Amici -

I put in two blueberry bushes last year. Now they are moving into
Spring. They are in large pots, getting plenty of sun & the right
amount of water, receiving light monthly applications of appropriate
fertilizer.

O'Neal is blossoming up a storm but just starting to leaf out, where
as Bountiful Blue is all leafed out, but zip buds.

Was it anything I did/didn't do? Do I need to jog Bountiful Blue a
little? With more fertilizer, or?

Why would two varieties act so differently?

This is So Calif coastal.

Tx

HB

Higgs Boson wrote:
Amici -

I put in two blueberry bushes last year. Now they are moving into
Spring. They are in large pots, getting plenty of sun & the right
amount of water, receiving light monthly applications of appropriate
fertilizer.

O'Neal is blossoming up a storm but just starting to leaf out, where
as Bountiful Blue is all leafed out, but zip buds.

Was it anything I did/didn't do? Do I need to jog Bountiful Blue a
little? With more fertilizer, or?

Why would two varieties act so differently?


genetics

D

On Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:25:23 -0500, PhoenixWench
wrote:

On 3/2/2012 4:59 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
Amici -

I put in two blueberry bushes last year. Now they are moving into
Spring. They are in large pots, getting plenty of sun& the right
amount of water, receiving light monthly applications of appropriate
fertilizer.

O'Neal is blossoming up a storm but just starting to leaf out, where
as Bountiful Blue is all leafed out, but zip buds.

Was it anything I did/didn't do? Do I need to jog Bountiful Blue a
little? With more fertilizer, or?

Why would two varieties act so differently?

This is So Calif coastal.

Tx

HB
According to what I just read, O'Neal is an extremely early producer,
which often means blooms before leaves. Bountiful Blue is not as early,
so it takes the time to leaf out before blooming. I have 6 different
varieties, and they all have their different habits, but I try to plant
them in pairs that have similar bloom-times so they can cross pollinate.

It's also important to acertain that with only two plants that they
are recommended pollenators for each other, not all blueberries
pollenate all other blueberries... and they need to be in flower at
the same time... I would have a minimum of three different type of
blueberries and at least three of each, otherwise the crop (if there
is any) will be so small as to not make it worthwhile. Also I don't
consider blueberry bushes in pots planted. And in pots with all the
chemicals one is likely to apply the build up can be so great that the
soil won't have a chance to purge and the plant will likely die. I
would definitely get those blueberry plants into the ground, and with
fertilizers less is more... folks tend to forget (if they ever knew)
that green plants receive most of their energy via photosynthesis. So
long as the soil is of reasonable quality, is within the range of
proper Ph, and they are watered adequately/regularly it's really not
necessesary to fertilize blueberries planted in the ground. I have a
dozen blueberry bushes (four types, three of each) planted in the
ground, I never fertilize and they produce well... the only problem is
birds, blueberries need to be netted or it's all for nought.

them in pairs that have similar bloom-times so they can cross pollinate.
;-)

Thanks, Wenchie darlin'. My post was more an "inquiring minds" type
of question. I was speculating on the evolutionary survival value of
early leafing as opposed to early budding. Also, ISTR that the
nursery told me that these plants don't need cross-pollination? What
say you?

HB

Cross pollination is not required, but it does lead to a more bountiful
crop.
There are more than 40 species of Vaccinium native to North America. At
least 5 or so are commonly available as nursery stock. It's possible you
have two different species.

Steve

On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:02:12 -0500, PhoenixWench
wrote:

On 3/3/2012 12:24 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Mar 2, 5:25 pm, wrote:
On 3/2/2012 4:59 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:







Amici -

I put in two blueberry bushes last year. Now they are moving into
Spring. They are in large pots, getting plenty of sun& the right
amount of water, receiving light monthly applications of appropriate
fertilizer.

O'Neal is blossoming up a storm but just starting to leaf out, where
as Bountiful Blue is all leafed out, but zip buds.

Was it anything I did/didn't do? Do I need to jog Bountiful Blue a
little? With more fertilizer, or?

Why would two varieties act so differently?

This is So Calif coastal.

Tx

HB

According to what I just read, O'Neal is an extremely early producer,
which often means blooms before leaves. Bountiful Blue is not as early,
so it takes the time to leaf out before blooming. I have 6 different
varieties, and they all have their different habits, but I try to plant
them in pairs that have similar bloom-times so they can cross pollinate.
;-)

Thanks, Wenchie darlin'. My post was more an "inquiring minds" type
of question. I was speculating on the evolutionary survival value of
early leafing as opposed to early budding. Also, ISTR that the
nursery told me that these plants don't need cross-pollination? What
say you?

HB

The Bountiful Blue definitely indicated not needing a cross pollinator
though it would be more prolific with one - most sites recommend
Sunshine Blue.
O'Neal appears to be quite the independent one, however ;-)
Neither of these cultivars are suitable to my growing area - 5b in the
Catskills - they'd both freeze their kischkies off here. I currently
have 3 inches of snow slowly melting - neither leaves nor blossoms yet,
as all my blues are still snoozing ;-)

Same here... I think I'm on the other end of Greene County from you...
got a good 10" of the white stuff. I don't expect any green on my
blueberries until like late April-early May. Reached 61º today, snow
is melting fast... a very unseasonably warm winter, like no winter at
all.

On Mar 3, 1:38*pm, Brooklyn1 Gravesend1 wrote:
On Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:02:12 -0500, PhoenixWench
wrote:









On 3/3/2012 12:24 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Mar 2, 5:25 pm, *wrote:
On 3/2/2012 4:59 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Amici -

I put in two blueberry bushes last year. *Now they are moving into
Spring. *They are in large pots, getting plenty of sun& * *the right
amount of water, receiving light monthly applications of appropriate
fertilizer.

O'Neal is blossoming up a storm but just starting to leaf out, where
as Bountiful Blue is all leafed out, but zip buds.

Was it anything I did/didn't do? *Do I need to jog Bountiful Blue a
little? *With more fertilizer, or?

Why would two varieties act so differently?

This is So Calif coastal.

Tx

HB

According to what I just read, O'Neal is an extremely early producer,
which often means blooms before leaves. Bountiful Blue is not as early,
so it takes the time to leaf out before blooming. I have 6 different
varieties, and they all have their different habits, but I try to plant
them in pairs that have similar bloom-times so they can cross pollinate.
;-)

Thanks, Wenchie darlin'. *My post was more an "inquiring minds" type
of question. *I was speculating on the evolutionary survival value of
early leafing as opposed to early budding. * Also, ISTR that the
nursery told me that these plants don't need cross-pollination? *What
say you?

HB

The Bountiful Blue definitely indicated not needing a cross pollinator
though it would be more prolific with one - most sites recommend
Sunshine Blue.
O'Neal appears to be quite the independent one, however ;-)
Neither of these cultivars are suitable to my growing area - 5b in the
Catskills - they'd both freeze their kischkies off here. I currently
have 3 inches of snow slowly melting - neither leaves nor blossoms yet,
as all my blues are still snoozing ;-)

Same here... I think I'm on the other end of Greene County from you...
got a good 10" of the white stuff. *I don't expect any green on my
blueberries until like late April-early May. *Reached 61º today, snow
is melting fast... a very unseasonably warm winter, like no winter at
all.

It took YEARS -- DECADES! -- for the blueberry folks to develop
cultivars that could handle our mild climate (So Calif coastal).
Hallelujah! (wipes away drool...)

HB