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#1
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Blueberry Bushes
I bought a blueberry bush this weekend and intend to buy at least one more as I've read that you need at least two for polination and therefore a better yield. I have however read on a couple of websites that it's better to have 2 different varieties of blueberry bush. Does anyone know if I'll be ok with 2 the same or do I need to have 2 different varieties?
I was potentially going to look for an early cropper, a mid-season cropper and a late cropper. |
#2
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Blueberry Bushes
On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:14:53 +0000, JonnyBeBad wrote:
I bought a blueberry bush this weekend and intend to buy at least one more as I've read that you need at least two for polination and therefore a better yield. I have however read on a couple of websites that it's better to have 2 different varieties of blueberry bush. Does anyone know if I'll be ok with 2 the same or do I need to have 2 different varieties? I was potentially going to look for an early cropper, a mid-season cropper and a late cropper. I have 8 bushes of several different varieties. The important thing with blueberries is to come up with an effective netting scheme, if you don't you won't get any. Birds love blueberries and they will strip the buses clean in a few hours if you don't have a really good netting system. |
#3
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Blueberry Bushes
"General Schvantzkoph" wrote in message ... On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:14:53 +0000, JonnyBeBad wrote: I bought a blueberry bush this weekend and intend to buy at least one more as I've read that you need at least two for polination and therefore a better yield. I have however read on a couple of websites that it's better to have 2 different varieties of blueberry bush. Does anyone know if I'll be ok with 2 the same or do I need to have 2 different varieties? I was potentially going to look for an early cropper, a mid-season cropper and a late cropper. I have 8 bushes of several different varieties. The important thing with blueberries is to come up with an effective netting scheme, if you don't you won't get any. Birds love blueberries and they will strip the buses clean in a few hours if you don't have a really good netting system. You should get two different ones. And you need acid soil. |
#4
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Blueberry Bushes
"Billy" wrote in message ... In article , "DogDiesel" wrote: "General Schvantzkoph" wrote in message ... On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:14:53 +0000, JonnyBeBad wrote: I bought a blueberry bush this weekend and intend to buy at least one more as I've read that you need at least two for polination and therefore a better yield. I have however read on a couple of websites that it's better to have 2 different varieties of blueberry bush. Does anyone know if I'll be ok with 2 the same or do I need to have 2 different varieties? I was potentially going to look for an early cropper, a mid-season cropper and a late cropper. I have 8 bushes of several different varieties. The important thing with blueberries is to come up with an effective netting scheme, if you don't you won't get any. Birds love blueberries and they will strip the buses clean in a few hours if you don't have a really good netting system. You should get two different ones. And you need acid soil. PH 5.5 - 6.5 -- E Pluribus Unum Ph for highbush should be 4.5-5, rabbiteye 4.8-5.3. Anything over 5.5 is too basic. The plants may survive but they will not thrive. Steve |
#5
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Fruit Trees |
#6
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Blueberry Bushes
Steve Peek wrote:
Ph for highbush should be 4.5-5, rabbiteye 4.8-5.3. Anything over 5.5 is too basic. The plants may survive but they will not thrive. My 2012 garden plan calls for three Blueberry bushes planted in a row as female-male-female. They will be late season bloomers. My question is "If the pH of my soil is higher than 5.5, what can I do so that Blueberry bushes survive and thrive? Dick |
#7
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#8
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Blueberry Bushes
Derald wrote:
.... Important note: The commercial hybrids that do well in Florida's humidity do not go dormant during our mild winters and must be defoliated chemically. holy crap! I'm sure that in chillier climes, mileage varies and, surely, induced defoliation is not necessary. Obviously, you will have to adjust the timing of the above-described sequence of events to accomodate the plants' growth cycle in your climate. .... songbird |
#9
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Blueberry Bushes
"Dick Adams" wrote in message ... Steve Peek wrote: Ph for highbush should be 4.5-5, rabbiteye 4.8-5.3. Anything over 5.5 is too basic. The plants may survive but they will not thrive. My 2012 garden plan calls for three Blueberry bushes planted in a row as female-male-female. They will be late season bloomers. My question is "If the pH of my soil is higher than 5.5, what can I do so that Blueberry bushes survive and thrive? Dick First of all, there are no male/female blueberries (genus Vaccinium). Ph can be corrected in several ways. Chemically, aluminum sulphate can be worked into the soil. Organically, elemental sulphur and/or double ground pine bark and/or sphagnum peat are worked in to the desired Ph. Organically is better in that the plants require a large amount of organic matter in the soil. Blueberry plants are very shallow rooted, therefore mulch is required as well as regular rain or watering. All bloom buds should be removed the first two years so the plant becomes well established. 1) Get a soil test and request suggestions for growing blueberry. 2) Talk with the county ag agent about varieties suitable for your area. If rabbiteye (V. asheii) are suggested, go with them. Production is much higher. 3) Prep the soil (if you have heavy clay, forget blueberry or use the Florida method of growing in a raised bed of pine bark or peat). 4) Order plant for fall planting from a reputable blueberry nursery. 5) Plant them at the same depth they grew at the nursery. Prune well removing all fruit buds (the round, fat ones). Mulch and water well. |
#10
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Blueberry Bushes
Derald wrote:
songbird wrote: Derald wrote: ... Important note: The commercial hybrids that do well in Florida's humidity do not go dormant during our mild winters and must be defoliated chemically. holy crap! Yep; protective "space suit" required. Not only that but, although, they technically are resistant to mildews, the plants still receive frequent prophylactic sprayings with some type "mildew-be-gone" stuff. Not surprisingly, money's the motivation. In '02 and 03, I participated in the day-to-day operation of two adjacent family berry patch operations, located a short walk down the road from me, while they concentrated on expanding their blueberry operations and diversifying into blackberries. At that time, a well run berry farm could ==net $20,000/acre in an approximately 3-week harvest. It's premium fruit destined, primarily, for the Asian market. When north Florida and south Georgia berries come in, beginn in late April or early May, the market drops like a stone and those local growers who're willing to buy the insurance (and who're willing to put their plants at risk) open their gates to "pick'em your damn self".... Frankly, most don't do that, judging the return not to be worth the risk; they just hedge the plants as described and carry on. the "pick your own" places up here do pretty well though some do hire pickers for some of the season so they can make pies, jams, fillings, ice-cream, etc. one guy i talk to here or there says that it's very hard for him to find people to pick. the hours i spent picking in the past i can believe him. this season is going to be pretty interesting with the repeated hard freezes/frosts. i think the one last night took out a lot of blooms here. Yikes! Gotta go get some eggplants and peppers into the ground. They're straining at their pots. Don't wanna ruin their cheery dispositions, now, do I? I'm 'way behind this year. Just spending too much time on this Internet thingie.... har! planted second round of onion seeds, watered and weeded yesterday, today looks nice again so i'll be back out once it warms up a little more. songbird |
#11
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Rebecca |
#12
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#13
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8? your good to go! You don't have to worry about heavy deep frosts! I live in zone 4 and I just planted raspberries yesterday! You wont have any trouble...
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