Diverse Davidhandley Blueberry

8/4/2019 Diverse Davidhandley Blueberry

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Growing Highbush BlueberriesGrowing Highbush Blueberries


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Site SelectionSite SelectionWell-drained, sandy soil with high organic matter

Good light exposureProtected from wind

Gentle slope, good elevationSource of water nearby

Soil pH: 4.8 to 5.2 sulfur, limeEliminate all perennial weeds


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Blueberry PlantsBlueberry PlantsSame family as rhododendrons

grow in acid, peat soilsdont like heavy, clay soil

Shallow, fibrous rootsWoody canes

Fruit on one-year-old shootsDeciduous

Long-lived (50+ years)


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Blueberry VarietiesBlueberry VarietiesSelect only very hardy types

Patriot

Northland

Bluecrop

BluerayJersey

Nelson


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HalfHalf--High BlueberriesHigh BlueberriesHighbush x Lowbush crosses

-Short stature for better winter survival

St. Cloud (48)Northblue (30)

Friendship (24)

North Country (24)


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Blueberry PollinationBlueberry PollinationBlueberries require cross-pollination

Need at least 2 varieties

Encourage bee activityespecially bumblebees

No insecticides during bloom


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Planting BlueberriesPlanting Blueberries

Early spring

Dormant 1-2 year old plants

Dig large planting hole

Backfill

1:1 soil:organic mattercompost, peat, etc.

no fertilizer

Same depth as in nursery

Water in thoroughly

Prune? -very lightly, if at all


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Blueberry PlantingBlueberry PlantingSpacing

4 - 6 w/in rows

2 - 4 for half-highs

8 - 12 between rows

650-800 plants/acre


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Blueberry EstablishmentBlueberry EstablishmentFirst Season Care

Clean Cultivation

Water (trickle system)Remove flower clusters

Fertilize - very lightly~2 oz. after 3-4 weeks


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Blueberry EstablishmentBlueberry EstablishmentFirst / Second Season Care

Mulchw/in rows, 4-8 deepwood chips, bark

Establish ground coverbetween rows

weak perennial grasshard fescue, bluegrass

Weed control


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Fertilizing BlueberriesFertilizing Blueberries

Use acid-loving fertilizer roughly 10-10-10 equivalent

New plants: 2 oz. per plant

3-4 weeks after planting

1-6 year old plants:increase rate by 2 oz. per year

6 years and older:

12 oz. per plant1/2 at bud break, 1/2 six weeks later

Apply in a ring 15 from base of plants


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Fertilizing BlueberriesFertilizing Blueberries

Typical Nitrogen Application Rates/acre

145310658

120260557

100215456

80170355

601302744595203

3575152UreaAmm.Sul.Actual NAge


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Pruning BlueberriesPruning Blueberries

Years 1 to 3:

Remove broken branches& weak growth

Remove most flowers

Years 4 and on:

Prune to 6 to 12 canes,1 -6 years old

Thin out weak fruiting

shoots


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Step 1.Remove 1 to 4 of the oldest

canes (over 6 years old)Thin new canes, leaving 1 to4 of the most vigorous toreplace the old canes


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Step 2.

Remove weak one year

shoots -thin, less than

6 long, few buds

Remove winter injured

shoots -chocolate brown

color

Weak shoots

Strong shoots


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Strong shoot

Weak shootCane

Flower bud

Vegetative (shoot) bud


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Before After


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Renovating neglected bushes

Cut all canes to the ground= 3-4 years to re-establish

Or

Remove 1/4 - 1/3 of oldest

canes every year for 3-4 years

= no loss of production


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Harvesting BlueberriesHarvesting Blueberries

Starts late July to mid August,may go until frost in fall

Harvest when fruit has been

completelyblue for 1 to 3 days

Harvest fruit when cool and

dry, refrigerate immediately


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Handling Blueberry FruitHandling Blueberry FruitHarvest hand or mechanical

Pick fruit cool & dry

Use shallow containers

Cool immediately

Store fresh fruit at 32F


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Marketing BlueberriesMarketing BlueberriesPick-Your-Own

Timing, labor and price issues

Pre-Picked

Labor, labor and labor issues

Retail

Demand?; price resistance?

WholesaleDemand?

Storage & transportation


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry Problems

Winter InjuryCold, fluctuating temps.

Brown, desiccated shoots

Select very hardy varieties

Plant in protected site Establish windbreaks

Injured shoots


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry ProblemsBirds

Netting (best method)Apply over structure

Anchor edges

Deterrents

Scare-eyes, owls, etc.

Set up as fruit ripens

Move 2 to 3 times daily

Take down after harvest


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry ProblemsFungi: Mummy Berry Shoot Blight

Overwinters in mummifiedfruit

Mushrooms form in spring,shoot spores onto shoots

Shoot Blight Phase

White ooze = spores, infectflowers, leading to fruit rot,mummies


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry ProblemsFungi: Mummy Berry

Fruit rot mummiesRemove mummies as theyappear

Rake up mummies fromground in fall or spring, orcultivate then into the soil

Fungicides can be appliedfrom bud break to flowerbud stages


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry ProblemsFungi: Witches Broom

Alternate host = Balsam FirCant spread from blueberryto blueberry

Spores travel great distance

Remove entire canes that

have broomsIf brooms come from base ofplant (no new canes), remove

plant.


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry ProblemsInsect: Blueberry Maggot

Adult: Fruit fly, lays eggs infruit during ripening

Larvae: Maggot, feeds insidefruit, causing shriveling

Traps: Sticky yellow boards

or red spheres, one per bushInsecticides: apply just priorto start of ripening


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Blueberry ProblemsBlueberry ProblemsInsect: Japanese Beetle

Symptoms:Skeletonizing of leaves

Management:Hand-pick beetles

InsecticidesTraps

generally not effective

place at least 50 from plants


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Blueberries: Bottom LineBlueberries: Bottom LineEstablishment Costs (years 1-2)

$4000 - $6000

Prep, plants, irrigation, labor, etc.Maintenance Costs (years 4 +)

$6000 - $7000

mostly labor

Net returns (above costs)

$2000 - $6000Dependent upon:

Yield (4,000-8,000 lbs./acre)

Price ($1.00 $2.00/lb.)


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http://www.umext.maine.edu/pubs/fruitpubs.htm

Highbush Blueberry InformationHighbush Blueberry Information

David T. Handley

Vegetable & Small Fruit Specialist3/06

http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/

Highbush Blueberry Production Guide NRAES 55

http://www.nraes.org/

Documents

Diverse Davidhandley Blueberry