I have some blueberries (fruit) here marked "Sharp Blue" from Australia
and am thinking of planting a few seeds to join my recently planted
"Bluecrop" bush.

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham UK - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

in article ult, Steve Harris at
wrote on 12/11/02 9:00 AM:

I have some blueberries (fruit) here marked "Sharp Blue" from Australia
and am thinking of planting a few seeds to join my recently planted
"Bluecrop" bush.

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham UK - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

I do not remember completely, but I think that is my main blueberry. I live
in the Los Angeles Area about three miles from the beach. It took about two
or three years to get fruit, but now I get about two crops a year. They in
great demand by visitors who get a kick picking and eating them. The big
problem is that my wife likes to pick them befor they are completely ready.
I find that merciless pruning helps.

Bill

Ask your question on newsgroup aus.gardens. That is Australia and they will
give you the answer. Good luck. Dwayne

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
I have some blueberries (fruit) here marked "Sharp Blue" from Australia
and am thinking of planting a few seeds to join my recently planted
"Bluecrop" bush.

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

Thanks!

Steve Harris - Cheltenham UK - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

"Steve Harris" wrote

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

If you grow them from seed, you won't be growing the same cultivar.
You'll be growing some random combination of the mother (the fruit) and the
pollenizer (the father - pollen source). See
http://www.pollinator.com/appleseeds_faq.htm This is specific for
apples, but blueberries are similar. You have a tiny chance of obtaining a
superior fruit, and a much larger chance of obtaining an inferior fruit.


Dave Green SC USA
The Pollination Home Page (Now searchable): http://pollinator.com

On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 05:07:27 GMT, Repeating Decimal
wrote:

in article ult, Steve Harris at
wrote on 12/11/02 9:00 AM:

I have some blueberries (fruit) here marked "Sharp Blue" from Australia
and am thinking of planting a few seeds to join my recently planted
"Bluecrop" bush.

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

I do not remember completely, but I think that is my main blueberry. I live
in the Los Angeles Area about three miles from the beach. It took about two
or three years to get fruit, but now I get about two crops a year.

[referring to Hortus Third's article on "Blueberries"]

There are two groups of blueberry cultivars. The "highbush"
cultivars, derived from Vaccinium corymbosum, are suitable for
colder climates. The "rabbit-eye" cultivars, derived from
Vaccinium ashei, are suitable for warm climate areas such as
Australia and Southern California.

Vaccinium ashei is native to the southeastern United States,
whereas V. corymbosum has a more northerly distribution.

Given the Australian provenance of your berries, I strongly
suspect that 'Sharp Blue' is a rabbit-eye cultivar. If by chance
you got a seedling of merit, it might not perform very well in
the British climate.

However, Hortus Third is a little vague on the merits of the
rabbit-eye cultivars. It may be that seedlings of 'Sharp Blue'
would do well in Britain, and would have the advantage of not
demanding the extremely acid, peaty soil and constant moisture
that highbush blueberries require.

'Bluecrop' itself is a highbush cultivar.

BTW, Hortus Third says that V. ashei is self-sterile so you would
need at least two seedlings for pollination.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

In article ,
(Repeating Decimal) wrote:

The big problem is that my wife likes to pick them befor they are
completely ready.
I find that merciless pruning helps.

Of her fingers? :-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

Rodger Whitlock wrote:

On Thu, 12 Dec 2002 05:07:27 GMT, Repeating Decimal
wrote:

in article ult, Steve Harris at
wrote on 12/11/02 9:00 AM:

I have some blueberries (fruit) here marked "Sharp Blue" from Australia
and am thinking of planting a few seeds to join my recently planted
"Bluecrop" bush.

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

I do not remember completely, but I think that is my main blueberry. I live
in the Los Angeles Area about three miles from the beach. It took about two
or three years to get fruit, but now I get about two crops a year.

[referring to Hortus Third's article on "Blueberries"]

There are two groups of blueberry cultivars. The "highbush"
cultivars, derived from Vaccinium corymbosum, are suitable for
colder climates. The "rabbit-eye" cultivars, derived from
Vaccinium ashei, are suitable for warm climate areas such as
Australia and Southern California.

Vaccinium ashei is native to the southeastern United States,
whereas V. corymbosum has a more northerly distribution.

Given the Australian provenance of your berries, I strongly
suspect that 'Sharp Blue' is a rabbit-eye cultivar.

'Sharp Blue' is a Vaccinium corymbosum with a very low chill factor. It does well
here in the PNW as well as in warmer climates. How well it will do in your
location, I can't speak to, but we seldom get much above 80 degrees Farenheit
here in summer and infrequently into the 20's in winter.

pam - gardengal
Pacific Northwest, USA

In article ,
(Rodger Whitlock) wrote:

I strongly
suspect that 'Sharp Blue' is a rabbit-eye cultivar

No, it's highbush but southern. This means it blossoms and fruits early.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

if the fruit was commercially grown then there is a very good chance that
the pollinator was of the same variety. Most fruit farmer want there crops
to grow in a similar way. it makes harvesting easier.

"Dave Green" wrote in message
om...

"Steve Harris" wrote

Is this cultivar worth growing here? Any tops?

If you grow them from seed, you won't be growing the same cultivar.
You'll be growing some random combination of the mother (the fruit) and
the
pollenizer (the father - pollen source). See
http://www.pollinator.com/appleseeds_faq.htm This is specific for
apples, but blueberries are similar. You have a tiny chance of obtaining
a
superior fruit, and a much larger chance of obtaining an inferior fruit.


Dave Green SC USA
The Pollination Home Page (Now searchable): http://pollinator.com

In article ,
(leigh holman) wrote:

if the fruit was commercially grown then there is a very good chance
that the pollinator was of the same variety.

Blueberry is "partially self sterile" so the grower has almost certainly
planted a different variety nearby to improve pollination. I might be
lucky and get my seed from a self-pollinated berry.

Most fruit farmer want there crops
to grow in a similar way. it makes harvesting easier.

True - but pollination from a different variety only affects the seed.
The plant and fruit in his field doesn't change shape as a result of the
"foreign" pollination.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com