There are many reasons why you should introduce blueberries into your landscape, and the first is they’re delicious. Blueberries are a tiny, but mighty fruit that packs a punch. Full of antioxidants,cancer-fighting,and having anti-aging properties, blueberries should be a part of your summer diet.
蓝莓丛也会开出微妙的白色花朵,在充满活力的绿叶衬托下显得格外美丽。只要几个简单的步骤,你梦想中的蓝莓补丁就能成为现实。只需要三种植物,你就可以拥有一块丰盛的浆果地,你和你的家人可以享受整个夏天。
Find The Right Location
The age old saying “Location, location, location” doesn’t just apply to real estate. The first step to creating a blueberry patch is finding the right spot. There are a few factors to consider when you’re beginning to decide where to plant.
First, blueberries bushes likefull sun, so avoid putting roots down in shaded or damp areas. Full sunlight can determine the strength of your blueberry patch.
One point to keep in mind if you’re planting in the spring or fall, is that the trees aren’t full of leaves. How much shade they will actually cast in the summer isn’t displayed at that moment in time. Make sure to give yourself a little bit of wiggle room when planting your bushes near trees.
Secondly, gooddrainageis a must. If there is a place in your yard where water settles, avoid that area entirely. In fact, if there is a slight hill in your yard you might want to consider planting there. A little elevation will increase the drainage around your plants.
Blueberries areshallow-rooted plants极度潮湿的地方可能会冲刷或破坏植物的根部。然而,浅根也很接近地表,很容易变干。选择一个排水良好的地方是很重要的,这样你就可以确定你的蓝莓种植区通过浇水获得了多少水分。
Prepare The Soil
When growing a blueberry patch, there is nothing more important than soil quality. Some plants learn to adapt to different soils or pH levels, but blueberries are picky. Blueberry bushes do better in acidic soil.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t to say your blueberry patch won’t grow in all kinds of soil. The plants themselves will likely prosper, but if you want your blueberry bush to produce actual fruit you will likely need to adjust your soil’s pH level.
Blueberries do best in soil with apH levelbetween 4 and 5. You can easily test your soil before planting with akityou buy online. If you determine that the soil’s pH isn’t exactly what you need it to be, there are several ways to easily adjust it.
For example, ground sulfate fertilizer, peat moss, and types of sawdust willincrease pH levelsin your soil.
Start With Three Young Plants
Starting blueberry bushes from seed can be a challenge that often times doesn’t pay off. The easiest way to start a bountiful blueberry patch is by transplanting just three young plants from a container into the ground.
You may decide later that you like a particular type of blueberry bush, but when you’re getting started it’s a good idea to buy a variety. This will extend your harvesting period because the plants will produce at different times.
Blueberry Plant Varieties
In addition, having a variety of plants will also help tocross pollinatebetween plants, and your patch will be stronger for it. In general, there are three types of bushes:high bush, low bush, and rabbit-eye蓝莓灌木丛中。
Knowing the difference between these can help you determine how big a certain variety will grow, and which is the best fit for your yard.
- Highbush blueberry plantsare very cold-hardy and adapted for cooler climates. They tend to grow out and up.
- Lowbush blueberriescan grow up to two feet high, but have been known to be used as a ground cover when pruned regularly. This type of bush produces fruit in late July and early August.
- Rabbit-eye blueberrybushes get their name from their berries that turn pink, like a rabbit’s eye, before they turn blue. This type of plant can grow very large, even up to 20 feet tall. Rabbit-eyes have also been known to grow faster than some other types of blueberry bushes.
Pruning Is Key
Pruning is a crucial step to growing a successful blueberry patch, as is having patience. Unfortunately, you should not expect to harvest any blueberries during the first year after planting, some growers even recommendpinching off blossomsthe second year as well.
Make sure to keep a close eye on your patch after planting. You will have to pinch off anywhite blossomthat appear on the bush, as this is where the fruit will grow. This ensures that your plant is strong enough to produce a bounty of fruit later, because it needs time to acclimate to its new living arrangement first.
Once your plant is established, healthy, and strong, usually a year after planting, you can allow the blossoms to turn into fruit. If you rush this process you could end up with a plant that only produces a few small, green berries each year.
Realpruning, where you actually trim branches, is not necessary for the first four years after you plant your patch. However, pruning later will help generate new shoots and increase the number of berries on each plant.
Once your patch is established and growing strong, you will be picking fresh blueberries all summer long!
Freelance writer Marlene Ridgway grew up in rural West Virginia, cooking, keeping chickens, stacking firewood, picking blueberries, and gardening.
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