Secrets of Growing Blueberries in the Moscow Region

Blueberries are considered the most valuable berry crop in the world. This is due to their chemical composition, which is suitable for medicinal purposes. Meanwhile, incredibly healthy blueberries are still out of reach for many Russians, even though they can be grown in their own gardens.

This became possible, first and foremost, thanks to American breeders who domesticated the wild forest berry, preserving all the beneficial properties of black peas in new varieties and equipping them with new modern features.

Garden blueberries are tall, abundantly fruiting plants. This crop is ideal for growing in the Moscow region, as it has inherited the exceptional resilience of its wild relative. In the wild, this shrub grows primarily in northern latitudes, particularly in Iceland, North America, and Siberia. It has the ability to withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees Celsius, sudden temperature fluctuations, winds, and excessive moisture, as its favorite habitat is marshy areas.

Modern blueberries don't have as long a life cycle as those found in the wild, but over the course of years of productivity, they become fully active and produce excellent harvests. A single bush can yield 10-12 kilograms of bluish-blue berries, which surpass the wild blueberries in size and juiciness.

Domestic blueberries begin to bear fruit relatively early – already in the 2nd or 3rd year of life, while their ancestor only enters the productive period in the 15th year of life.

A significant drawback of garden blueberries is their short lifespan. After just six years of active fruiting, productivity declines sharply. This manifests itself in low-quality, small berries and a small number of them. Note: wild blueberries can produce fruit for 50 years. Blueberry lineages can be continued through regular propagation using various methods.

The best high-yielding varieties for the Moscow region

Only enterprising individuals risk growing blueberries, as they reap significant profits from selling this rare and extremely valuable commodity. While growing the berry purely for pleasure is certainly possible, the process is quite laborious and painstaking. Choosing the right variety that meets all the requirements of the growing region can make the task easier. Early varieties of garden blueberries are ideal for Russia's temperate latitudes. They should also be frost-resistant, able to withstand the challenges associated with the uneven climate, and immune to various diseases. Experts also recommend choosing tall varieties. American-bred varieties are suitable for the Central Russian region in all respects:

Features of cultivation

Blueberries are essentially an easy-to-grow plant. If you choose the right soil and plant them correctly, you won't have any problems with care.

Selecting a site

Although blueberries grow in damp areas in forests, this doesn't mean you should choose the wettest spot in your garden. Absolutely not—the site should be well-lit, level, and preferably with a close water table. Plenty of sunlight will promote the formation of larger, juicier, and sweeter berries. Shade, on the other hand, will yield a small, meager harvest, and the fruit will develop an unpleasantly sour flavor.

The location should also be draft-free, as cold winds can quickly damage the bark on thin branches, potentially introducing infection. Avoid tall trees and shrubs near blueberry bushes, as this can cause competition for soil nutrients, which the blueberries will quickly lose out to due to their shallow roots.

Quality of seedlings

Young cuttings are suitable for planting when they are one or two years old. The stems and leaves should be healthy, dark green, and free of rot and fungal infections. Healthy bark is smooth and glossy.

Blueberry seedlings should only be purchased from nurseries that sell closed-root plants. This is a must—the seedlings must be potted in the correct soil.

The right soil

The ideal soil is peaty or loamy, with good aeration and permeability, as stagnant water will immediately kill the roots located near the soil surface. Seedlings should be grown on a layer of drainage (sawdust, spruce branches, sand).

Acidic soil is essential for successful plant growth. The pH level should be between 3.5 and 5.5. If the soil doesn't meet these requirements, it should be acidified with sulfur or citric acid.

When preparing the soil, add one part sand and three parts peat. For fertilizer, add complex minerals containing equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Organic matter should be avoided, as blueberries don't thrive on it.

Planting dates

Purchased seedlings can be planted in either spring or fall. However, it's preferable to do so in early spring, before the sap begins to flow and the buds open. Blueberries thrive during the warm summer months, but this isn't the case with spring plantings, which often don't have time to establish roots. There's also a risk of freezing of fragile shoots.

