Hard to see the leaves in this picture as they blend in to the grass, but these are the latest additions to our edible stock.
They are blueberry bushes!
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| Legacy Blueberries |
They are a Southern Highbush variety, called "Legacy". It's described by our local gardening group as a vigorous, upright variety especially suited for the Southern U.S. The plants are high yielding and consistent every year with sweet, medium-sized fruit rated the highest blueberry flavor overall.
Found them the other day at lunch while roaming around a garden center that is having an end of season 70% off sale. They were originally $16 each...that made them about $5 each. All four for $20.
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| Fresh blueberries |
We can't put them in our soil, blueberries need very specific soil conditions and try as we might, we'll never have that but containers and/or raised beds are a good solution. We're contemplating either whisky barrels or large clay pots. We already have some really large clay pots we brought from the house in town so for now, we might use them and transplant later into even bigger containers.
We'll keep them inside the garden for animal protection and water access (we'll worry about birds when they start blooming). They say a healthy plant, even in a large container, can produce up to 15 lbs of fruit in a season. I'm not sure we'd get that much but if we get even a 1/4 of that, it would be amazing.
Anyone ever work with growing blueberries?
We'll keep them inside the garden for animal protection and water access (we'll worry about birds when they start blooming). They say a healthy plant, even in a large container, can produce up to 15 lbs of fruit in a season. I'm not sure we'd get that much but if we get even a 1/4 of that, it would be amazing.
Anyone ever work with growing blueberries?
MMM, blueberries - one of my favorite fruits. You got a really great deal n the price! You're right, our soil will not grow blueberries (I know, I tried). Your idea of the large containers will be ideal - you'll be able to get the correct soil and add amendments as needed. I think blueberries grow well in East Texas - so if you know anyone out there, maybe they'd let you get some of their soil.
ReplyDeleteYou're creating a real paradise at your beautiful Farm!
The price was right, and if they don't make it, well, we're not out too much. But of course we want them to make it. Yep, we'll start with the large clay, going to get some acidic potting soil that's specially blended for blueberries. A local garden center is ordering some for us. Paradise in progress, ha, much much more to get there. :-)
DeleteYou're going to love those. Tophat variety does wonderful in a pot. Ours were in a raised bed, just need more water. What a deal.
ReplyDeleteThanks!!! Thought about using one of our raised beds too. But we really want them all available for future use. Of course, I could make another one just for that. The deal is what made me get them now I have to figure out how to handle them, ha.
DeleteYum. Big yum.
ReplyDeleteAren't blueberries wonderful? Sigh, if we could just get a few freezer bags full we'd be happy. Time will tell!
DeleteI can see 2nd man making blueberry pancakes on a sunday morning, with real butter and real maple syrup!
ReplyDeleteFunny, I had the same thought..... ;-)
DeleteWhat a deal! I purchased 2 "bushes" (if you can call them that, they are more like twigs) and planted them in a raised bed filled with compost and peat moss. Like you we don't have soil that is acidic enough to simply plop them in the ground but containers aren't an option either due to our harsh winters. So far, they haven't done much of anything, but I'm hoping things will pick up next year.
ReplyDeleteWe should be ok with the winters, but I just hope we get the right soil for them. Fingers crossed! Give yours time, sometimes it takes a bit for plants to adjust and then they just take off!
DeleteGreat buy. If taking orders, I'll take some blueberry muffins please :}
ReplyDeleteI'll add you to the list, ha. :-)
DeleteI moved into a country place 43 years ago with 13 already big bushes. They're the easiest fruit to grow. We save all our used coffee grounds and dump it on the ground around the bushes and it keeps the acid up and fertilizes them at the same time. We always have all the berries we can use, give away and leave the rest for the birds each year.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great tip, thank you. Thank you for sharing! and 13 big bushes? Wow, I bet you have lots of blueberries!
DeleteYou will enjoy picking those berries if the birds don't get there first. We had 6 bushes when we lived in our house in Columbia. I missed them so much so we planted some in the fenced in garden at our last house. They didn't do so well directly in the ground so I went to raised beds and they did better. I think the new owners of our home had a bumper crop this last summer. As to clay pots they may dry out too fast and bake with the heat you have. Another option would be to bury the pots in the ground to keep the plants moister during hot spells.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea about the clay, thanks for that. I was thinking of maybe putting them on the drip irrigation. Or I might add a new raised bed in the garden. Burying in the ground is a GREAT idea too. Thanks for this!!!
DeleteI have 2 bushes here in my garden in Ireland the first and second year they didn't have
ReplyDeletemuch fruit but the the last 2 years they have had great crops
I love their colour in autumn beautiful deep red .
I hope they do well .Meg
Fruit of many types does seem to be good years and bad huh? Yes, the red leaves are beautiful. Thank you for the well wishes, stay tuned!!!
DeleteWe have wonderful blueberry bushes but we were told to have two different varieties near each other for the best results. Also, our cropped doubled once we pruned out the small branches and opened the plant up. We did netting over them one year to keep the birds away, but after finding a bird tangled and choking in the netting we never did it again. There is nothing better than a walk in the backyard and a snack on fresh blueberries & raspberries.
ReplyDeletecrop, not cropped. sorry
ReplyDelete