Useful properties of berries. Garden blueberries - planting and care

This July marks a hot time for berry growers: berry picking begins. To avoid missing the optimal time for picking, check out our berry calendar for the current year. It tells not only about the timing of berry picking, but also about their useful properties Oh.

Here you will learn about how to pick cranberries and blueberries, when strawberries and lingonberries are ripe, what is the difference between boneberries and princelings, and how berries such as blueberries and cloudberries are beneficial for the body.

About the beneficial properties of berries.

Let's talk about the characteristics that each sotr berry has. Berries, both wild and cultivated, play a role in the human diet important role. They can increase the vitality of the body, immunity, as well as physical and mental performance. Berries are not just tasty, but also very healthy!

How to pick berries correctly.

We all love our berries to be beautiful, ripe and fragrant. But to save High Quality and the beneficial properties of berries, you need to know how to pick them correctly.

*When picking berries, do not use scoops, combs or other mechanical devices. They damage fruitful berry fields, harm future harvests, and often spoil the berries themselves.

*Try to pick the most ripe berries - since after picking they do not fully ripen.

*Interesting and useful fact: for jam and canning, berries are picked on the WANING MOON (they are stored longer). And in order to eat it right away, you can pick berries on the Waxing Moon (they have higher taste and aromatic qualities).

*It is best to pick berries during cool hours (morning and evening).

*When transporting the collected berries, protect them from direct sunlight.

Berry picking 2017: Berry calendar.

The green color in the calendar indicates the period of flowering of berries, and the green color indicates the time of their collection.

When to pick wild berries	May	June		July		August		September	October
Cowberry
Crowberry
Blueberry
Wild strawberry
Common cranberry
Small-fruited cranberry
Large cranberry
Prince
Stone berry
Krasnika
Cloudberry
Blueberry
Caucasian blueberry
Blueberry oval-leaved

When to pick lingonberries.

The lingonberry harvest begins in August September. Cowberry - small berry dark red (wine) color with a sour, slightly bitter taste.

The lingonberry harvest season is from the end of summer until the first snowfalls.

Lingonberries are a real storehouse of vitamins. These small sour-bitter berries contain an impressive range of biologically active substances, organic acids, sugars.

When to pick strawberries.

Wild strawberries can be harvested as early as June-July; the further north you go, the later the harvest time for this berry is and, accordingly, the later the harvest season ends.

Strawberries have many beneficial properties - this berry is a real champion in the content of iron, vitamin E, folic acid and calcium. This tasty and aromatic berry also contains sugars, pectins, acids, fiber, vitamins and essential oils.

Strawberries are not only very delicious berry, it helps to restore strength faster, normalizes digestion, and helps with anemia.

Strawberries are also used in the treatment of diseases of the biliary tract, kidneys and genitourinary system, and normalize metabolism. Thanks to the properties of strawberries, toxins and cholesterol are removed from the body. Strawberries are prepared for future use by drying, freezing or rubbing with sugar.

When to pick cranberries.

The cranberry harvest season begins in September and lasts very long. Cranberry is a recognized superfood that has many beneficial properties for the human body.

Cranberry is an excellent antioxidant, boosts immunity thanks to high content potassium salts and vitamin C. Has pronounced properties natural antibiotic thanks to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Cranberry is an excellent means of preventing the formation of cholesterol plaques in plaque vessels and the formation of blood clots.

Cranberries are used for varicose veins, as they help increase the strength and elasticity of the walls of blood vessels and capillaries.

It is best to eat fresh or frozen cranberries.

When to pick crowberries

Crowberry (crowberry, crowberry) is a berry that grows in northern regions countries. The collection season begins in August and continues until frost.

Voronika is one of best helpers health. It supports the immune system, removes radionuclides from the body, treats hypertension, migraines, insomnia, metabolic disorders and seizures.

Watery and a good thirst quencher, this berry has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound-healing, astringent, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic and antioxidant properties.

This berry is unpretentious in storage (fill it with water in a sterile jar, close the lid and place it in a cool, dark place - this way it can be stored for years), and it tolerates freezing well.

When to pick blueberries.

Blueberry harvest season is from July to September. This berry perfectly removes radionuclides, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, normalizes heart function, and slows down aging. nerve cells and brain.

Blueberries have antisclerotic, cardiotonic, hypotensive and anti-inflammatory effects. Effective for atherosclerosis, hypertension, capillary toxicosis and other diseases associated with insufficiency of blood capillaries.

When to pick blueberries.