Planting technology

Blueberry seedlings are planted in deep holes (up to 50 centimeters deep). The hole measures 50 x 50 centimeters. Fill the hole with prepared soil mixture, keeping in mind that it should be ash-free, as the plant dislikes this. Next:

1. Two-thirds of the hole should consist of loose and fertile soil such as peat, sand, sawdust, or pine needles. This should also include some turf. It's important that this soil composition be acidic.
2. You can add acidity to the soil using table vinegar or citric acid. You can also buy a special acidifier at the store. However, don't overdo it with acidity—if the pH is above 5, there's a high risk of plant chlorosis.
3. Mineral fertilizers are also important. They should contain a high dose of phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen-containing preparations with a high sulfur concentration are selected. Organic matter is not added.
4. Blueberry plantings are usually arranged in rows, leaving a space of 1-1.5 meters between bushes.
5. Before planting, water the seedlings thoroughly to dampen the soil so the roots can be easily untangled. Blueberries have a very fragile root system—the roots are thin and long.
6. After removing the seedling from the container, break up the root ball and carefully untangle the roots. Otherwise, they will lose their ability to grow.
7. The bush is placed in the hole, the roots are carefully spread out, and the soil mixture is added. When planted correctly, the root collar should be three centimeters deep. A small depression should be left under the seedling for a layer of mulch. First, water the blueberry thoroughly and only then add bark, straw, and pine needles. This will help the soil retain water longer.

In the fall, planting is carried out according to the same principles as in the spring. All weak shoots are cut from the young trees, and healthy shoots are shortened by half.

Transplanting blueberries to a new location

It's best to replant shrubs when they're two years old, when they reach half a meter in height. Before digging, remove all existing shoots and buds. This time, plant the plants slightly deeper than they were previously, but no more than 3-5 centimeters. It's important to ensure all roots are buried.

The soil does not need to be fertilized frequently; it is enough to sprinkle the soil with a complete mineral fertilizer once in early spring during the growth of greenery and shoots.

Caring for blueberries

So, the most important thing has already been done: healthy seedlings have been purchased and planted correctly. Next, you need to ensure regular care of the blueberry plantings and wait for the first harvest.

The soil around the bush should always remain loose, light, and slightly moist. However, don't overdo it with loosening, as this can dry out the soil. It's also important to remember that blueberry bushes have shallow roots, meaning there's a risk of damaging them with a hoe. Shallow loosening (up to 8 centimeters deep) is sufficient. It's best to mulch the area beneath the bush. Mulch has a number of properties essential for blueberry growth:

• it retains moisture;
• prevents weeds from growing;
• protects roots from overheating;
• As it rots, it nourishes the soil with vitamins and minerals.

Depending on the variety, blueberries may suffer from proximity to weeds or garden plantings, so this should also be taken into account when caring for the plants.

Watering

Blueberries love moisture but dislike excessive humidity. Stagnant water is detrimental to them. Initially, after planting, young bushes should be watered twice a day, using a bucket of water per plant. Once the seedlings have established themselves and are growing, watering should be reduced. In the Moscow region, where the climate is moderate, watering should be done once every four days. This should be done even if it has recently rained.

Once a month, an oxidizer is added to the irrigation water if the soil acidity is low.

Watering frequency increases during flowering. This period is crucial for the future harvest. Failure to water the bushes in a timely manner will result in a reduced yield, and the resulting berries will lack juiciness and sweetness.

Top dressing

During the first year of life, blueberries don't require additional nutrition—they thrive on whatever the soil currently contains. By the second year, the nutrient supply is depleted, and this is when regular fertilization begins. For full development and a good yield, plants require vitamins and minerals, which are found in complex preparations.

Nitrogen is essential for shoot growth and fruit formation. Nitrogen-containing compounds are applied to plants three times per season. This is done before fruiting begins (early spring, May, and mid-June).

Phosphorus fertilizers improve blueberry viability and enhance productivity. Plants are fed with phosphorus in mid-April and June.

Potassium increases the protective functions of plants.

A good dose of potassium fertilizers ensures a good winter—the roots won't freeze and the plant won't get sick. Fertilizing blueberries with potassium follows the same principle as phosphorus.

In the Moscow region, blueberries require additional feeding in the spring, specifically during bud swelling and again a month later. Ready-to-use products containing all the necessary nutritional ingredients, as well as soil acidifiers (such as Florovit and Target), are generally used. For young plants, the mineral doses are small. As plants age, the concentration is increased.

