The garden blueberry is the American "relative" of blueberry, the main feature of which is that it equally well acclimates and fructifies both in middle-sized, temperate and cool regions, and in more southerly latitudes.
Planting and growing of blueberries
Planting blueberry bushes on a permanent growth site should be carried out in spring or autumn. Spring planting is preferable, since in the summer they are not threatened by freezing.
Blueberry belongs to sun-loving plants, it does not tolerate cold winds, because the place for it must be chosen accordingly - sunny and protected from winds. In the shade, the fruits will grow sour, and the number of them will be quite a bit.
An important feature of growing garden blueberries is compliance with soil requirements. The plant prefers acidic soil with a pH of 3.5 to 4.5. In this case, no other crop plants should grow on the site before it, as its roots do not adapt well to the developed land.
To plant the garden blueberry, we prepare a pit of 60x60 cm and a depth of 50 cm. We open the bottom and walls a little and fill the pit with a mixture of peat, pine needles, sand, sawdust with the addition of 60 g of sulfur for acidification. Before transplanting the bush, it is necessary to lower its roots in water for 10 minutes, then gently crush the earthen lump and unravel the roots. After planting, mulch the ground with sawdust.
Secrets of growing blueberry garden
To grow the garden blueberry was successful, it is important to observe the water regime. Do not allow the soil to dry out, because the plant is in dire need of moisture. While the seedling has not taken root, the land must be constantly wet.
Within a few weeks thereafter, three-time watering should be observed, gradually reducing it to a two-time watering. Watering is best in the morning or evening. With hot and dry weather, you can spray the bushes with cold water.
Very abundant watering is necessary for blueberries in July-August, when it fructifies and lays flower buds for the next year. With all this, the excess of moisture does not tolerate blueberry, so you should not allow its stagnation.
How to grow and care for seedlings of garden blueberries?
Other aspects of plant care concern regular weeding and loosening. At the same time, one should not forget that the roots of blueberries lie at a shallow depth (20-40 cm).
Periodically, you need to update the layer of mulch in the near-barrel circle. To do this, use sawdust and reparted manure. As for pruning, young shrubs are not recommended to touch. The only thing you can do is remove the sick and broken branches early in the spring.