Blueberry picking season is from July to September. Blueberries have a tonic effect and accelerate metabolic processes; blueberries also have hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic and diuretic properties.

Blueberries are known in cosmetology for their ability to slow down the aging process and rejuvenate the body. In ophthalmology, blueberries are also always popular - regular consumption of this berry improves blood supply to the retina and accelerates the regeneration of retinal tissue.

Blueberries are the most powerful natural antioxidant. It is suggested that just half a glass of blueberries a day can prevent Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Blueberry extract has shown the ability to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Blueberries can lower blood cholesterol no worse than some medications and can be powerful weapon in the fight against heart disease.

Material prepared by:

Executive Director of the Association of Gardeners of Russia (APYAPM), leading specialist of APPYAPM on berry crops

Danilova T.A.
APPYAPM specialist

Using material Thomas Werner

Blueberry harvest

Blooming blueberry

Every producer must constantly take care of the quality of the products they grow. Products well prepared for sale provide the manufacturer with high profits if the cost of the product exceeds the cost of cultivation by 50%. The quality of blueberries depends on a number of factors: varietal characteristics, pruning, fertilizing, good system irrigation and harvest quality. Large berries, beautiful taste qualities and attractive appearance provide high demand for blueberries. Berries that are small, damp or show signs of gray rot can make selling difficult.

The main task of the manufacturer is to determine the dates for collecting and transporting the berries, since the fruits ripen unevenly. Berries collected immediately after coloring do not have good taste. The suitability of blueberries for harvesting and consumption is determined by the amount of sugars in the fruit. After coloring, the fruit contains only about 10% sugars. After a few days, the sugar content in the berries on the bush increases significantly - up to 16%. When storing berries, the content of acids and sugars remains practically unchanged. Blueberries collected immediately after coloring may not meet standard taste qualities; they may be sour, and the flesh may be green and hard. Delaying the fruits on the bush for 5-7 days will give a great advantage - their weight and sugar content will increase by up to 30%.

Blueberries

It should be remembered that ripe blueberries lose their hardness, so they can be easily damaged. It follows from this that it is not recommended to leave the berry on the bush for too long. Delay in harvesting leads to a decrease in the quality of the fruits, they become soft, and this affects transportability.

The advantage of picking blueberries early is the hardness of the berries, which is necessary for transportation and increased shelf life. However, disadvantages cannot be avoided - they are lighter, the taste is sour and, as a result, there is a problem with sales.

What are the benefits of delaying harvest? First of all, it is the sweet, balanced taste of the berries, good weight and attractive appearance, and, no less important, high demand among consumers. However, there are also disadvantages - the fruits become softer, the risk of infection by pathogens increases, and the process of laying flower buds for next year's harvest becomes more difficult.

High quality blueberries

The taste of fruits may be affected weather. Due to lack of moisture, the growth of plants and fruits is inhibited. The berries become smaller, do not ripen, and can simply dry out on the bushes - this reduces the demand for the product and makes it difficult to sell. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to install irrigation equipment. Supplying water to plants during fruit ripening reduces shoot fragility.

Rotting of the skin of the fruit is the result of prolonged heavy rains. The problem usually occurs at the end of the season, when precipitation becomes more frequent, and at night the berries are covered with dew. Ripe berries are more susceptible to cracking during intense rainfall, which in turn reduces their quality. Bad weather conditions make it difficult to pick berries or even make it impossible. Collected wet berries can no longer be sold after 1-2 days; they are damaged fungal diseases. During harvesting, it is very important to remove the fruits as carefully as possible and shake them as little as possible. It is better to collect blueberries immediately into containers in which they will later be sold. Place the containers with berries in boxes and transfer them to a cool, dark place with a temperature of 10-15 °C.

Blueberries are harvested manually and mechanically. The choice of harvesting method depends on the area of ​​plantings and the purpose of the fruit. Blueberries intended for transportation must be of high quality, so it is better to use manual harvesting. With manual removal, the amount of damage is significantly reduced; the disadvantage of manual collection is the high cost and low efficiency.

Industrial blueberry plantation

Labor productivity in berry picking depends on the size of the fruit and the time of their picking. For harvesting on small plantations, 10-15 people are enough. If the plantations are large, a mechanized harvesting method is used. This method can replace 100-200 people, but workers are still required for additional cleaning and sorting of the fruits, but, unfortunately, the quality and appearance of the berries may lose their shape. Harvesters must be modernized and adapted for blueberry harvesting different varieties, since shrubs have different heights and flexibility of shoots. Mechanical harvesting is not perfect, but it still makes the product more accessible to the market.

