Blueberry troubles

[SMS6]

When I pruned my blueberry last year I put some cuttings in pots and have just noticed one of them has definite leaves on it.

I guess it'll be a year or two before it produces anything but it was really easy to do. It won't solve the need for different varieties though

[dwrudd]

Hi Daisy,

I also have a single Herbert variety. It is deciduous and has a lovely pale green to yellow stem in winter.

You do not need a partner plant for this variety to fruit, I have had a wonderful year of flowers and berries with just one plant, its one reason that I chose it. You can buy ericacious ( acidic ) plant food from any garden centre and I usually give it a feed in late march, mid summer and late summer to get ready for winter.

The display of crimson leaves in winter is breath taking.

Keep an eye out for small web like sticky patches usually holding a couple of developing berries together. If you find them, carefully cut the berry off and burn/dispose of them. It will be the maggot of the cranberry fruit moth which can be brought with a new plant ( as mine were) and they just sit and eat berries until they fall to the soil for next years life cycle to begin. Not a huge problem, but forewarned is foearmed.

Good luck, you should have great fun with it

Darren.

[gojiberry]

I have 3 varieties of blueberry all purchased at the same time. They are all growing very well but there is a big natural difference in shape and size. One variety is only 1ft high but very bushy and produces a huge amount of blueberries for the size. The other two varieties are a lot taller 2.5/3ft and far more open frame. they produce well but not as prolific as the smaller ones. I noticed one in the garden center the other day was only 6/7inches high and looked a mature plant that was not going to get much bigger. The label said specially bred for small patio's.