Suggest a blue berry bush.

[fon]

Hi, iv just got rid of a horrible huge grass plant, and Id like to plant a blueberry bush.

However, there seem to be a number of different ones I can buy.

Im after one that provides similar ones that are bought in the supermarket, or the kids may turn their nose up at them!

Many thanks,

Fon

[Jay-ell]

There's different species of blueberry, not just varieties. There's Highbush Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), Lowbush Blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) and the Rabbiteye Blueberries (Vaccinium virgatum).

The ones you buy from the greengrocey are most likely Highbush Blueberries.

Blueberries can be self-fertile but you can get better results if there is a compatible bush in the area (e.g. another highbush if you have a highbush) which blooms at the same time.

I have Bluecrop, a highbush, as it's supposed to reliably self fertile (not had it long enough to find out) and Pink Lemonade, a rabbiteye, because I bought it before I figures it wasn't compatible with my Bluecrop - well it's supposed to be self fertile so I'll find out sometime.

Blueberries need a pH of 4-5 so most likely you are going to have to drop the pH of the bed or grow them in pots.

[Snadger]

I have a Blueberry at the scrapheap in a large pot which is full of flower this year so i am hopng for a bumper crop.
I bought another at Homebase which I need to get some ericaceous compost for and get it into a large pot also.

As an aside, my next door neighbour at my house offered me two potted blueberries which judging by there gnarled appearance appear to be a number of years old. She wasn't aware they needed ericaceous compost and they hadn't really fruited that well for her.
I planted one yesterday in a flower bed (I have rhododendrons, azealias etc in the garden which thrive so assume acididty.)
I planted it between a buddleia and a red acer pulmatum and with its pink contrasting foliage it is a brilliant addition to the ornamntal garden.
I have a goji berry in the same bed so am looking forward to seeing how it grows this year as they are supposed to be well suited to the ornamntal garden too.

[SaraJH]

Hi Snadger, when you say large pot, what size do you mean? Would 50l be big enough?

[Snadger]

Hi Snadger, when you say large pot, what size do you mean? Would 50l be big enough?

I dont know how many litres it is but its about 400mm diameter and the same depth.

[Jay-ell]

50l should be ok

[Bigmallly]

I dont know how many litres it is but its about 400mm diameter and the same depth.

That's Geordie for Wae'aye man!.................

[Penellype]

50 litres should be fine. I have a Bluecrop bush in a pot about that size (maybe 40 litres) and a Dixie in a 25 litre tub. The Bluecrop was bought in 2011 and Dixie in 2013 and both are good reliable croppers. They will produce blueberries on their own - I got decent crops off Bluecrop before I bought Dixie, although the berries are said to be larger if they are cross pollinated with a different variety. As long as you keep them in acid soil they should be fine - use ericaceous compost and make sure you water them with rain water if you get any limescale in your kettle etc. I feed mine in the spring just as they start flowering. You will need a net to keep the birds off once the fruit starts to turn blue, which can be quite a long time - I find they fruit from August to October.

These are my bushes today:



Most of the flowers have set fruit, but there are still some visible. The bushes are both nearly upto the top of the greenhouse frame that I use to support the net.

[Snadger]

50 litres should be fine. I have a Bluecrop bush in a pot about that size (maybe 40 litres) and a Dixie in a 25 litre tub. The Bluecrop was bought in 2011 and Dixie in 2013 and both are good reliable croppers. They will produce blueberries on their own - I got decent crops off Bluecrop before I bought Dixie, although the berries are said to be larger if they are cross pollinated with a different variety. As long as you keep them in acid soil they should be fine - use ericaceous compost and make sure you water them with rain water if you get any limescale in your kettle etc. I feed mine in the spring just as they start flowering. You will need a net to keep the birds off once the fruit starts to turn blue, which can be quite a long time - I find they fruit from August to October.

These are my bushes today:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]73147[/ATTACH]

Most of the flowers have set fruit, but there are still some visible. The bushes are both nearly upto the top of the greenhouse frame that I use to support the net.

Good idea for the net support!