Close up of blueberry plant and fruit.

Blueberries

Did you know that the Fraser Valley is home to some of the best blueberry growing regions in the world? Anyone who has driven through the countryside in Delta, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack will know that we have our share of blueberry plants.

Blueberries have been touted as a super food because of they are high in antioxidants.

Not only that, but they are a great source of vitamins and nutrients.
You too can grow an abundance of this lovely summer fruit with relatively little effort and in this March edition of our newsletter I will show you how.

When it comes to designing beautiful edible gardens, blueberries are top on my list of plants to use. They have so much to offer in the landscape. Discover three interesting and unusual varieties of blueberries to add edibles to your garden. With so much to love about this great plant....I hope I'll inspire you to try planting them yourself, or if you already have them to try some different varieties!

 

Flyer pointing describing different blueberries.

Blueberries are not difficult to grow but they have a few key requirements.

1.Site your blueberries in a full sun to part shade location. Aim for a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight per day.

2. Blueberries are related to Rhodos and Heathers and like them, they have shallow and fibrous root system. For this reason they have a tendency to dry out and require frequent waterings to keep their shallow roots moist. A drip line or soaker hose is an effective way to perform frequent deep waterings throughout the summer. Blueberries also benefit from mulching with sawdust, wood chips, or bark mulch to conserve moisture. (Avoid cedar)

3.Blueberries are acid loving, and will perform poorly in soils where the pH is above 5.5. In fact, if your blueberries seem to be struggling and the leaves on the plants are a sickly yellow with slightly darker veining your soil is most likely in need of acidifying. Mulch the plants with pine needle and add some organic sulfur around each plant to lower the acidity

4. Blueberries need good drainage. If the planting area has heavy soils, be sure to mix in a generous helping of bark mulch and mound the plants up to get them free of heavy clay.

5. This may be the hardest tip of all but commercial growers do it and you should too....get your plants established more quickly by picking off the flower buds in the first and second year. This will encourage more energy to go to growth and not to berries. The reward will be a larger and healthier bush going into year three that will reward you with an abundant harvest for years to come!

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