I need some advice here. I have 4 plants, they are alive, I suppose they are growing, but they aren't growing very quickly. I know the soil needs to be acidic. I put some aluminum sulfate down when I planted them, which was about a month ago. Question is...when can I put more down without harming the plants??
Ok blueberry growers
- Thread starter Peanut
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ChainedLightning
Inactive
There's this blueberry farmer in Australia that I'm sure could help you out....
Okay, that was bad, I should be spanked.
Seriously, I'd like to hear the answer - I bought two (one male and one female) and haven't figured out where to plant them yet.
CL
Okay, that was bad, I should be spanked.
Seriously, I'd like to hear the answer - I bought two (one male and one female) and haven't figured out where to plant them yet.
CL
Tweakette
Irrelevant
Blueberries grow kind of slowly - they're a woody shrub not a fast growing plant like a tomato. I wouldn't worry about their health unless their leaves look nasty - they could be just trying to get their feet under them after the transplant.
I have 2 blueberry bushes just off the back deck. The older one is about 3 to 4 years old and only comes up to my hipbone. It's probably doubled in size since I put it in but it's taken 4 years to do it.
If you already put soil acidifier down then I wouldn't add more. I only do it every few years or so, and the bushes seem to be ok with that.
Maybe others here have different ideas but I think that the bushes are probably just slow
.
Tweak
CL - mine aren't male/female, but I do know I had to have 2 different types for pollination so that's what I got. There's different types of blueberries - highbush, lowbush, and one other one I can't remember. I didn't know any of them came in genders, like holly.
I have 2 blueberry bushes just off the back deck. The older one is about 3 to 4 years old and only comes up to my hipbone. It's probably doubled in size since I put it in but it's taken 4 years to do it.
If you already put soil acidifier down then I wouldn't add more. I only do it every few years or so, and the bushes seem to be ok with that.
Maybe others here have different ideas but I think that the bushes are probably just slow
. Tweak
CL - mine aren't male/female, but I do know I had to have 2 different types for pollination so that's what I got. There's different types of blueberries - highbush, lowbush, and one other one I can't remember. I didn't know any of them came in genders, like holly.
A.T.Hagan
Inactive
Your northern blueberries are not the same species that we grow here in the south, but they all share certain characteristics in common.
How much organic matter are you giving them? All of the blueberries that I'm aware of want a fairly high organic matter in the soil - typically 3% or better - which most folks accomplish by using mulch. I prefer long-leaf pine straw myself, but you won't have that up there.
Also, have you been fertilizing them? It's easy to burn them with too much, but they do prefer regular <i>light</i> applications of fertilizer. I usually use an acid loving plant fertilizer such as we use for camellias and azaleas down here.
I wouldn't add anything else to make the soil more acidic if you have already put down aluminum sulfate. You can go to far one way just as you can go too far the other way.
If the leaves are at least a medium dark green and you've done all the above stuff then I'd just leave them be. They'll grow when they are ready.
.....Alan.
How much organic matter are you giving them? All of the blueberries that I'm aware of want a fairly high organic matter in the soil - typically 3% or better - which most folks accomplish by using mulch. I prefer long-leaf pine straw myself, but you won't have that up there.
Also, have you been fertilizing them? It's easy to burn them with too much, but they do prefer regular <i>light</i> applications of fertilizer. I usually use an acid loving plant fertilizer such as we use for camellias and azaleas down here.
I wouldn't add anything else to make the soil more acidic if you have already put down aluminum sulfate. You can go to far one way just as you can go too far the other way.
If the leaves are at least a medium dark green and you've done all the above stuff then I'd just leave them be. They'll grow when they are ready.
.....Alan.
We have a dozen plants and have never had any pronlems with growth. In fact, they tend to make more yearly growth then we want since we have to cover them with bird netting.
I agree with Alan that they need lots of organic material. We keep a heavy leaf mulch on them and incorporated lots of peat moss when they were planted. Our plants are around 20 years old.
They also need frequent irrigation because they are very shallow rooted. I fertigate them every day. We have a huge crop this year!
Also, there aren't male and female blueberries.
Blueberry - you might want to check out rabbit's eye blueberries since they are typically grown in the south. We're far too cold to grow them.
Todd
I agree with Alan that they need lots of organic material. We keep a heavy leaf mulch on them and incorporated lots of peat moss when they were planted. Our plants are around 20 years old.
They also need frequent irrigation because they are very shallow rooted. I fertigate them every day. We have a huge crop this year!
Also, there aren't male and female blueberries.
Blueberry - you might want to check out rabbit's eye blueberries since they are typically grown in the south. We're far too cold to grow them.
Todd
rb.
