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| Vaccinium corymbosum 'Sweetheart' | |
| Blueberries generally prefer full sun, but can tolerate some shade. With Maryland’s climate some light afternoon shade may prove beneficial. Most blueberries need two plants to produce good crops of fruit. Thought there are a few self-pollinating varieties like the Bushel and Berry series. Blueberries thrive in acidic soils with a pH of 4.3 – 5.5. Test your soil to see what pH it is. Likely you will have to add sulfur or iron sulphate to bring your soil pH to where it needs to be. Amend the soil in a 6 ft. square block around your planting site and integrate the sulfur 6-8 inches deep. Clay soils in our area need on average about 2.5 lbs. of sulfur per 100 sq. ft. or 9 lbs. of iron sulphate per 100 sq. ft. In addition, blueberry plants like soils rich in organic matter such as compost and peat moss. The top 12 inches of the soil should be ½ to 1/3 organic matter. Do not use animal manure, as it is too high in pH or salts. Acidifying fertilizers such as ammonium sulphate help keep the pH where it needs to be in succeeding years. Do not use aluminum sulphate! For the first 3 years plants may need light pruning in February or March. Remove a few of the small branches or twigs in the center of the bush. Fruit is produced on wood grown the previous season, and the largest berries are produced on moderately vigorous wood (branches 12- to 18-inches in length). All weak growth should be removed (see figure below). At maturity (6 years and older) a healthy plant should be 5- to 7-feet tall and produce 3 to 5 new canes several feet tall yearly. Each spring, select the best two to three new canes to retain and remove some of the oldest canes. (Canes over 1 in. in diameter do not produce the best fruit.) When you fail to remove older branches, the new canes are likely to be willowy and produce only a few berries at the top. Pruning will result in a plant with 12 to 18 canes of varying ages. This is an optimal scenario; many plants will deviate from this ideal. Also, remove the lowest branches and thin out branches in the center. The lower branches bear fruit that is dirty and difficult to pick; the center branches produce small, poorly colored and late-ripening fruit. Overly long canes with many flower buds may be headed back, but do not try to top canes to stimulate growth. Blueberries in containers If you are growing blueberries in a container use a large well-drained pot or wooden barrel container. A mature highbush blueberry plant needs a something that is a depth of 24 inches and a width of 24-30 inches. Use a 50-50 mix of potting soil and peat moss as your planting media. If you are setting the post on a hard surface, put it on bricks to ensure drainage. Don’t expect to get a large crop the first year. During the winter months (December-March) containers need to be in a sheltered location, protected from winter winds. For example, the pot could be buried in the ground or in a pile of mulch. |
| Full Sun |
| White | |
| White Shades | |
| Great Foliage | |
| Birds, Butterflies, Pollinators, Songbirds, Supports Bees | |
| Edible | |
| Upright |
| Average Soil, Needs Good Drainage |