Blueberries
What a wonderful fruit.
Most questions regarding blueberries are about proper soil conditions. Blueberries require a very acidic soil, with a pH around 4.5 to 5.2. The soil in the Williamsburg area is typically around 6-6.5, but really depends upon where you are located.
Hollytone, a commercial fertilizer has sulfur, which lowers the pH. Any fertilizer designed for azaleas will do the same thing. Agricultural sulfur, available from your local feed and seed store can be used to lower soil pH with out adding fertilizer. A MUST is a soil test as the blueberries might NOT bear at all if the pH is too high.
Blueberries are usually planted 5-6 feet apart in rows about 8-9 feet apart. We suggest you follow the instructions from the nursery. Various studies show that mulching, even under irrigated conditions, results in larger plants and two to four times greater yields over time as compared to non-mulched plants. Crop water use is significant: four to six gallons per day per plant when bearing. Blueberries thrive under constant, yet moderate soil moisture. Drip irrigation is preferred to overhead irrigation due to increased efficiency and delivery where needed; it also allows concurrent field work activity and reduces the incidence of foliar disease.
Bird predation is the biggest pest problem faced by blueberry growers. Without protection, losses can exceed 75 percent of the crop in smaller plantings. Scare devices and exclusion by netting are the most common means to reduce these losses. Usually, one-inch mesh netting is draped over the rows or supported on a framework enclosure.
See the following reference for a detailed explanation of growing blueberries. Be especially aware of the varieties that do best in this area. Southern highbush and rabbiteye do best in this area. It does not get cold enough around here to plant the Northern highbush variety. Please note that blueberries bear better if two varieties are used.
As with most new small plants from the nursery, you might want to consider removing all blooms the first year and half of the blooms the second year in order that the root system can fully develop.
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