Manual fruit sorting allows you to select damaged, unripe and contaminated berries; it is very effective and justified, but only on small plantations. Currently, they prefer to carry out sorting in a mechanized way, using packaging prepared in advance. In addition, sorting lines can be equipped with protective equipment against fungal infections. The equipment is expensive, so its use on large plantations or when used by several small producers is economically justified.

Storing blueberries

After picking the berries, their quality gradually deteriorates, and the speed of this process directly depends on the storage conditions. The controlled atmosphere in the refrigerator compartment helps maintain blueberry quality for 6-10 weeks. Depending on the variety, the quality of the berries may change within 2-3 weeks.

Blueberries are well preserved at carbon dioxide levels (10-12%), as well as at oxygen concentrations below 10%. It should be noted that storing fruit in a controlled environment requires rapid harvesting in quantities that will fill the chambers and determine the composition of the atmosphere as quickly as possible.

Blueberries intended for direct sale are stored in packages in a room where the temperature does not exceed 15 °C. If the supply of berries is suspended for several days, the temperature refrigeration chambers should be reduced to 3-5°C. For long-term storage of products optimal temperature should be up to 0 °C at relative humidity air 90-95%.

The high blueberry productivity in Poland has made this country an employer for many job seekers. People who prefer to exercise seasonal work, know all the advantages of such earnings. But today technology is developing at tremendous speed, and picking berries requires not only human labor, but also machines.

Let's start with the fact that a machine, unlike a person, can work non-stop, in any weather and for any need. The combine is perfect for harvesting a rich harvest when gonobobel begins to bear fruit in large quantities. For collection to be timely, many people need to be involved in the process, and this extra costs. One machine can replace several people, and if observed high yield berries, you can’t do without technology. Let's get started: learn more about blueberry picking.

Berry picking machine

The technique for harvesting blueberries was invented when the harvest reached its peak and there was a shortage of labor. The second reason is efficiency. The car will last for years, it does not need to be paid. Of course, the harvester will not work without a person; at least an operator is required.

The invention of specialized equipment allowed companies involved in the cultivation of blueberries to save significantly.

can be different brands, but they all have the same operating principles.

Picking blueberries by machine (video)

Features of berry picking equipment:

• auto leveling when adjusting height;
• spacious upper platform;
• hard handrails on the platform;
• 4-wheel drive;
• front guides made of durable steel;
• hydrostatic transmission;
• auto shutdown at low oil pressure;
• function for adjusting belt tension on the conveyor;
• high load capacity of the rear platform (more than 2000 kg);
• movable rear platform, which makes loading/unloading more convenient.

In addition to the main functions, a berry harvester may have additional options. Upon request, equipment can be equipped with a cleaning knife system, wide mudguards, dual rear tires, a roller conveyor, etc. Companies in Poland know that when the yield is very high, it is sometimes difficult to cope with the harvest in a timely manner using only human resources. There is a need for a powerful assistant. His name is combine.

How does the machine work? The design is thought out to the smallest detail. The mechanism works clearly and smoothly. The shaker, vibrating, makes circular movements in the horizontal plane. The advantage of this process is that the operation of the shaker can be customized in the right way depending on the specific requirements of a particular collection process. The use of such technologies allows Poland to attract many investors and customers.

Today, blueberry picking equipment in Poland is an essential requirement for every large employer. If small companies still hire people to collect gonobobel by hand, then large companies enlist the support of technology. In Poland, the use of berry picking technology is reaching a new level. Since there are many machines, and very different ones, even small companies turn to technology for help. When blueberries grow in large quantities, we can’t do without such support.

Tasty and healthy

Blue berries are popularly known for their beneficial properties. Gonobobel berries contain a whole storehouse of useful substances, vitamins and microelements. The fruits are rich in vitamins PP, B2, B1, provitamin A, ascorbic acid, phosphorus, calcium, iron, organic acids (malic, citric, benzoic, oxalic). Gonobobel contains 6 essential amino acids for humans, pectins, fiber, and tannins. Of particular value are anthocyanins, which enhance the effect of antioxidants. Gonobobel boasts big amount anthocyanins than blueberries themselves. What is the secret of anthocyanins? Their peculiarity is that they determine the anti-carcinogenic and rejuvenating characteristics of gonobobel.

If you eat berries regularly, it will provide:

• acceleration of epidermis regeneration;
• increasing the production of natural collagen;
• cleansing blood vessels from cholesterol accumulation.

