Growing Canadian Blueberry in the Garden

In short: Canadian blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) needs acidic soil with a pH of 3.5 to 5, best achieved with peat, and a spacing of 2x1 m. It starts bearing fruit in the fourth year and a well-kept bush gives 2.5 to 5 kg. Keep the soil constantly moist and water with rainwater, not hard water.

Growing Canadian Blueberry in the Garden

Canadian blueberry (lat. Vaccinium corymbosum) - is also known under the less common name highbush blueberry. Blueberry is a plant from the heath family. Canadian blueberry, as the name Canada suggests, originates from North America. It has become established in Europe and thrives in our conditions, producing abundant harvests. Canadian blueberry is a shrub that grows up to 2.5 m in height. It blooms in April to May, its flowers are in raceme inflorescences in colors ranging from white to pinkish to pink. The leaves alternate on the stem and have an oval shape, glossy green color. The fruits are large, beautifully deep blue to purple. Sweet, full of flavor and vitamins, which is why we grow blueberries.

Canadian blueberry has been bred in America into multiple varieties that guarantee higher yields, larger fruits, fuller flavor, frost resistance, or good storage properties. The most well-known variety is Bluecrop - other varieties are also judged according to it. Bluecrop ripens at the end of July and a mature plant yields 4.5 - 6 kg of harvest. The variety with the largest fruits is Torro.

Growing Canadian Blueberry

Location for planting blueberries should be carefully considered, because blueberries can live for 30 years, in rare cases even 60 years. Blueberries like partial shade and full sun. You can plant them in the shelter of a tree or shrub that will provide shade for part of the day, but not too much or too long. Ideal for planting is a 2-3 year old plant.

Planting

Blueberries are planted at a spacing of 2x1 m, in spring, when they have enough time to root. However, they can also be planted in autumn. Since they belong to the heath family, they have specific soil requirements. Cultivation is similar to rhododendrons and azaleas. Blueberries are sensitive to calcium content in the soil. Therefore, we choose more acidic soils, optimal pH is 3.5 - 5. These conditions are met by peat. We therefore recommend digging a hole about 0.5 m deep, or removing the soil from the entire bed where we will plant blueberries. Fill this hole with peat, or a mixture of peat and crushed bark, or use substrate designed for growing blueberries or rhododendrons. Forest litter used to be recommended, but in the interest of protecting our forests, use peat instead, which is nutritionally more valuable. Blueberries have a shallow root system, so we can continuously mulch them, thereby ensuring that the soil does not dry out. Especially during fruit formation, ensure that the bed remains constantly moist. This doesn't go well with choosing a sunny location. If you cannot provide regular watering, we recommend planting blueberries in partial shade (at cottages where you are not present daily, etc.)

Nutrition, Fertilizing and Growth of Blueberries

For a quality and full harvest, provide your blueberries with quality liquid or granulated fertilizer designed specifically for highbush blueberries, or you can use fertilizer for rhododendrons. Do not use fertilizers that contain calcium. It is good to use both starter fertilizers during planting and supplementary feeding during the growing season.

Highbush blueberries begin bearing fruit in the fourth year, with the plant reaching full maturity at six years. We support the plant's growth and productivity also through regular watering, which should be consistent and keep the soil around the plant constantly moist. Air humidity also affects the quality of the fruit. At higher altitudes, blueberries paradoxically produce better yields, even though there are harder frosts in winter, but in summer there is better air humidity than in lowlands.

Hard water is not suitable for watering as it contains calcium. We recommend rainwater.

During the first two years after planting, we do not modify plants by pruning. In the third year from planting, we remove weak shoots from the center, thus preventing the bush from becoming too dense. Pruning is carried out from the beginning of dormancy until flowering. A maintained bush should have 5 to 8 strong, straight branches with a sufficient number of small growths. When the plant is in full production (sixth to eighth year after planting), plants should have 7 to 12 shoots of different ages, but no older than four years. For those who are afraid of pruning and harming the plants, the basic rule is that we do not prune at all for the first two years, then in the following year from planting we cut off old fruited shoots from the bottom of the plant. We also remove frozen and dried twigs, or if the plant is growing too vigorously.

Do not dig around the plant, as it has a shallow root system, but keep it weed-free. Blueberries tolerate weeds poorly. To prevent weed growth, we can use black non-woven fabric, or mulch with bark or sawdust up to 7 cm high. Mulch and fabric will also serve well in winter, protecting plants from freezing.

Blueberry Harvest

The blueberry is a cross-pollinating plant. We achieve quality pollination if we plant at least two different varieties together. After pollination, the blueberry displays grape-shaped flower clusters. Berries ripen over 15 - 35 days. Blueberries are ripe approximately 1-2 weeks after turning blue. If we take good care of the plants, we will harvest 2.5 - 5 kg of blueberries from each bush. The most productive bush is 6 years old.

Blueberries - the Healthiest Fruit

Blueberries are among the healthiest fruits in the world. They strengthen immunity and protect the organism against cancer-causing cells. They combat stress and fatigue. They are antioxidants, containing carotene, bioflavonoids, tannins, large amounts of vitamin C, B vitamins and provitamin A, as well as zinc, fruit sugars, manganese, potassium, magnesium, chromium, zinc, copper, and iron. Thanks to their composition, they regulate blood sugar and fat levels, lower cholesterol, cleanse the kidneys and urinary tract. Blueberries help with weight loss. They protect against senile dementia. They act preventively against infections.

Blueberries have great use in our diet, but they are healthiest when fresh in fruit salads or smoothies. From blueberries we can prepare delicious preserves, jams, cobblers, cakes, and cake fillings.