Blueberry success

[FelixLeiter]

Has anyone here enjoyed success growing blueberries? If catalogues are to be believed, they're quite the "in thing" and will produce copious quantities of sweet fruit for little effort. But I don't know anyone for whom they've even grown particularly well.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Yes, I've had lots from mine this year. My favourite for flavour and productivity is Blue Gold from a bush planted in ericaceous soil in the border. The Top Hat in a pot produced good sized fruit over a long period, and Herbert (love the name) - which is supposed to have the best tasting fruits was a bit later and had a good crop this year. It is only their second year and Herbert didn't have much fruit at all last year. The Herbert is next to the Blue Gold, also in the border.

My main problem was making sure they stayed moist and didn't dry out, the second was that the birds discovered that they taste good. They didn't touch them last year, probably because they hadn't noticed them in the garden before, but I had to net them this year.

I suppose the size of the crop is relative. I had plenty for breakfast with yoghurt for two people over several weeks with enough over for a couple of pies. They aren't huge bushes as it is only their second year, so I'm pleased with them. It isn't the same as going up the moors picking bilberries from acres of bushes. Not as boring either! Also when you see the price of a tiny punnet in the shops it makes growing your own seem rather good value.

[Johnboy]

It is said that the primocane Blackberry Reuben will usurp the Blueberry from its pedestal in the coming years.
However having said that I have invested in two Reubens, to be delivered in the spring, and am wondering which Blueberries to grow.
I would appreciate some assistance as to which may suit my soil which is pH 7 and the majority of Blueberries are grown in acidic soil.
There is a farm growing Blueberries in this area and when I dared to ask which variety they grow they became extremely hostile and said it was a trade secret!
I feel like sneaking in and taking some cuttings next spring and find out how they suit my patch. However the soil there is on a limestone belt so likely to be very similar to mine.
Which varieties of Blueberry will grow in a less acidic soil?
JB.

[glallotments]

We have four blueberry bushes and this year they produced a reasonable amount of fruit but I'd hardly describe it as copious. They are four different varieties and the latest one doesn't crop as well as the others (we can't remember what varieties we planted). The problem is that the berries ripen over a long period so each picking is of only a few berries. As Plum Pudding said that is fine for adding to a fruit salad or yoghurt.

We don't actually wait until the berries are fully ripe before picking as often the ripe berries fall off or the birds have them - the berries ripen really well in a tray after picking and this way you can use a few pickings as one lot so collect a larger amount for say making some muffins!

[Geoff]

I am reassured that others find Blueberries lack productivity, I thought it was me!
We have had two for a number of years, "Bluecrop" and "Goldtraube", which have grown very slowly to 3' high bushes. My soil is acidic, I get plenty of rainfall, I mulch them twice most years (in January I shred the Christmas tree and the Autumn Raspberries at the same time and then use that as a mulch, thought it would boost the acidity, then they usually get manure in March), I feed them with Growmore and Potash and if it is dry (like this Spring) I give each bush two gallons of Phostrogen a week. Unless I am killing them with kindness I don't know what more I can do.
I have never pruned them with them growing so slowly but wonder if this is a mistake. The BBC cultivation notes say :
"Blueberries produce fruit on branches that were produced the previous year. For the first two or three years of a blueberry's life it's not necessary to prune it much, apart from keeping the plant tidy. After this, blueberries need regular pruning to maintain plant vigour and high quality berry production. Prune them between November and March when the plant is dormant.
When pruning, take out any dead, dying and diseased wood. Locate the oldest canes and remove one or two at the base each year. Remove the old canes that don't produce much fruit to make way for younger, more productive canes.
Prune out low branches that will lie on the ground when laden with fruit and remove all twiggy wood on the ends of fruiting laterals."

Perhaps pruning would encourage new growth and vigour.
Another website says "remember a full grown blueberry can be up to 6 feet tall in open ground" so something is wrong. The "Ben Lomand" Blackcurrants in the adjacent bed are over head height so the fertility is there. We have had a steady but not spectacular crop off these this year, nothing approaching what the currants produce, but I am a bit worried about next year as one bush is full of flowers now.
This year we planted a third bush but I can't find the label anywhere, not like me but it was an impulse buy as it looked very vigorous with leaves over twice the size of the established bushes, it has settled in well and made some nice new shoots. The way it is getting going is tempting me to be quite hard with one of the older bushes and see what happens.

[glallotments]

I haven't pruned ours either as it seems to small to prune.

I fed ours every fortnight with a liquid feed for acid lovers.

[pongeroon]

We have a couple of blueberries in large pots, the second year one is Goldtraube, I can't remember which variety the new one is. They have both fruited well this year considering they are young plants. They only had Osmacote slow release pellets in spring, and were kept moist all the time (I keep them near the house so they don't get forgotten). I haven't had to prune them yet. I thought the pruning advice Geoff quoted looked like blackcurrant pruning more than anything.
My blueberries are rather confused at the moment, they have red leaves, some bare branches, flowers, and unripe fruits, all at the same time.

[FelixLeiter]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies to this posting. My particular take on blueberries is that they do seem to require rather more effort than other fruits. and I want to be sure that the ends justify the means if I'm going to commit to planting some. Acidity does seem to be key, so I know with my chalky soil I'm going to have to grow them in containers. On top of that, I'm going to have to water with rain water because of hard tap water. I'm not sure I want to grow fruit in pots. I don't grow other fruit this way. In fact, I grow very few crops in containers if I can help it because to me it is so much more work and it's difficult to meet fully a crop's requirements.
On the other hand, blueberries are absolutely delicious and are expensive to buy, so growing fruit is one thing that the home gardener can genuinely economise on growing for his or her self. Maybe this is one time I will make an exception.

[John]

Hello FL
Sorry to be late on this one. I agree with the others - they are more work than other berry crops and not so prolific but it is worth all the effort. The fruits are larger, sweeter and juicier than the shop bought stuff. I have three plants in containers. The containers are about 2 ft high and 18 in across the top. Mine are different varieties as I was told that you get a better crop this way. Blackbirds in particular will go for them in a big way so around fruiting time I move the pots into my fruit cage. Without protection you will get almost no crop. They fruit over many weeks so its a case of picking a little every few days. They freeze very well.

A great treat is to put about 3/4 lb of berries in a shallow dish, just cover with Marsala or similar and keep in a warm oven for about 45 min. Thicken the juice with a little arrowroot. When cool serve with a little thick cream.

John