The absence of cholesterol increases the flexibility and elasticity of arteries and capillaries, as a result, blood flow improves and cells are saturated with oxygen. All these features make blueberries an honorable berry on the table of everyone who cares about their health and wants to preserve youth and beauty.

Blue berries are choleretic and anti-inflammatory in nature and are used to improve vision. Gonobobel has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive organs, promotes normal operation pancreas, intestines, is able to normalize blood glucose levels. An infusion of berries has a binding property, so it is used for dysentery. An infusion of berries should not be confused with a decoction of leaves! A decoction of blue berry leaves is known as a laxative (relieves constipation). The berry is known for its rich supply of vitamin K, which is essential to the human body for good blood clotting.

How to choose the right blueberries? Look at the skin. It must be whole, dry, of blue color with a whitish coating characteristic of the berry. If the berries are without plaque, this should alert you. Most likely, the blueberries are stale and are starting to deteriorate little by little. Incorrectly harvested or unsuccessfully purchased blueberries will not bring any benefit to the body or health. It would be useful to find out in what conditions and where blueberries grow.

Blueberries: early varieties (video)

Conclusion

During the period of rich fruiting of blueberries, experts recommend using special equipment to collect them. A gonobobel harvester will help you correctly collect the berries without damaging them, so that blueberries do not lose their beneficial properties. A high-quality blueberry harvest consists of only selected berries. They are used in both folk medicine, and large pharmaceutical companies that produce tablets for improving vision based on blueberries. In order for the products to be of high quality, it is necessary to use excellent raw materials. Specialized harvesting equipment can ensure this.

Swamp blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) - has a variety of both scientific (swamp blueberry, swamp blueberry, lowbush blueberry) and folk (water drinker, cabbage roll, blueberry, gonobob, gonobobel, gonoboy, gonobol, fool, fool, fool, fool, drunken berry , drunkard, drunkard, drunkard, blue grapes, blueberry) names.
Pyanika or gonobobel, this is how blueberries are called because they supposedly intoxicate and drive away pain in the head. But in fact, the culprit of these phenomena is wild rosemary, which often grows next to blueberries. If wild rosemary leaves get into a container with blueberries, poisoning and even loss of consciousness may occur.
Swamp blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) is a perennial, deciduous, highly branched shrub from 30cm to 1m high, with erect cylindrical branches, with brownish or dark gray bark, green shoots.
Belongs to the heather family (although sometimes botanists classify blueberries as belonging to the lingonberry family).
The leaves are alternate, smooth, hard, small, up to 3 cm long and up to 2.4 cm wide, on very short petioles, from obovate to lanceolate, obtuse at the apex, with entire or slightly curved down edges, with sparse stalked glands, bluish-green above, covered with waxy coated, lighter underneath and with strongly protruding veins.
The flowers are drooping, pitcher-bell-shaped, up to 6 cm long, sitting 2-3 at the tops of last year's branches, the pedicels are usually somewhat longer than the flower, with 2 unequal, 2-5 mm long, membranous, greenish bracts. The calyx consists of 4-5 rounded small sepals. The corolla is pitcher-shaped, whitish with a bend of short teeth bent outward. There are 8 or 10 stamens, the ovary is 4-5-locular, the style is longer than the stamens.

It blooms in May - July, flowering duration is 10-12 days.
A significant part of the buds and ovaries (30-70%) fall off for various reasons: they are eaten by caterpillars, they turn out to be underdeveloped.
Blueberries are insect-pollinated plants: pollinated by bees, ants, and butterflies. The berries ripen 40-50 days after flowering.
The berry is varied in shape, often oblong, up to 1.2 cm long, blue with a bluish bloom, thin skin, inside with greenish, non-coloring watery pulp, weighing up to 0.8 g. The seeds are numerous, up to 1.5 mm long, light brown, crescent-shaped. Blueberries produce quite a lot of seeds, however seed propagation very difficult. Seed germination is possible only under strictly limited conditions: high humidity, lack of direct sunlight, disturbance of moss and grass cover. Blueberry seedlings can be found on fallen trees and old stumps. The characteristic spot distribution of blueberries in the plant cover is associated with its characteristic vegetative regeneration. When the aboveground part of the bush ages and dries out, its renewal is repeatedly carried out by the formation of shoots from dormant buds located at the base of the bush. Due to such shoots, blueberry plants quickly rejuvenate after fires. Blueberries are mycotrophs, like other members of the genus. The aerial parts of blueberries are affected by various (up to 20 species) pathogenic fungi, in addition, they are often damaged by insects (especially sawflies).
Blueberries are frost-resistant, the life expectancy of the bush is about 100 years. Under natural conditions, it begins to bear fruit at the age of 11-18 years, the yield from one bush is 200g of berries, sometimes more.