Membership Revoked
Peanut, I planted three bushes of two different varieties this spring and they're growing slowly but well. I've heard of using pine needles as mulch, but I'm too lazy to have gotten them yet. I've been saving my coffee grounds and spreading them around the plants as I've read that helps acidify the soil. And it's free since I've already bought the coffee. 
I also used about half soil/sand to half peat when I created the bed.
I also used about half soil/sand to half peat when I created the bed.Alrighty, here's what I've done so far with them.
I planted them, then put 1/2 cup of azalea food about 12 inches away from the plant in a ring.
Thats all I've done. I see now that I need to mulch them. I had 5 trees cut down in my backyard, and a rather large pile of mulch, is that ok to use??
The reason I wanted to put more azalea food down was that I didn't think I necessarily used enough for the entire season.
I just went out and looked at them, leaves look fine.
Thanx for all the help so far.
I planted them, then put 1/2 cup of azalea food about 12 inches away from the plant in a ring.
Thats all I've done. I see now that I need to mulch them. I had 5 trees cut down in my backyard, and a rather large pile of mulch, is that ok to use??
The reason I wanted to put more azalea food down was that I didn't think I necessarily used enough for the entire season.
I just went out and looked at them, leaves look fine.
Thanx for all the help so far.
ChainedLightning
Inactive
Okay, the guy I bought them from (an organic gardener who sells fruit and plants at the local market) told me I'd need "one from that group and one from that group over yonder, ya need a male and a female or they won't make blueberries". And, I took his word for it. Oh well. One has berries already, so hopefully I'm okay.
Anyway, I haven't planted mine yet - it's my understanding the more sun they get the more berries they make.. right? So, as many hours in the sun as possible?
CL
Anyway, I haven't planted mine yet - it's my understanding the more sun they get the more berries they make.. right? So, as many hours in the sun as possible?
CL
A.T.Hagan
Inactive
blueberry said:
West Texas as in arid climate?
I'm inclined to doubt you'll be successful unless you container plant them and even then you'll have to be careful with the sort of water you use.
Blueberries simply must have an acid soil and arid climates typically have a rather alkaline soil and water. If the situation isn't <i>too</i> bad you might be able to simply amend the soil with an acidifier, but many times you really can't put enough amendments in because the alkalinity reserve of your soil is such that you won't be able to overcome it.
Your best bet will be to contact your local cooperative extension service agent and ask him about blueberries in your area. Rabbiteye berries (what I'm growing) will grow in your climate if the soil is right. An alternative will be to go over to the <a href="http://www.gardenweb.com/forums"">Garden Web forums</a> and ask in the Texas Gardening or Fruits and Fruit Trees forum
Todd makes a good point about the watering too. Blueberries have shallow roots and can dry out fairly easily which is another good reason to use plenty of mulch.
They don't however, like wet feet for long periods of time so don't keep them soggy.
.....Alan.
rb.
Membership Revoked
Chained Lightning, male and female plants are different (ya, I know, DUH! ) Just like with something like male and female flowers on pumpkins, male flowers do not produce fruit (in this case berries), but the female flowers do. So if you had male and female blueberry bushes, the female would produce berries from it's flowers, but not the male. This is how it works for the holly bushes I just planted.
Blueberries, however, need another *type of blueberry* nearby for proper pollination. That's how it was explained to me. The nursery I bought mine from online actually sells two different types together for this reason. Both types produce berries, so neither is "male". This person who told you this may just be confused because I *think* that the male/female needed together is far more common than two plants that are the same species, but different variations. I could be wrong on that, but it seems more common in what I've come across in the plant world.
) Just like with something like male and female flowers on pumpkins, male flowers do not produce fruit (in this case berries), but the female flowers do. So if you had male and female blueberry bushes, the female would produce berries from it's flowers, but not the male. This is how it works for the holly bushes I just planted.Blueberries, however, need another *type of blueberry* nearby for proper pollination. That's how it was explained to me. The nursery I bought mine from online actually sells two different types together for this reason. Both types produce berries, so neither is "male". This person who told you this may just be confused because I *think* that the male/female needed together is far more common than two plants that are the same species, but different variations. I could be wrong on that, but it seems more common in what I've come across in the plant world.
housemouse
Membership Revoked
We put in 6 bushes, different varieties, 3 years ago, when we moved to the new retirement cottage.
DH put them where he thought they would "look nice", but as the trees grew up, they got too much shade, and were not doing well at all.
This spring I dug them up and transplanted them, but they still do not look all that great. Pretty spindley, and only two of them have any berries at all.
What do you think, wait another year, then start over, or give them time. We got them bare-root, and maybe we should try with potted ones next time.
DH put them where he thought they would "look nice", but as the trees grew up, they got too much shade, and were not doing well at all.
