Blueberries are a berry bush that requires regular care and specific growing conditions. They have upright branches, small leaves, and oblong-shaped fruits. Properly prepared and executed planting process influences the plant's survival and subsequent harvest. Follow our tips when choosing seedlings, preparing the soil, and caring for the plant, and it will surely reward you with a bountiful harvest.
Features of autumn planting of blueberries
In the autumn, it is permissible to plant in the ground those seedlings that were grown or sold in pots.
Planting blueberries in the fall differs from spring planting in that young bushes less than 12 months old require pruning. After planting, trim away weak and damaged branches. Only healthy and strong shoots are left, which are also trimmed back to half their length. Seedlings that are two years old or older do not require pruning.
Planting times for garden blueberries
We recommend planting blueberries in the fall in late September or October, 30 days before freezing temperatures arrive, to allow the plant time to take root and prevent freezing.
Planting blueberries in different regions
Wild blueberries are common in Belarus, Ukraine, and some regions of Russia, such as Siberia and the Urals.
In the Moscow region we recommend plant blueberries the following varieties:
- "Patriot";
- "Duke";
- Bluecrop;
- Blu-ray;
- "Earlyblue";
- "Toro".
Garden blueberry varieties differ not only in ripening time but also in bush height. For example, in northern regions, we recommend planting:
- "Jersey";
- Bluecrop;
- "Elizabeth";
- "Herbert".
Varieties such as 'Northland,' 'Bluetta,' 'Weymouth,' and 'Northblue' are more resistant to cold temperatures, diseases, and pests. If your region experiences extreme temperature fluctuations and winters with little rainfall, we recommend choosing low- and medium-sized varieties that can withstand temperatures as low as -34°C.
Preparing for planting blueberries
The process of planting a plant in the ground consists of several stages, starting with the selection of seedlings and ending with the planting itself.
Selection of "planting material"
We purchase seedlings from specialty stores or nurseries. We prefer 2-3-year-old plants, as they have strong and developed root mass.
Choosing a landing site
Blueberries prefer windless, sunny garden sites. If planted in a shaded area, the plant will produce little fruit and produce a small harvest. The plant thrives in peaty, sandy, or peaty, loamy soils, as these are looser, allowing for better air and moisture drainage.
When choosing a planting site, keep in mind that blueberries should be grown in a location where no other plants have previously grown. Also, avoid planting them in low-lying areas, as moisture regularly accumulates there, which will kill the plant.
Preparing planting holes
Before planting blueberries, you need to prepare the planting hole. We recommend doing this 1.5 weeks before the intended planting date to allow the soil to settle. The hole is typically 0.6-0.9 m wide.
When digging, consider the soil type in your garden. If the soil is predominantly peaty or sandy, the hole should be about 1 m wide and 0.6 m deep. Add drainage material to the bottom or construct a drainage channel.
In light clay soil with groundwater at a depth of 2 m, dig a hole 0.4 m deep. In heavy clay soil, dig a hole up to 0.15 m deep, widening it to prevent waterlogging. If clay soil predominates in your garden, a drainage layer is essential when planting.
When preparing a hole in clay soil, prepare the planting soil yourself: combine loamy soil with sand and peat, mixed in a 1:3 ratio. Fill the hole with an acidic potting mix and mix thoroughly.
Garden blueberry planting pattern
Blueberry bushes are planted in a row from north to south to maximize their sun exposure. The distance between plants depends on the variety being grown:
- low-growing bushes: intervals are 0.6 m;
- tall: 1-1.5 m.
We maintain a distance of 2 m between rows.
Planting a plant
Before planting, be sure to untangle and straighten the roots. To do this, place the seedlings in their containers in water and let them sit for 15 minutes. Then, remove them from the pots and thoroughly knead the tangled roots with your hands. If this is not done, the seedlings will not develop fully and will eventually die.
Once the holes are prepared and filled with substrate, we plant the plants 5-6 cm below the previous soil level. We create small holes around the bushes and pour 5 liters of water into them. After the water has soaked in, we mulch the area around the tree trunks with a layer of sawdust.