Where do blueberries grow?

Blueberries naturally grow in forests, swampy or rocky tundras on poor acidic soils, talus, hummocks of swamps, in the mountains to the mountain tundra belt, in the south in the upper mountain belt, the European part of Russia from the Arctic regions to Ukraine, as well as in the alpine zone of the Caucasus Mountains , in the Urals, Siberia and the Far East, rising into the mountains to a height of up to 3 thousand meters above sea level.

Within the species, several subspecies are distinguished, each of which grows in its own ecological and geographical region.
Through mossy forests sea ​​coast Far East A related species is growing - Amur blueberry (Vaccinium ovalifolium) - a branched shrub up to 90 cm high with small bluish-black berries.

Blueberry properties

Blueberries have a number of unique properties:

Protects against exposure to radioactive radiation

Strengthens the walls of blood vessels

Supports intestinal and pancreatic health

Slow down the aging of nerve cells, and therefore the brain.

In addition, blueberries have antiscorbutic, choleretic, antisclerotic, cardiotonic, hypotensive and anti-inflammatory effects. Blueberries are 88% water, contain about 8% sugar, 1% proteins, 1.6% organic acids (benzoic, citric, malic, oxalic, acetic), 1.2% fiber and 0.5% tannic, coloring and pectin substances (it is these substances that remove heavy radioactive elements– strontium and cobalt).
In addition, blueberries contain carotene, provitamin A and ascorbic acid, flavonoids, all B vitamins, vitamins K, P and PP (which ensures the elasticity of skin capillaries and reduces the risk of varicose veins veins). Blueberries contain six essential amino acids. The small (compared to other berries) iron content in blueberries is compensated by its almost complete digestibility. Blueberries aren't the only berries that are beneficial. The leaves contain the same useful material, but in slightly smaller quantities. Decoctions are made from blueberry leaves and used in marinades, just like currant leaves.

Applications of blueberries

Blueberries are recommended for diabetics, as they promote tissue restoration and enhance the effect of medicines, lowering blood sugar levels and increasing metabolism. Dry blueberries are sometimes brewed as an anti-dysenteric remedy (brew 1 spoon of berries for 15 minutes in a glass of boiling water).

Medicinal recipes with blueberries

For cardiovascular diseases, it is useful to use a decoction of all parts of blueberries. To do this, 1 tablespoon of the dry plant is thoroughly crushed and brewed with 1 glass of boiling water, heated over low heat for 10 minutes, then cooled and filtered. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

At diabetes mellitus Brew 1 tablespoon of young blueberry shoots and leaves with 1 cup of boiling water, heat over low heat for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Dry blueberries are useful as an antidysenteric remedy: 1 tablespoon of berries is brewed with 1 glass of boiling water, left for 15 minutes. Take 1-2 tablespoons 4-5 times a day.

Dry berries (decoction) are an astringent, valued for dysentery and scurvy. Dry berries (infusion) – for constipation, diabetes, especially for giardiasis anti-cholecystitis. Young shoots and leaves are a mild laxative for heart disease and diabetes. Leaves (infusion) – for anemia.

Externally:

Decoction (compresses, washes) – for skin diseases, burns, sweating of hands and feet. Chopped berries, their decoctions in the form of compresses, lotions - in the treatment of frostbite, weeping eczema, lichen.

In the form of rinses - for inflammation oral cavity and larynx.

Blueberries help in the treatment of anemia in children, pregnant women and after acute blood loss. Tannin tannins contained in jelly from fresh and especially dried blueberries help normalize stool during diarrhea. The pectin substances in blueberries contribute to the “healthiness” of the intestines. Organic acids, which moderately “alkalize” body fluids, are active stimulants of pancreatic secretion. Blueberries are also used as a general tonic and promote metabolism.

Experts have recognized wild blueberry juice as the healthiest in the world - it contains several times more antioxidants than other natural juices. This drink is more beneficial than pomegranate, apple and grape juices.
In addition, wild blueberries contain many natural compounds that have pronounced anti-inflammatory properties.

Blueberries, like other berries, can be used to make compote, fruit drink, jelly, preserves or jam, kvass or wine. Berries can be added to baked goods and sauces. You can make milkshakes and mousses.

Blueberry shoots contain tannins, leaves - arbutin, flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, tannins. Blueberries have also been used for a long time as a dye.

