matter or compost into the soil
Make a raised garden bed
Avoid areas with clay soil
If you are stuck with clay soil, make sure you mix a lot of compost (at least 8 inches deep)
Water your plants atleast three times a week ensuring that you don't flood them with water

Tips to add fertilizers for growing blueberries

Blueberries, especially the hybrid varieties, are resistant to most infections. You don't have to fertilize them much. Just use a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) three phases

While preparing the soil, before sowing seeds or planting saplings
A week after planting the saplings or after the seed germinates
During the fruit bearing phase

That should be sufficient.

Growing blueberry bushes for Health

what is the nutritional value of blueberries?

Blueberries are rich in Vitamin A,C and E
They are high in mineral like potassium and magnesium. Vital for disease protection and sharper brain. Blueberries are called brain food.
Very high in fiber content. If you are suffering from constipation, blueberries will work wonders
Blueberries are known to generate antioxidants in the body, they help prevent cell damage and are not to hinder the effect of carcinogens. Thus preventing cancer.

The high nutritional value of blueberries would make them one of the best health foods around. Add to it the spicy and aromatic taste, it is almost a too good to believe.