SPECIFICATION OF BLUEBERRY
Common name - Haskap Berry Berry Blue
Botanical Name - Lonicera caerulea
Zones- 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Light Requirements - Full Sun, Half Sun / Half Shade
Mature Height - 48-84" tall
Estimated Mature Spread - 60" wide
Bloom Time - Harvest early summer
Planting Depth - Keep the top of the root ball even with soil surface.
Planting Time Spring / Summer
Soil Type - Loamy Soil
Soil Moisture Average - Well Draining
BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRY
Blueberries are sweet, nutritious and wildly popular.Blueberries contain antioxidants, which work to neutralize free radicals linked to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other age-related conditions. These little powerhouses provide tasty ways of staying healthy.
Cancer: Blue Berries can prove to be extremely valuable for cancer patients, for they contain certain compounds like Pterostilbene (an excellent remedy for colon and liver cancer) and Ellagic Acid which, in harmony with Anthocyanin and other antioxidants like vitamin-C and copper, can do miracles to both prevent and cure cancer.
Potassium – Important to help combat high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. May also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss.
Cancer: Blue Berries can prove to be extremely valuable for cancer patients, for they contain certain compounds like Pterostilbene (an excellent remedy for colon and liver cancer) and Ellagic Acid which, in harmony with Anthocyanin and other antioxidants like vitamin-C and copper, can do miracles to both prevent and cure cancer.
Potassium – Important to help combat high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. May also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss.
Dietary fibre – Important to help reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Also important for proper bowel function.
Vitamin C – Important for growth and repair of all body tissues and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Provides antioxidant defence against infection and disease.
Folate (folic acid) – Helps the body form red blood cells and helps reduce the risk of birth defects.
GERMINATION GUIDE
If you need to grow Blueberries from seed need to start late winter or early spring on a sunny day, but they will germinate any time of the year provided they are given ample light and warmth. Sow the seeds in a flat or tray with Peat Moss, or the leaves soil.Sprinkle the blueberry seeds evenly on top of the moss. Spread the seeds with your fingers so there are about 10 seeds per square inch. .Make sure the tray is at 3 inches deep for root development. Sprinkle the seed onto the top of the peat moss, and barely cover seeds with a very light ( 1/8-1/4 inch ) sprinkle with peat moss.
Place the planter in the direct sun once the seeds begin to sprout, which takes about one month on average. Continue to keep the moss moist until the sprouts are about 3 inches tall. Once the seeds reach that height, it is safe to plant them in the soil.
Blueberry seeds are slow germinates, the first seeds will probably start to germinate in about a month, and finish germinating over the next 2-3 months. Leave the new seedlings in the peat moss until they are about 3 inches tall, then transplant into individual pots, being very careful not to damage the tiny root systems. Feed young plants liquid food and feed monthly and raise them in small pots until they are about 8 inches tall, then transplant into one-gallon pots. Transplant 1-2-year-old seedlings outside in the fall.
SOIL TREATMENT
Soils with a pH greater than 7.0 will require higher rates of acidifying amendments and are not recommended for blueberries. If your soil pH is higher than 7.0 consider planting blueberries in a raised bed or a large container. Planting blueberry plants in a raised bed allow you to instantly achieve the correct soil pH by the amendments that you add.
Blueberries require adequate water, especially the first year that they are planted, to properly establish a good root system. During the growing season, blueberry plants typically require 1" of water per week
Check to make sure the moss is moist every day, and spray with the water bottle to keep the moss moist.
Blueberry seeds are slow germinates, the first seeds will probably start to germinate in about a month, and finish germinating over the next 2-3 months. Leave the new seedlings in the peat moss until they are about 3 inches tall, then transplant into individual pots, being very careful not to damage the tiny root systems. Feed young plants liquid food and feed monthly and raise them in small pots until they are about 8 inches tall, then transplant into one-gallon pots. Transplant 1-2-year-old seedlings outside in the fall.
Low bush blueberries are resilient in cold weather and are best for USDA plant hardiness zones two through six. This super-hardy variety grows low to the ground between 6 and 18 inches tall. Lowbush berries are small and sweet.
Highbush blueberries do best in warm climates, meaning USDA hardiness zones four through seven. Highbush is the most common type of blueberry and it yields large, dark berries on bushes six to eight feet tall.
Plants will start producing berries when about 2 years old, but will not mature and offer maximum berry yield until they are about seven years old. In order for blueberry plants to produce berries, the soil pH needs to be between 4.5 - 5.2. Soils not within the range of pH acceptability for blueberry plant growth must be prepared before planting. If the pH is too high, the growth of the plant is slowed and the foliage turns yellow. If the pH is too high for an extended period of time, the plants will die. When several plants are to be grown together, more satisfactory results will be obtained if an entire bed is prepared rather than digging holes for individual plants. With the lowest soil pH requirement of all berries, blueberries grow in the same acidic conditions that please other native shrubs such as rhododendron and azaleas. If the pH of the soil is between 5.5 and 7.0 and the texture is sandy to sandy loam, the following method can be used. Mix 4 to 6 inches of acid peat into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. In addition to acidifying the soil, the peat increases the soil organic matter content. The wood shaving is very acidic and will assist in lowering the pH level of the soil.
Plants will start producing berries when about 2 years old, but will not mature and offer maximum berry yield until they are about seven years old. In order for blueberry plants to produce berries, the soil pH needs to be between 4.5 - 5.2. Soils not within the range of pH acceptability for blueberry plant growth must be prepared before planting. If the pH is too high, the growth of the plant is slowed and the foliage turns yellow. If the pH is too high for an extended period of time, the plants will die. When several plants are to be grown together, more satisfactory results will be obtained if an entire bed is prepared rather than digging holes for individual plants. With the lowest soil pH requirement of all berries, blueberries grow in the same acidic conditions that please other native shrubs such as rhododendron and azaleas. If the pH of the soil is between 5.5 and 7.0 and the texture is sandy to sandy loam, the following method can be used. Mix 4 to 6 inches of acid peat into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. In addition to acidifying the soil, the peat increases the soil organic matter content. The wood shaving is very acidic and will assist in lowering the pH level of the soil.
SOIL TREATMENT
Soils with a pH greater than 7.0 will require higher rates of acidifying amendments and are not recommended for blueberries. If your soil pH is higher than 7.0 consider planting blueberries in a raised bed or a large container. Planting blueberry plants in a raised bed allow you to instantly achieve the correct soil pH by the amendments that you add.
Blueberries require adequate water, especially the first year that they are planted, to properly establish a good root system. During the growing season, blueberry plants typically require 1" of water per week
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