Garden blueberry

In Russia, blueberries grow mainly along the edges of swamps, so its specific name is bog, or swamp. But her very close relative, a native North America, high blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) feels great on drier soils, giving yields several times greater than that of marsh blueberry.
In the USA, the Netherlands, Finland, and Germany there are blueberry plantations, some of which are over 100 years old. In the USA alone, it covers an area of ​​more than 15,700 hectares, where 136,900 tons of berries are produced.

In cultivation, blueberries are propagated by cuttings and root suckers.
High blueberry (or as it is called garden blueberry) is a spreading, highly branched shrub, reaching 2.5 m in height.
Its root system is fibrous, densely branched, located in the top layer of soil at a depth of no more than 40 cm. Blueberry roots do not have root hairs, but nutrients plants are produced with the help of microscopic fungi that are found on the roots - in nature, such cohabitation is called symbiosis.
Blueberry stems are slightly ribbed, shiny or matte, and are divided into 2 types: branching shoots and forming shoots. Branching shoots develop on old branches in early spring. Formation shoots, as a rule, grow from underground buds. In mid-summer, several buds at the end of the new shoot form into flowering buds - they will produce a harvest next year.
The leaves are large, dark green, smooth, shiny, entire or serrated. Leaf blade elliptical or oval, up to 8 cm long, 4 cm wide. High blueberry blooms in May. Racemose inflorescences are located at the ends of the shoots. The flower is large (more than 1 cm), bell-shaped, with 4-5 bent teeth, white or slightly pinkish in color. The fruit is a berry with numerous seeds that takes 2 to 3 months to ripen. The berries are blue with a bluish bloom. They are round in shape, sometimes pentagonal, or flattened. The berry pulp is white, dense or medium density. Depending on the variety, it ripens in late July - early August. Blue berries collected in clusters are very tasty, sweet and sour, often with a pleasant aroma. The harvest from one bush is from 2 to 8 kg. These blueberries are different from ours, and you need to know their requirements for growing conditions.

Growing blueberries

Blueberry picking is a great reason to go with the whole family to the forest and relax there with benefit. But those who like to experiment should plant this plant on their site. But you won’t get many berries from wild blueberries, but if you plant cultivated varieties or hybrids of high (garden) blueberries, there will be enough berries.
Three main conditions for successful cultivation:

The place for high (garden) blueberries should be sunny, preferably protected from the wind, especially on the north side;

The soil must be well water and breathable, best soils- these are sandy and sandy loam;

The soil should be acidic, pH 3.5-5.0.

How to achieve such conditions?
Loamy and clayey soils can be lightened by adding peat, sawdust, forest litter, and sand. If the pH is above 5.0, then you need to acidify the soil with red peat, sawdust, and acidic forest litter (coniferous), adding them to 1/2 of the volume of the planting hole. You will have to acidify the water for irrigation. The easiest way to use electrolyte for refilling acid batteries or sulfuric acid for this purpose. 1 ml of electrolyte per 1 liter of water: changes pH from 7 to 5 units. You need to water with this water once every 7-10 days.

Planting blueberries

When choosing a place to plant high blueberries, pay attention not only to good lighting and protection from northern winds. Big role in successful cultivation plays high level groundwater - not lower than 35-60 cm.

Blueberries can be planted in autumn and spring, but it is still better in spring, before the buds swell. Blueberries are planted in planting holes only if the soil on the site is light. Recommended pit size: diameter - 80-100 cm, depth - 40 cm. If the acidity is low, then soil mixture prepared with the addition of high-moor peat and sawdust. Bark will also work, or even better, half-rotted bark. pine-spruce needles. Mineral fertilizers are also added: 50 g ammonium sulfate, 20 g potassium sulfate, 50-60 g superphosphate. It is advisable to additionally add magnesium sulfate (5-7 g) and a mixture of microelements (1-2 g). Under bushes, mulched fresh sawdust, add a double rate of nitrogen. Please note: there is no need to add any manure or humus!
When planting blueberries, the roots are freed from the container; the lump must be carefully kneaded and the roots should be spread out in the planting hole as horizontally as possible so that they do not bend. The root collar should be level with the soil surface. After planting, the plants are immediately watered abundantly. Blueberry plants are planted on the ridge if the soil is clay or loamy. To do this, the soil is removed to a depth of 5-8 cm. The excavated soil is scattered around the future planting site, and high-moor peat or peat with sand, sawdust, perlite is poured into the recess, fertilizers are added and mixed thoroughly. The soil is poured in the form of a mound, in the center of which a blueberry bush is planted. The surface of the soil around the bush is mulched with sawdust (the thickness of the mulch layer is 5-8 cm). In this way, the outflow of excess water is achieved. If you still prefer to plant blueberries in a hole, then you need to provide good drainage.
Experiments by Polish scientists have shown that mulching with sawdust increases the yield of highbush blueberries by 100%, and mulching with oak leaves - by 54%. As mulch decomposes, it serves as a source of nutrition for plants, especially if it was previously mixed with decomposed chicken droppings and horse manure.