Avoid frequent feeding and monitor the appearance of the stems and leaves. If they have changed color or texture, the blueberry is likely deficient in one or another nutrient:

• leaves turn yellow – not enough nitrogen;
• the leaves rise up and acquire a reddish tint - not enough phosphorus;
• the tips of the leaves turn black – potassium needs to be added;
• young tops turn blue – the plant needs boron.

Blueberries develop on the previous year's growth. This is why pruning blueberry bushes should only be done in early spring, before the buds open. Avoid pruning in the fall, as there's a risk of cutting off high-quality, healthy branches with fruit buds. If this happens, there won't be a harvest the following year.

Trimming

Like any shrub, without proper training, blueberries quickly grow and become impenetrable, woody thickets. If the plants aren't pruned annually, they'll often become diseased and produce poor fruit.

Formation of the bush's crown and skeleton begins in its third or fourth year. To do this, remove all the small, numerous shoots that have formed in the lower part of the bush. Diseased and broken branches growing in the wrong direction, as well as asexual shoots, are also removed. The center of the bush should not be too dense, as this promotes poor ventilation, which inevitably leads to disease. Only strong, sturdy stems growing upward and outward are left on the bush.

Every year, the plant must be kept clean and regularly pruned to shape the fruit-bearing shoots. All shoots that create density, as well as those lying on the ground, are ruthlessly removed. Large, faded branches that are 5-6 years old are also removed.

To stimulate the growth of young trees and increase yield, bushes aged 8 years and older are subjected to rejuvenating pruning. Blueberries are cleared of old and unnecessary branches, as well as weak and diseased shoots.

Preparing for winter

Wild blueberries are frost-tolerant—it's in their genes. Growing even in northern regions, they can withstand even the harshest frosts. Domestic blueberries inherited their parent's resilience, but in particularly cold and snowless winters, young branches of the bushes can still freeze. This can occur primarily due to an imbalance of fertilizers used during the summer. Excess nitrogen in the soil leads to the young shoots not maturing. Annual stems have a dense and hollow structure, which is why they freeze in winter. To prevent this, nitrogen fertilization is performed only in spring and early summer.

To prevent the soil, and consequently the roots, from freezing before winter, it needs to be supplied with plenty of moisture. The soil should be moistened to a depth of 35 centimeters. In the fall, replace the layer of pine needle mulch with a fresh one and cover the area under the bushes with it. If the blueberries are still very young, you can cover the bushes completely with a breathable material for the winter. Mature bushes no longer need such protection.

Protection from diseases and pests

Blueberries have strong immunity to many serious diseases, but they struggle with a dangerous disease called stem canker. The first symptoms of the disease appear unexpectedly: leaves become covered with red spots that spread rapidly throughout the plant. Unfortunately, even strong fungicides cannot cure the canker.

Diseases can only be controlled through prevention. In the spring, blueberries are sprayed with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture and the bushes are sprayed with Fundazol 5-6 times (the first three times before flowering, the following three times after harvest).

Stem canker can often be confused with another insidious enemy of garden blueberries: Phomopsis. This is a fungal disease that dries out young shoots. Affected stems should be cut off at the base and burned to prevent the fungus from spreading. The disease can be prevented by treating with fungicides in the spring.

Strawberries are a favorite food for numerous pests. Birds are the main cause of crop damage. To protect the berries, bushes are covered with netting.

May beetles are often found on bushes, feeding on both leaves and flowers, while their larvae, buried in the soil, eat the roots. These beetles can be controlled with insecticides and folk remedies, such as setting candy traps and sprinkling the soil with onion skins.

Harvesting

Young blueberry bushes begin bearing fruit in the third year after planting. The first fruits appear in midsummer. The berries form huge, bluish-gray clusters that cover the spreading bushes. Once ripe, they can hang on the bush for a long time without falling off or spoiling. Harvesting can be spread out, periodically removing fully ripe berries into dry containers. The berries' dense skin prevents them from bursting or crushing, making them easier to transport. Berries can be stored in the refrigerator for almost a month, and at room temperature for 7-10 days.