Where to find acidic soil
Sour peat can be purchased at gardening stores, but given the amount of soil required for planting bushes, it will be quite expensive.
You can increase the acidity of the soil by using forest soil from under coniferous plants, pine needles, and special oxidizers.
Alternative options for planting garden blueberries
Given that the plant prefers acidic soil, peat is the best option. However, if a different soil type predominates in the area, planting blueberries without peat is possible.
Planting without using peat
To plant garden blueberries without peat, follow these steps: Fill the planting hole with soil from your garden and acidify it. To do this, use an acidifying agent. Pour the powder into the hole to a depth of 15-20 cm and mix it with the planting soil, following the dosage instructions. The agent will dissolve during watering and acidify the soil.
Acids such as oxalic and citric acids can be used as folk methods of oxidation. Prepare a solution at a rate of 1 teaspoon per 3 liters of water. When using vinegar (9%), use 100 ml per 10 liters of water. Water the plant with the prepared mixtures twice a year: after the end of frost and before preparing the winter crop.
Landing in the ridges
If your garden plot has predominantly clay soil, plant the plant using the "ridge" method. To do this, dig a planting hole up to 15 cm high. Next, form a mound on top with sand, soil, sawdust, and peat. Place the plant in the center of the mound, not burying it deep, and scatter sawdust around the stem to a depth of 12 cm. This keeps the plant's roots at the surface, and allows excess water to drain away rather than remain in the soil.
Planting in pine needles
You can also compensate for the lack of peat with a coniferous substrate. Mix garden soil with forest soil (taken from areas where spruce and pine trees grow) and rotted conifer needles. This mixture is looser and ensures adequate oxygen access to the plant's roots.
Caring for blueberries in autumn
After planting, the plant needs watering, the frequency of which depends on the weather, fertilizing and shelter from winter cold.
Watering and fertilizing
During the first week after planting, regularly check the top layer of soil to ensure it remains moist. After that, watering depends directly on the autumn weather. If it's rainy and cool, no additional watering is required; if it's warm and dry, water every four days, at a rate of 10 liters per plant.
In the fall, fertilizing is necessary to ensure the soil is saturated with nutrients that the bushes will absorb during the winter. We use superphosphate and potassium sulfate. Apply 100 g and 40 g, respectively, per plant.
To fertilize the plant, dig a small hole, up to 0.1 m deep, near the bush, place the fertilizer in it, and fill it with soil. Dig the hole with extreme care to avoid damaging the blueberry roots. Next, water the bush with a bucket of water and cover with a new layer of mulch.
You may be interested in:Preparing the plant for winter
Blueberry bushes can withstand low temperatures in snowy winters. A lack of snow and severe frosts will cause the plants to freeze. Therefore, we recommend covering blueberry plantings with agrotextile, burlap, or spruce branches. Avoid using plastic film. Prepare the plants before the cold weather sets in:
- we bend the shoots to the ground and secure them;
- we cover the plants with any breathable material when frost sets in;
- we cover it with spruce branches;
- cover with an additional layer of snow;
- We remove the cover in the spring, carefully checking the shoots for signs of frost, and trimming them if there are any.
How else can you grow blueberries?
Blueberry seedlings aren't the only way to plant and propagate. The following methods are used for propagation:
Seeds
This propagation method is the most labor-intensive. In the fall, we harvest seeds from ripe berries, dry them, and sow them in the soil to grow seedlings. The most suitable conditions for seed growth are:
- air temperature within 23-25°C;
- air humidity at 40%.
After planting, water the seeds regularly, loosen the soil and remove any weeds that appear.
cuttings
We take cuttings in the fall after the bushes have shed their leaves. For propagation, we use cuttings 8-15 cm in size, those at the root. We plant them at an angle in a peat-sand mixture (1:3).
You may be interested in:Bends
Propagating blueberries by layering isn't always successful. Select the longest branch and bend it to the ground, covering it with sawdust. The layer will take 2-3 years to root, and only then should it be separated from the main plant.
To properly plant blueberries and grow a healthy, fruit-bearing plant, follow these basic guidelines for choosing the right seedlings, planting site, and soil preparation. Also, don't forget to follow our step-by-step planting instructions.