Blueberry care

Mandatory annual mulching with softwood sawdust, oak leaves or peat in a layer of 10-12 cm. A layer of mulch retains moisture in the root zone, regulates soil temperature, destroys weeds and prevents the development of diseases. Loosening is carried out several times a season: its depth should not exceed 8 cm, and even less near bushes.
Blueberries are quite moisture-loving, but react negatively to prolonged waterlogging. Therefore, water moderately, no more than beets, carrots and other crops. Do not allow the soil to dry out.

In the second year, fertilizing is carried out twice - in April and June. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied in a ratio of 1: 2: 1 at the rate of 20-30 g per bush, followed by abundant watering. Experts advise using sulfate forms of nitrogen and potassium for feeding highbush blueberries. In the next 5 years, annual fertilizing is doubled. Without the application of organic fertilizers, the fruiting of tall blueberries will be irregular, the yield will decrease, and the berries will become small. Therefore, the application of well-rotted manure is very effective. The doses of its application depend on the general fertility of the soil: the lower it is, the higher the dose.
The bushes are not pruned for the first 3 years after planting.

Winter protection and pruning of blueberries

High blueberries (garden blueberries) are characterized by fairly high winter hardiness. Without any damage, it can withstand frosts down to -25°C (some varieties down to minus 27-30°C). But in harsh snowless winters the bushes can freeze. To protect the stems from the cold, they are tied with spruce branches or covered with some kind of non-woven material or burlap (just not plastic film). And in order to increase the winter hardiness of the plants themselves, you should not add high doses nitrogen fertilizers, especially after flowering, so as not to cause the growth of shoots in late autumn. During flowering, blueberries can tolerate frosts down to -7°C without noticeable damage. Therefore in spring period She rarely needs protection. But in the fall, when the berries on the plants ripen late ripening varieties, frosts can cause significant damage - green berries are damaged at a temperature of -2°C. Therefore, during freezing, it is advisable to turn on sprinkling or cover the bushes, for example, with light non-woven material. In order for blueberries to bear fruit for a long time and abundantly, the bushes must be pruned regularly. Proper pruning increases the lifespan of the plant (up to 100 years). In our country, it is best to do it early in the spring, around March, before the buds open. In young plants, last year's short branched stems are removed, leaving several (4-5) new strong growths coming from the base of the bush, as well as diseased branches lying on the ground. Fruiting bushes (5 years and older) are pruned differently. For getting large berries All branches older than 5 years are cut out on the bush. If it is not the size of the berries that is important, but the harvest as a whole, only branches older than 7 years are removed. In any case, thickening stems and branches directed into the bush, as well as those that are diseased or lying on the ground are cut out. Of the annual shoots on which the harvest is formed, the 5 strongest ones are left.
Blueberries are pollinated by insects. If there are bees or bumblebees on the site, the yield increases significantly.

Blueberry varieties

There are currently more than 100 varieties of blueberries different heights and different ripening periods.
Cultivated blueberries reach a height of 1.5-2 m, and the berries themselves are the size of a cherry. Externally, large-fruited blueberries are very similar to their forest ancestor. Difficult care This plant is not required. Blueberries will also grow in areas with acidic soil and where they are close groundwater. The bush begins to bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years and produces abundant harvests.

The most common varieties and hybrids of garden blueberries:

Weymouth is one of the earliest varieties. The ripening of berries for this variety begins in the middle of the third decade of July and ends in early August. The berries are dark blue, up to one and a half centimeters in diameter. Weight of 100 pieces - 140 grams. Productivity - up to 2.5 kilograms per bush. The bush is spreading, up to 90 cm high. It does not freeze in winter and rarely gets sick.

Rancocas is another one early variety. Its berries ripen at the same time as those of the Weymouth variety. The bush is of medium height, reaching one and a half meters at the age of eight. The fruit cluster is dense, like a grape. The berries are light blue, up to 14 mm in diameter, they do not wrinkle even in plastic bag. Weight of 100 pieces is 130 grams, yield is up to 2.3 kilograms per bush.
Goldtraube - productive variety average ripening period.

