Vaccinium
Like many farmers and gardeners when I think of summer, fresh berries are the first thing to dazzle my senses with the memories from previous summers. They are easy to grow and only add beauty to your garden. As you will see in the picture at the bottom of this article the blooms of a blueberry are absolutely precious. They are typically white or pink and with proper pollination, will turn into a delightful little blueberry to feast on. Or like my dog, you can skip the labor and enjoy snacking on the berries that your parents grew! Whether you have a little or a lot of space you can grow a blueberry. Even if you don’t have bare ground available to plant in, there are many dwarf varieties of blueberries you can grow in containers!
While blueberries can tolerate partial shade, they will be more productive if planted in full sun. Blueberries are considerably self-fertile but you can help boost your crop by planting blueberries close together for better cross pollination. You can also extend your harvesting season by planting different varieties with varying bloom times. If you are looking for something unique to add to your garden, pick up a variety called ‘Pink Lemonade’ at our nursery this year. The blueberries on a Pink Lemonade bush are actually pink! Highbush varieties are suitable in our climate but you do need the space for them as they can reach 5 to even 6 feet tall. Low bush varieties are often more cold hardy but will produce smaller and slightly less flavorful berries.
Blueberries are not only delicious but they are very pretty shrubs. From spring to fall Vaccinium provide interest to any landscape. Their foliage starts out green and then in the fall will embark on a striking transition of color change turning the gorgeous crimson red that you see in the picture below. If possible, focus your new blueberry’s energy on root growth the first season. You can do this by pinching off the new blooms. I know what you’re thinking, no flowers mean no berries! You are correct. The tradeoff for sacrificing your first harvest is establishing a strong foundation for future seasons. The first-year berries are not overly flavorful anyway so it’s not a bad exchange. Stop by the nursery and check out our orchard! We offer a range of sizes and varieties as well as many other fruit bearing vines and trees!