This spring I dug them up and transplanted them, but they still do not look all that great. Pretty spindley, and only two of them have any berries at all.
What do you think, wait another year, then start over, or give them time. We got them bare-root, and maybe we should try with potted ones next time.
A.T.Hagan
Inactive
Going to try to get this up before the storm hits. If this seems a little rushed that's why.
<i>Peanut wrote:</i>
<b>I planted them, then put 1/2 cup of azalea food about 12 inches away from the plant in a ring.
Thats all I've done. </b>
If it's been more than a month since you put that fertilizer down then give them another 1/2 cup each every month until about three months or so before the first frost.
This year I have come to the conclusion I've been fertilizing mine a little too lightly.
<b>I see now that I need to mulch them. I had 5 trees cut down in my backyard, and a rather large pile of mulch, is that ok to use??</b>
Depends on what kind of trees they were. Most wood chips would be OK to use as an above ground mulch - pine and oak particularly - but some would not do.
<i>housemouse wrote:</i>
<b>This spring I dug them up and transplanted them, but they still do not look all that great. Pretty spindley, and only two of them have any berries at all.</b>
If you dug them up and transplanted them I wouldn't let them set fruit at all this year and maybe none next year if they haven't grown much.
If they've shown any growth at all give them regular light fertilization, make sure they have sufficient water and prune some of the old growth back.
When you dig up a plant you leave behind or damage a fair part of the root system. This leaves little to carry the above ground growth. Trim some of the above ground growth and let it grow into new growth as it grows its new root system. Don't fertilize before you start to see some new growth and only lightly for the first month or two.
.....Alan.
<i>Peanut wrote:</i>
<b>I planted them, then put 1/2 cup of azalea food about 12 inches away from the plant in a ring.
Thats all I've done. </b>
If it's been more than a month since you put that fertilizer down then give them another 1/2 cup each every month until about three months or so before the first frost.
This year I have come to the conclusion I've been fertilizing mine a little too lightly.
<b>I see now that I need to mulch them. I had 5 trees cut down in my backyard, and a rather large pile of mulch, is that ok to use??</b>
Depends on what kind of trees they were. Most wood chips would be OK to use as an above ground mulch - pine and oak particularly - but some would not do.
<i>housemouse wrote:</i>
<b>This spring I dug them up and transplanted them, but they still do not look all that great. Pretty spindley, and only two of them have any berries at all.</b>
If you dug them up and transplanted them I wouldn't let them set fruit at all this year and maybe none next year if they haven't grown much.
If they've shown any growth at all give them regular light fertilization, make sure they have sufficient water and prune some of the old growth back.
When you dig up a plant you leave behind or damage a fair part of the root system. This leaves little to carry the above ground growth. Trim some of the above ground growth and let it grow into new growth as it grows its new root system. Don't fertilize before you start to see some new growth and only lightly for the first month or two.
.....Alan.
I called my county extension service office and asked about growing blueberries in my area. They were very helpful, even asking what part of town I lived in - since the soil differs widely in different parts of town.
They were honest, in saying that blueberries would probably not do well in this part of Texas. They also pointed out that my part of town had hard red clay soil, that didn't want to grow anything!
Like they needed to tell me that...laugh. I have been dealing with the hard red clay soil for years!
So I will probably continue to purchase blueberries at the grocery, and concentrate on growing the fruits and veggies that do well in my area.
They were honest, in saying that blueberries would probably not do well in this part of Texas. They also pointed out that my part of town had hard red clay soil, that didn't want to grow anything!
Like they needed to tell me that...laugh. I have been dealing with the hard red clay soil for years!
So I will probably continue to purchase blueberries at the grocery, and concentrate on growing the fruits and veggies that do well in my area.
A.T.Hagan
Inactive
Peanut said:
Never had enough wood chips from either maple or cherries to be able to say if they'll have much positive affect on your soil pH or not. Should make decent mulch I think, but may not give you any positive pH benefit from their decomposition.
I Googled up some blueberry docs from the Illinois extension service for you. Relative to Florida and some of the other states I'm familiar with they didn't have a lot, but still, they may be worth your while to read them. I'd give you the Florida ones that I use, but our respective climates and soils are so different that they may not be much use to you.
Looks like some of the soils in the northern part of Illinois tend to the alkaline which could be a problem depending on where you are. The central part of the state appears doable with some effort.
At this point I think your best bet will be to contact your local cooperative extension agent and talk to one of their Master Gardeners about blueberries in your area.
https://webstore.aces.uiuc.edu/shopsite/C1343.html
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/champaign/homeowners/020622.html
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fruit/blueberries.html
Raspberries on the other hand look quite workable. I envy you there. My wife is from Maine and loves the things, but they're a no-go here in Florida.
.....Alan.