Berkeley - late variety with very tasty berries.

Bluecrop is a variety with regular fruiting and disease resistance.

Bluray is a medium ripening variety. Large clusters of light blue berries of this blueberry are harvested from mid-August to the second ten days of September. The diameter of the berries is up to 17mm.

Coville blueberry (Vaccinium covilleanum) - garden blueberry obtained as a result of hybridization of three North American blueberry species and grown on industrial plantations in order to obtain berries almost all over the world, including in Russia.

This is a perennial and long-lived deciduous shrub with a height of 0.7 to 2.5 m (depending on the variety), with large, 1.5-2.2 cm in diameter, very tasty sweet and sour blue berries collected in clusters. The yield from one bush is from 2 to 8 kg. Grows well both in the sun and in partial shade, but bears fruit abundantly only when good lighting. In addition to the heather garden, it can be planted as undergrowth under tall trees. coniferous trees, and also used for hedges. It has good winter hardiness, but in severe snowless winters it can freeze without shelter.
Blueberries are North American high-growing blueberries that form long clusters. The disadvantages of blueberry include low winter hardiness, poor resistance to fungal diseases, high demands on heat and the length of the growing season.

There was a post *blueberry seedling*. The post is not mine, but there were questions for me.
I wanted to answer everyone at once and in more detail.
I want to say that I will not describe all the agricultural technology of cultivation, what, when and how.
All this can be found on the Internet.
I would like to tell you why you should do it this way and not otherwise, my mistakes and conclusions

We need to start with the fact that blueberries must be a certain way
The landing hole has been prepared..
Everywhere they write that the land should be acidic pH 3.5 - 4.5
Most of us have no idea how acidic our soil is.
So, by eye, if wild sorrel makes its way in the garden, it means it’s sour.
But I always say, table vinegar is 9% and essence is 70%
So, if your garden is not on swamp lands, then there will be little acidity for blueberries.

Next, it is recommended to fill the hole with peat, sawdust, and pine litter.
So, purchased peat in gardening centers will not work.
There peat is intended for garden crops, which means the pH is somewhere around 7.5
Peat must be taken from the forest, from drained swamps.
Maybe it’s sour and where it’s sold, I don’t know.

Now about sawdust. Sawdust strongly acidifies the soil, but if it is not enough
end of the refrigeration (light), for the process of rotting and producing acid
they need nitrogen. And nitrogen is one of the main elements of plant nutrition.
And rest assured, they will take it away from the plant ahead.
That's when they advertise to mulch vegetable beds sawdust,
we must remember that sawdust d.b. dark, rotten.
Otherwise, you will not receive additional harvest, but by digging them up with soil and not adding
lime, you will get an acidified bed.

These are notes on land preparation.
Now landing.
Blueberries are usually sold with a closed root system.
It’s not just hacks who stick it in a pot, cover it with soil and sell it.
Blueberries should grow in this pot for at least 2 years.
It's better to buy a 3-year-old. In a year you will see berries on it.
It is not so easy to remove it from the pot.
Be sure to immerse the pot in a container of water for 3-4 hours.
The earthen lump should get wet.
Pull out the whole plant, turn it upside down and try
free the roots from the ground. If the plant is 3 years old or older.
you will have to make a cross-shaped cut so that the roots can be pulled apart.
Without doing this, the plant will wither and not grow.

I was convinced from my own experience.
In 2010, one person could not take a seedling home in the fall,
asked to leave it for the winter. I buried it in the ground.
But the next year he didn’t come. The connection was broken and the bush remained in the ground.
Then I had no time for blueberries and until the 15th year the bush sat and did not die
and didn't grow. While their seedlings have already produced a harvest.
She watered and fed him just like everyone else.
When they dug it out of the ground in the fall of 15th, I saw that it was twisted
the roots did not straighten out, some dried out, but in some places they began to grow to the side.
Made for him landing hole, cut out the dried roots, straightened what I could
and imprisoned.
Immediately last spring the bush began to grow, and over the summer it gave growth
and this year I hope to see berries

Now the question is, why is acidic soil needed?
The structure of blueberry roots is different from our garden plants.
It lacks root hairs, through which ordinary plants
receive food. But microscopic fungi have settled on the blueberry roots,
which absorb nutrients from the soil and give them to blueberries.
And also to all heathers.
Don't think it's free. The fungi, in turn, get what they need.
In nature, everything is very, very connected.
And with my illiteracy and reluctance to know anything new,
We work in the garden like a bear in an apiary.