Re: Blueberry
 

Stevelau--that looks like a decent price--most of what I have seen is 5# bags at local centers for about $4.

Martin, I have a lot of those varieties, I don't remember which are rabbit-eye and which are southern highbush, but some of the varieties I can remember are Tifblue, Woddard, Baldwin, Bonita, Arlen, Misty, Choice, Delight, Premier, Bladen, Briteblue, Gulf Coast, Centurion, O'neal (I may have lost that one), and one that I think is a northern highbush--Bluecrop--it actually produced here last yr. I have few others I can't remember off the top of my head as well as several that I got from other people that are not named.

I have been thinking about ordering Emerald, Star, Jewel and a couple others.

I managed a U-pick blueberry patch a couple yrs ago--you would not believe those bushes--I can pick up to 30#/hr in the middle of July! Those bushes are so loaded it is unbelievable. It was such a shame-- we picked about 3000 #s but there was at least 10,000 that fell on the ground!

Re: Blueberry
 

Alex,

In our area, due both to high pH soils and lack of drainage, I think you'd be better off growing them in large pots or whiskey barrels. You can control your soil conditions much better that way.

Re: Blueberry
 

That's the recommended approach from nurseries and most people succeed with it. Note that the southern 'highbush' and 'rabbit eye' varieties are happy with pH in the range 5.5 to 6.0, while the northern and European species of Vaccinium thrive on a lower pH of 5.0.

Products sold as 'Hydrangea Blueing' are usually ammonium sulfate with a buffer. Great for lowering the pH. Granularized sulfur also works but watch out -- it is slow release and can come on strong as time passes. Be sure to get an inexpensive pH meter (~$15) and check the soil prior to adding more acidifier.

Re: Blueberry
 

Last year was the first for my Blueberry trees. They were about 4-5ft tall when I got them but planted them only 3 months before winter and it was 6-8 months before the fruit. Didn't bother protecting them since there was only 20-30 berries between 3 plants so the birds got most of them.

Re: Blueberry
 

Good News

Finally I have 72 seeds germinate, giving me enough to fill up my 72 cell seed rack. These guys are really tiny with the tallest one only being about 1/4 inch in height. I hope by around April when it's warm enough to put them outside that they will have well established rootballs.

I'm planning on transferring them all to 1-3 gallon containers and using a mix of pine mulch, manure, potting soil, and garden soil, then mix about a cup of aluminum sulfate in each pot. I'll let them fill out their pots and then either plant them the following year, or sell them.

Re: Blueberry
 

Congratulations Steve ! :woohoonaner:

Put some minerals into that mix too, for example horticultural sand.

Re: Blueberry
 

It will take years to find out what your new blueberries are like. The majority are likely to make small berries and not very productive, but there is always the possibility that you have a new variety that is worthy of a patent with large sweet berries and highly productive.

Good luck.

Re: Blueberry
 

Heres a picture of a blueberry seedling right after losing it's seed shell. Most of them still have their seed shells on, but there are currently over 72 that have germinated so I might have lots of plants to work with this spring.

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