Production Guide

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Description

The highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) has become a popular fruit with both consumers and growers. The cultivated highbush blueberry is a perennial woody, deciduous shrub that attains a height of 5 feet to 10 feet. The large, flavorful, blue-colored berries are delicious as fresh fruit and can be processed into pies, muffins, jams, sauces, juice, wine or other products.

Site Selection

Blueberry grows best on soils that are acidic and moderately fertile and that have adequate organic matter content and surface and internal water drainage. To reduce the risk of damage from spring frost, select sites that are elevated relative to the surrounding land. Blueberry requires full sun for optimum production.

Fertility

Soil test before planting, and adjust soil levels of phosphorus to 25 pounds to 30 pounds per acre and potassium to 100 pounds to 125 pounds per acre. Based on the soil test, adjust the soil pHw level to 4.8 to 5.2, if needed, with powdered sulfur incorporated into the soil at least six months in advance of planting. Supplement soil organic matter to a level of 5 percent or more. Do not apply nitrogen at planting time; a light application (no more than 10 pounds per acre) of nitrogen may be made four weeks to eight weeks after planting. Mature bearing blueberry plantings benefit from 90 pounds to 120 pounds of nitrogen per acre annually, applied as blossoming begins in April. Additional nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, are applied as indicated by soil or foliar test results.

Variety Selection

Variety	Ripening	Fruit Characteristics	Yields	Bush Type	Notes
Berkeley	Midseason ripening	Fruit large, very light blue, firm with large stem scar and fair flavor. Loose fruit clusters.	Very high yields	Upright, spreading bush.
Bluecrop	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium, very light blue, very firm with small stem scar and fair flavor. Loose fruit clusters.	High yields and consistent producer	Upright, spreading, open bush	Standard midseason cultivar.
Bluejay	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium, light blue, and very firm with small stem scar and good flavor.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading bush	Herbicide-resistant Clearfield and ExpressSun varieties (non-GMO) are available.
Blueray	Midseason ripening	Fruit large, light blue, firm with medium stem scar and good flavor. Small, tight fruit clusters.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading bush
Brigitta Blue	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium to large, medium blue, very firm with small, dry stem scar and good flavor.	High yields	Upright, spreading, dense bush
Chandler	Late ripening	Fruit large to very large, light blue, firm with small, dry stem scar and good flavor.	High yields	Upright, spreading, open bush
Coville	Late ripening	Fruit large, very firm with medium stem scar and good flavor but tart until ripe. Loose fruit clusters.	Very high yields	Upright, spreading bush
Darrow	Late ripening	Fruit medium, light blue, firm with medium stem scar and fair flavor.	High yields	Upright, spreading, open bush
Duke	Early ripening	Fruit medium, medium blue, firm with small, dry stem scar and fair flavor.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading, open bush	Standard early season cultivar.
Elliot	Late ripening	Fruit medium, light blue, very firm with small stem scar and fair flavor. Loose fruit clusters.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading bush
Jersey	Late ripening	Fruit small, medium blue, firm with medium stem scar and fair flavor. Loose fruit clusters.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading bush
Lateblue	Late ripening	Fruit medium, light blue, firm with medium stem scar and good flavor. Loose fruit clusters.	High yields	Upright, spreading bush
Legacy	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium to large, medium blue, firm with small stem scar and good flavor.	High yields	Upright, spreading, open bush	Considered a southern highbush cultivar, so it may be cold tender in northern climates.
Nelson	Late ripening	Fruit medium to large, light blue, firm, fair flavor.	High yields.	Upright, spreading, open bush
Northland	Midseason ripening	Fruit small, dark blue, firm with medium stem scar and fair flavor.	High yields	Upright, spreading bush
Patriot	Early ripening	Fruit medium, light blue, firm with small, dry stem scar and good flavor.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading bush
Reka	Midseason ripening	Fruit small, medium blue, and good flavor.	High yields	Upright, spreading, open bush
Sierra	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium to large, medium blue, firm with small stem scar and good flavor.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading, open bush
Summit	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium to large, light blue, firm with small stem scar and fair flavor.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading, open bush
Toro	Midseason ripening	Fruit medium to large, medium blue, firm with small stem scar and fair flavor.	Moderate yields	Upright, spreading bush	Less vigorous at Mountain Grove.

Planting

Form planting rows into “berms,” or raised ridges, prior to planting, or plant on level ground. Establish a non-competitive ground cover in the alleys between rows to facilitate operations in the planting. Planting rows are typically spaced 10 feet to 12 feet apart, and space plants 3 feet to 4 feet apart in the planting row. Plant in spring or fall. Plant one-year-old, two-year-old or older plants; plants may be container grown or “bare root” with a soil mass around the roots. Mix 1 gallon to 2 gallons of moist peat moss into the soil that is placed back in the planting hole.

Cultural Management

Prune blueberries annually. Bird management is important; consider scare tactics or netting. Regarding mulching, maintain a 4- to 6-inch layer of organic mulch over the plant row.

Water Management

Blueberries are not drought tolerant and require 1 inch to 2 inches of water per week for optimum growth and fruit development. Drip or trickle irrigation systems are useful for blueberry.

Weed Control

Control problem perennial weeds such as bermuda grass, Johnson grass, blackberry and poison ivy before planting blueberry. Mulches are helpful in controlling annual weeds in established plantings. Herbicides labeled for weed control in blueberry:

• Preemergence control: dichlobenil, diuron, flumioxazin, halosulfuron, hexazinone, isoxaben, mesotrione, napropamide, norflurazon, oryzalin, pronamide, simizine, and terbacil.
• Postemergence control: carfentrazone, clethodim, diquat, fluazifop-p, glufosinate, glyphosate, paraquat, pelargonic acid, and sethoxydim.

Insects and Diseases

Insect and mite pests of economic significance include Japanese beetle, spotted wing drosophila, blueberry maggot, cherry fruitworm and cranberry fruitworm. Diseases of economic significance include phomopsis canker, stem blight, Fusicoccum canker, Phytophthora root rot, Botrytis blossom and twig blight, anthracnose fruit rot and blight and mummy berry.

Harvest and Storage

Blueberry harvest takes place in June and July. Fruit is harvested when fully ripe and completely colored. Blueberries are harvested by hand or mechanically with harvestors. Harvest blueberry plants at weekly intervals. Cool harvested fruit as soon as possible, and store under refrigeration. Fruit stored under proper conditions has a maximum shelf life of seven days. A mature bush may yield 6 pounds to 15 pounds of fruit.