blueberry advise please

[lindyloo]

just bought a blueberry shrub a couple of days ago, and am confused as to what to do with it! someone has told me i need 2 plants to get fruit-- is this true, and also, it needs special soil? what are your tips for success please, ie where to grow, how to grow, and soil type. my only knowledge is growing up in michigan surrounded by blueberry shrubs, which were abundant, under the pine tree forests, so niaevely, i thought i could just stick it under my (trimmed and topped) leylandii, and it would thrive!!! any help much appreciated.

[piskieinboots]

My first blueberry was a lonely soul, not another blueberry bush in sight, but it has fruited for England and continues to do so at the grand old age of 5

I have four different varieties now, early, mid and late fruiting.

I keep mine in pots, using ericaceous soil and water with rain water wherever possible, however if you don't have rain water use tap - it is essential they do not dry out!

Liquid seaweed is a good feed once it starts into growth.

[WrexTheDragon]

You need special ericaceous compost that is acidic and this is why they liked pine needles in Michigan. They grow well in large pots in a sunny position as you can control the soil and also feed with ericaceous fertiliser.

Plants are self pollinating, but it is better to grow a few at the same time. Normally they are grouped into Early, Middle and Late. This helps as you get a longer fruiting period from three plants and they help with pollination.

Don't need pruning other than keeping them in shape.

You may need to protect the fruit when they turn ripe from birds?



Try and use rain water on the plants, but in times of drought, tap water does mine no harm.

They

[lindyloo]

thanks very much, both of you! i will get the soil next week, and then when i can spot a bargain, i will buy her a friend, but glad to know that they will produce fruit all on thier lonesome too. in retrospect, the one i bought is very small, so i probably wont get any fruit this year, anyway.

[northepaul]

Acidic soil, rainwater, a good mulch with pine or fir tree cuttings now and then and I am sure it'll be a happy little blueberry.
If it is small though, it might be acouple of years before it fruits.

[FB.]

Yes, blueberries like moist and slightly acid soil.
Often, persistently moist soil tends to be slightly acidic as a result of the "acid rain" effect. Mine do fine in a semi-shaded and moist area, without need for ericaceous compost.
In very dry spells, they appreciate rainwater. But, if you have to occasionally use tap water, they'll be OK; better to use tap water than no water!

I have three blueberry bushes. They all flower at different times and there isn't much overlap in their flowering time. I rarely see any bees on them, so quite how cross-pollination happens, I'm not sure. In fact, I don't think that much cross-pollination does happen - I suspect that they self-pollinate.

Personally, based on my experiences, I think that most blueberries are sufficiently self-fertile to produce a good crop as a single plant.
If you don't get a crop, then maybe you should consider a pollinator.
Bear in mind that not all flowers turn to fruit and that young plants take a couple of years to reach a good level of production.

I find that the birds (especially female blackbirds) love blueberries. As soon as the berries begin to ripen and show the faintest bluish colour, you may want to net them; the birds may take them long before they're fully ripe.

I find that the variety "Darrow" has such enormous fruits (with quite a firm texture) that the birds can't open their beak wide enough to pull the berries off.