Blueberry propagation in the Moscow region

As mentioned earlier, unlike its wild relative, garden blueberries have a very short life cycle. They begin bearing fruit only in their second or third year, and by the age of six, the plant degenerates—the berries become very small and their quality deteriorates. You can preserve your plantation by regularly propagating cultivars. You can expand your collection of delicious and healthy berries in a variety of ways: vegetatively (layering, cuttings) and from seeds.

Vegetative (asexual) propagation is the most effective and fastest way to increase the number of blueberry bushes. Most often, gardeners choose cuttings, which allow them to quickly grow healthy and strong seedlings that will produce their first harvest within a year.

Green cuttings

 It's best to use young shoots that have grown this year as seedlings. As shoots age, they become more woody, they retain less water, and their metabolism is impaired. Older branches take longer to establish and are less successful. Seedlings from green cuttings, however, develop much faster, as newly emerged shoots are able to develop roots quite quickly.

Planting material is collected in late June (from the 20th) to early July (before the 10th). When collecting cuttings, special attention must be paid to the timing of the propagation operation, as if the shoots are not mature enough, they will become diseased and may dry out. This is because their vegetative stage of development is not yet complete, and the plant is not fully receiving and distributing nutrients through the stem and other parts. If you delay taking the cuttings, they will "outgrow" and their roots will take a very long time to develop.

Young green shoots up to 18 centimeters long are cut off along with their leaves and heel (the remnant of last year's wood at the cut end). The lower leaves are removed, leaving only the apical foliage. The cuttings are rooted in a greenhouse in a moist mixture of peat, sand, and humus. With proper care, which includes fungicide treatment, watering, ventilation, and maintaining a stable temperature, the seedlings will develop strong roots in just 40-45 days. The rooted seedlings are transplanted to their permanent location in early fall. For the winter, the plantings are securely covered with a warm, breathable material.

Propagation by woody cuttings

Many gardeners successfully propagate blueberries using hardwood cuttings. These are annual shoots that have a high rate of rooting and producing plants that retain all varietal characteristics. Cuttings for seedlings can be prepared in advance, for example, in early winter, for planting in the ground in the spring. Shoots can also be taken in midwinter—the main condition is that the plant is dormant at this time. Select only strong and healthy cuttings, free of signs of disease, and preferably from lower branches. They should contain several dormant, undamaged buds (at least three). Store them in the refrigerator or in the snow—whichever you prefer.

To stimulate root formation, it is recommended to treat the cuttings with a growth stimulant and initially keep them in a greenhouse in a moist peat-humus substrate. It is important to maintain high humidity not only in the soil but also in the air, and not allow the cuttings to dry out. The seedlings will take one and a half to two months to root. Once they have established themselves, they can be transplanted to their permanent location.

Conditions for rooting

The cuttings should be placed in the soil with one or two buds remaining above the surface. The room temperature should be at least 22°C (72°F). Humidity should be 70-80%. Roots will begin to form within a month. Only then can the greenhouse film be removed and the airing carried out frequently. After another 3-4 weeks, fertilizing with ammonium sulfate can be performed. The finished cuttings are planted in their permanent location in the spring, once the soil has warmed thoroughly and the air temperature has not dropped below 0°C (32°F).

Propagation by layering

For leisurely gardeners, and if the blueberry plant is still in its productive stage, a new cultivar can be created using layering. Propagation occurs directly on the mother plant. The strongest and longest shoots are pinned to the ground and covered with nutritious soil to a depth of 6 centimeters. Two to three buds should remain below the surface. This is usually done during the plant's period of intensive growth—from April to September. The outer portion, located underground, will eventually develop a root system.

To ensure rapid rooting, add the necessary fertilizers to the soil, water it, and loosen the soil. Once this occurs, the cutting can be separated from the main plant, as it will become independent. Propagation by layering is not as popular due to the lengthy process, which takes approximately two to three years.

Garden blueberries are a very demanding and capricious crop. Not all gardeners are capable of growing them. This is primarily due to limited knowledge of the cultivation techniques for this useful plant, which gardeners have only recently begun to cultivate in their gardens. Care and propagation are time-consuming and expensive, but the harvest of these valuable berries, so rare in our region, is well worth the effort.