Editor's note: Yesterday we posted a story titled "Did You Know? Blueberries Can Be Planted in November". Today, the DiMeo family shares "Blueberry Growing Basics". Enjoy this "sweet" post!
Blueberry Growing Basics: How to Grow Your Own Organic Berries, Starting in November!
There is an old saying that "nothing good comes easy."
Well, the person who came up with that saying, apparently wasn't familiar with growing blueberries! Having said that, there are some nuances the first time blueberry gardener needs to keep in mind when starting a blueberry garden.
This blueberry article will focus on the differences between organic Heirloom blueberry plants varieties that are cold hardy for blueberry growing Zone 3 vs. blueberry bushes that are hardy in warmer blueberry growing climates down in growing Zones 8-9. What makes the berry plants different and why it is important that the blueberry bushes you buy are best for your particular blueberry growing zone. Basically, there are several different types of blueberry bushes, there is Northern Highbush blueberry varieties, Southern Highbush blueberry types, Rabbiteye blueberry plant varieties, half high blueberry plants and even low bush blueberries you can plant at home in your berry garden.
Expert blueberry farmer Anthony DiMeo III, member of DiMeo Blueberry Farms & Organic Non-GMO Blueberry Bushes Nursery in New Jersey knows that sometimes first time blueberry growers can get a little confused. Farmer DiMeo says:
“There are many different types of blueberries varieties but we can recommend the best varieties of blueberries that will work well in your particular blueberry growing zone. We understand that both home and master gardeners want to enjoy fresh tasty blueberries all summer long with a nice extended blueberry season where you will get berries all summer long, blueberry bushes that will be productive and yield pounds of blueberries per bush, produce nice sweet, large blueberries with good taste and old fashioned blueberry flavor. As experts blueberry growers, we can help guide berry growers in the right direction."
Quality berry growing resource organicgardening.com wrote on the topic of which type of blueberries are best for the climate in each blueberry growing region.
The Right Blueberry Varieties for Your Berry Growing Zone
Before choosing a blueberry variety, you should determine which types of blueberries are best suited to your growing zone. Many types of blueberry plants require a period of prolonged blueberry chilling hours in order for the berry plant to have enough dormancy state and overall rest. But some blueberry bushes need less chill hours than others. Planting different varieties of blueberries will give you good cross pollination between blueberry varieties and also increase overall blueberry yield. Not to mention, you can enjoy blueberries all throughout the entire summer season.
Northern Highbush Blueberry Varieties: Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), the type of berries usually found in your local grocery stores and supermarkets, are so named because the large berries that are borne on blueberry bushes that will grow up to 6' feet high. Of course you can keep them trimmed or pruned down to your desired height. Pruning blueberries bushes is something you do during the late fall season when all the leaves fall off the bush. This way you can remove any cross-branching or branches that hang too low. Northern highbush blueberries grow best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 to 7.
Low Bush Blueberry Varieties: Low bush blueberries (V. angustifolium, Zone 3-6) are super-hardy, making them great for gardeners who live where winter temperatures regularly plummet below zero degrees. Often farmers do not recommend low bush blueberry varieties because when the blueberries are growing on the ground, many times animals, rabbits and other creatures will eat them because they are elevated off the ground like high bush blueberries which is why many berry farmers prefer highbush blueberry plants instead of investing in lowbush blueberries.
Rabbiteye Blueberry Varieties: Rabbiteye blueberries (V. ashei, Zones 7 to 9) give southern blueberry growers and gardeners another option besides southern high bush. Typically smaller than highbush berries, they ripen later in the season. Farmer DiMeo says that rabbittye blueberry varieties are often planted by commercial blueberry farmers who harvest their berries with the blueberry harvester. He said that the rabbiteye is a "harder blueberry" with a longer shelf life, one that picks well, packs well and ships well, which is why many commercial blueberry growers and produce brokers like the rabbiteye blueberries. Many home gardeners do not like this blueberry variety for that reason. They prefer Heirloom blueberry varieties that have an old fashioned blueberry taste and flavor.
Farmer DiMeo elaborated on the different varieties of blueberries the recommend:
"Our DiMeo family blueberry farm offers and grows over 32 different blueberry varieties, including Northern Highbush blueberry varieties, Southern Highbush blueberry varieties, Half High blueberry varities and even Rabbittye blueberry varieties at our family run blueberry nursery in New Jersey. We take a hands-on approach with our customers and want to help them become successful growing their own blueberries. They can save so much money by doing so. Blueberry prices will only increase in the local grocery stores."
Farmer DiMeo offered a versatile blueberry farmers tip on how to grow blueberries anywhere in the world, regardless of your soil types.
“Dig a hole the size of two bowling balls put together. Remove your existing soil. Discard it in fact. In it's place, put in a mixture of 60% concrete sand mix it together with 40% organic peat moss. This mixture will give your blueberry bushes proper drainage with the sand, lower your soil pH level for blueberries to where it needs to be, increase your organic matter level which blueberry bushes love, and give the blueberry plant some acidity as well. By using this method, you can grow blueberries just about anywhere in the world, regardless of your existing soil type."
The DiMeo family blueberry farms and organic Non-GMO blueberry nursery in New Jersey, now in it's fourth generation, owns and operates several of the largest blueberry farms in America, that (with all farms, owned by various members of the DiMeo family, all combined) total over 1,000 acres of DiMeo family owned blueberry farms and blueberry nurseries in Hammonton, New Jersey. You can call DiMeo at: (609) 561-5905 or go to: www.DiMeoFarms.com. They also offer raspberry bushes, blackberry bushes, cranberry bushes and aronia berry bushes for sale direct to growers big and small.
*Image courtesy DiMeo family