On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 12:27:01 -0000, Jack wrote:

Does anyone know anything about growing Blueberries? I'm considering
growing one in a container, I would assume in ericaceous soil. How large do
they get, do they get lots of fruit, when is harvest time? And are they
more trouble than they're worth?

Soil: pure peat is perhaps your best bet. These aren't just
acid-lovers, they're downright acid-addicts. In the flat area
southeast of Vancouver BC (the delta of the Fraser River),
blueberries are farmed on peat lands otherwise nearly useless for
agricultural purposes.

Water: They need steady moisture; never let them go dry.

Size: Mature blueberry bushes are comparable to redcurrants or
gooseberries in size.

Harvest: late summer.

Fruiting: they are self-sterile so you need at least two distinct
cultivars.

Worth the trouble? Depends on whether you like them or not.
Blueberries tend to be quite tart, but given lots of sun and a
warm summer, they can be surprisingly sweet.

The biggest drawback to pot culture (of blueberries and just
about everything else) is that the soil temperatures tend to be
too high. If the sun plays on the side of the pot, look out.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada