Potting on bareroot blueberries

[Bex2012]

Hi,
I recently bought some bareroot blueberries from Wilkos. As its blinkin freezing out is it worth potting them up indoors until I can get them in their final outside pots? I'm very aware that they are still in the packaging they came in and starting to bud!

[Aberdeenplotter]

yes but remember to use ericaceous compost

[lottie dolly]

Hi bex,welcome to the forum,look at the instructions,they are usually to,soak the roots in water before planting,when you do plant them,they will need a different compost,the one used for rhodedendrons ext.,ericatiouse compost,when you have that at the ready and plant roots have had a soak,then pot up,they are mostly very cold tollerant,but,seeing as these have most likely been in side for a bit,after potting up,put somewhere a bit sheltered like a cold greenhouse,until things warm up a bit,and they get acclimatized,mine are outside all year round.
sorry about the spelling,but you get the idea

[Bex2012]

Thanks both, I have the ericacious compost, just need to venture down to the shed for the pots!

[KevinM67]

Lottie dolly has pretty much nailed it.

So just to add - after a couple of months I would regularly feed them with stuff specifically for acid-loving plants.
Also, If they will be remaining in pots - I would eventually pot up to a really large pot over time, mine which I got last year and planted straight in the ground, possibly doubled in size last year.

Remember, only use rain water not tap water.

[lottie dolly]

just reread,wilko's eh,will have to go look in our one,i would love some more,ours are in a half of a 45 gallon blue drum each,with several holes in the bottom with a few bits of bricks ext before the compost,it took a hole large bag for each container,last year i toped them up with more,i have however,now hot them standing on a slab,on acount of the horse tail raised its head but all is gone now from the containers,been there aprox 4 years,and do well,under netting away from the birds,never fed ours yet,perhaps i ought to this year,and you very right about the rain water only,i did forget that.good luck with them bex

[Bex2012]

Yes Wilkos! Think I got in there the day they had put stuff out, pack of two varieties, Goldtraube and Brigitta for the princely sum of a fiver! They also had various other fruit bushes/canes. I thought I'd give them a go for that price.

[Kirk]

If you are going to keep them indoors even just initially do not use tap water.
Mine really disliked even half a gallon on them when it was tap water or death by drought.

[Pandapoo]

protection from frost

Hi, does anyone know if it's necessary to protect blueberry plants from frost? I have 2 plants in large pots, which I potted up last spring, so this is their first winter under my care.
Thanks!

[Bigmallly]

Hello PP & welcome to the vine. Not all cultivars are hardy so would maybe play safe if you have some fleece handy.

[KairdiffKid]

Hello PP & welcome to the vine. Not all cultivars are hardy so would maybe play safe if you have some fleece handy.

This is quite a useful pdf from Cornell University listing the cold hardiness of blueberry varieties.

http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/p...review2012.pdf

The ones Wilko are selling (and the most popular varieties in garden centres) all seem to be cold hardy down to -25c.

[kimble]

My blueberries did terrible for two years, just stayed stunted with the odd branch dying; Although I live in prime blueberry country - so I tested the ph and it was almost neutral. The soil was sand and clay with 5 gallons of compost dug in so I assumed it would be good. For two years I put flakes of sulfur on the roots and on the third year (this autumn)they began to send out some lovely new shoots getting much taller than the rest of the bush. I doubt it was the sulfur but could be - it will make H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) over time and theoretically drop the ph, but very slowly, no idea what changed as my soil test kit is used up. I hope to get some good berries finally, and for them to get full sized in another year.

These were the really cheap ones which I am sure had a bit to do with it.

[ancee]

Some good advice here. The two I got from the pound shop have been planted today in an empty cold frame as I was worried they couldn't stay in their packaging for long. I was going to plant them in a border in the greenhouse. Do you think they'd be better in a permanent plant pot then? Still in the greenhouse? That way I can plant them in the ericaceous compost.

[Bex2012]

Mine are still in the wrappers! Haven't got any rainwater to water with. I wonder if previously boiled and then cooled water would do?

[lookbettertomorow]

Plant 2 varieties to get bigger fruit. That's what a lot say including the RHS and archived BBC. I get that you possibly get more Kilograms but bigger berries? If self fertile what can the other variety add? surely once the first variety has been pollinated by the first visit of a buzz bee which will pick up it's own pollen, jobs done?

Do I need to go back to school?
Quote;
Pollination, fruiting & harvesting

Although many blueberries are partly or fully self-pollinating, it is best to grow a minimum of two, cross-pollinated plants tend to produce larger fruit. To achieve this, plant two or preferably three different cultivars to ensure reliable, abundant crops.