Blueberries - Fruit Trees Online from Bay Laurel Nursery

Bare Root Blueberries

We’ve been touting blueberries for the last couple of years. It’s almost as if they’ve been rediscovered! One of the reasons for all this press is the health benefits that have recently been found. Another factor is that blueberries are really good container plants. And last, but not least, are the new varieties that can be grown in areas with almost no cold and relatively alkaline soil. We do, however, recommend that you amend your soil if it is alkaline with an acidic-type amendment, such as peat moss or an azalea-camellia mix. Monthly applications of an acidic fertilizer during the growing season will produce the best results.

The blueberries we carry are called Highbush blueberries. This type, as opposed to the Rabbiteye variety, is known for the best quality berry. The plants are generally upright, growing 4 to 6 feet. They make attractive landscape plants in addition to their culinary uses. Blueberries are delicious in pancakes, muffins, in fruit salads, pies and sauces. We’ve included a muffin recipe below.

Since blueberries produce best with two different varieties, you can plant two together in a large container, such as a half wine barrel. Fill the bottom of your container and pack it down, Place the blueberry inside and fill around the roots.

Don’t let the container dry out completely! A mulch on the surface will help retain moisture. This is also important to remember when planting in the ground. The plants do not like to sit in water, neither do they wish to be dry. The roots are near the surface so be careful when weeding and avoid cultivating around them. The Dave Wilson Nursery advises avoiding fertilizer containing nitrogen in nitrate form. In hottest climates, afternoon shade is advisable.

It will take two to three years to get a full crop. An adequate yield requires about one plant per person – but that, of course, depends on how much you like to eat and cook with your crop! Blueberries need very little pruning; simply remove the dead wood every year.

The following container mix is the one recommend by the Dave Wilson Nursery, supplier of most of the blueberries we sell.

Mix 1/3 quarter inch pathway bark, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 forest by-product based potting soil, and a handful of soil sulfur per plant
Next, choose a container. A small plant, such as one grown in a gallon pot, should be replanted in a 2 to 5 gallon container.
Larger plants, 2 to 5 gallon size, should be planted in a 16 to 20” container.

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup white flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup and 2 tablespoons milk
(can use low fat)
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray.
Thoroughly blend first five ingredients in a large bowl. Beat the egg lightly in a small bowl.
Add the milk, oil, vanilla and lemon rind. Add wet mixture to dry.
Stir just until flour is moistened. Lumpy is good.
Add blueberries gently. Fill tins ¾ full.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until tops are golden.

Bluecrop Northern Blueberry
$14.25
No. 1 variety, the standard of excellence. Upright, vigorous bush. Very productive; ripens midseason. Large, firm, flavorful blueberry does not drop or crack. Tolerates hot summers if soil is moist, acidic, and high in humus. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.

Jewel Blueberry
$14.25
Large quality fruit and record yields with good site adaptability. Ripens early to mid season. Best set with pollination from other mid season blueberry. Cold hardy to USDA zone 6. 200 hrs.

Jubilee Blueberry
$14.25
Outstanding flavor for this early season blueberry. Fruit is medium to large, light blue. Consistently productive bush, even in less than optimum blueberry sites. From USDA breeding program in Mississippi. Upright bush 5-8 feet. Ripens early season. 4-500 hours.

Legacy Blueberry
$14.25
Evergreen variety bears heavy yields of medium to large flavorful fruit. Ripens in August. Orange foliage over winter. Grows to six feet tall. Zones 5-9.

Misty Blueberry
$14.25
Early. In the West, Misty is quite vigorous, growing very well both on the coast and in inland. Excellently flavored blueberry does well in areas with chilling as low as 150 hours and all areas with mild winters and hot summers.

Southmoon Blueberry
$14.25
Superior flavored blueberry with a long harvest time. The bush is vigorous, upright and does especially well in lighter sandy soil or with generous additions of organic matter. This Florida native is performing well in California, both inland and on the coast where chilling hours reach 2-300 hrs. Ripens mid season. Zones 6-9.

Sunshine Blue Blueberry ON SALE!
$11.50
Dwarf southern highbush cultivar - 3 to 4 ft. tall and wide. Semi-evergreen, particularly good for container gardening. Firm blueberries, 80 per cup. Yields of 5-10 lbs. per bush. Good fruit quality. Ripens May and June in Florida. More tolerant of high pH soil than other southern highbush and rabbiteye types. Hardy in Zones 5 to 10.

Last Updated: Thursday, 23 February 2012 00:33

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