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The volume of cultivation of garden blueberries is increasing every year. Which is not at all strange, since the berry is very tasty and healthy. The fruits and leaves of the plant are used as a medicine, especially for eye diseases. Also, blueberries are currently one of the most expensive berries on the market. Therefore, growing a crop can be a profitable occupation. But before you start the process of planting blueberries, you should choose a variety that will bear fruit best. Consider the most popular blueberry variety Bluecrop.
Characterization
Blueberry Bluecrop is one of the taller varieties most common in the United States. Considering the climatic conditions of our country, this variety is practically a standard. Bluecrop is grown for industrial purposes, but you can also experiment in your own garden plot. The main thing is to adhere to the basic rules of planting and caring for bushes.
The blueberry bush grows up to almost 2 meters in height. The plant develops easily. Branches pointing upwards. The bush looks very beautiful in the warm season thanks to the beautiful leaves, large flowers and large clusters of berries. One berry reaches a diameter of up to 2 cm, weighs about 1,5-2,5 g. The fruits are light blue in color, collected in free small brushes. Long clusters form on the bush.
Harvesting begins in the third decade of July and continues until the end of August. Sometimes, with proper care, the fruits are harvested until the end of September. By machine assembly, you can collect the second harvest of berries, as then they become more durable. Ripe fruits can remain on the branches for up to 2-3 weeks. But at the same time, it is worth constantly watering and feeding the bushes so that the plant has enough nutrients to ripen new berries.
The taste of blueberries is very pleasant and tart. If the berries are sour in taste, then the harvest began very early, or there are too many fruits on the bush. The description of the Bluecrop bush does not differ from other varieties. The leaves are dark green, oblong and pointed.
Features of agricultural technology
Blueberries are unpretentious plants, but you still need to know some of the features of planting and caring for the crop. First you need to choose high-quality seedlings. When buying, ask for a quality certificate. Large manufacturers do not risk their reputation and sell good planting material. Planting garden blueberries can begin in mid-autumn or early spring. It depends on the climatic conditions.
If snow usually falls early, it is best to plant in the spring. In this case, the plant will have time to take root and grow stronger. Thus, we will protect ourselves from the loss of culture from the negative effects of low temperatures.
It is important to know that a good harvest of blueberries will only be in a sunny area, protected from the winds. In the shade, the fruitfulness of the crop is significantly reduced, and the berries will also be sour and not juicy.
Blueberries only grow in acidic soils. The soil must be acidified to a pH of 3,5. For this purpose, needles, sawdust or oak leaves are used. Bushes are planted in holes, wells or on ridges. First you need to dig a hole up to half a meter deep and 60 by 60 cm in size.
We loosen the soil a little. Next, fill the hole with the previously described substrate. If you need to further acidify the soil, add 2 tablespoons of sulfur. You can also use citric, oxalic, malic or acetic acid. When planting in wells, they dig holes up to 40 cm deep and 60-150 cm wide. If the soil is sandy, a width of 60-80 cm will be enough, with heavy soils, the value should be up to 1,5 m. Sometimes a plastic film is covered on the walls and the wells are covered with a mixture described earlier. But in no case should you cover the bottom with a film.
When planting on a ridge, the soil is removed to a depth of 10 cm. A trench 1-1,2 m wide is covered with a substrate in the form of a mound or ridge. A blueberry bush is planted on top and watered. When buying seedlings in containers, moisten them with water before taking them out. Next, carefully clean the root system and plant the plant.
Gardeners recommend mulching the soil with a 10 cm layer of sawdust, needles, peat. Mulch should be changed every 2-3 years. Since Bluecrop is a tall variety, it needs more space between bushes. The distance must be at least 1,5 meters. Also, the bushes must be cut annually from old branches. It is best to prune in the spring.
It is worth making mineral fertilizers from 2-3 years after planting the bushes. Do not use organic fertilizers, as they lower the acidity of the soil. It is important to carry out constant watering of the plant and spraying the bushes.
Advantages of the variety
What are the main advantages of the variety that make Bluecrop so popular among gardeners? First, it is a high yield. In one bush, you can consistently collect from 6 to 9 kg of berries per season. Berry picking can be carried out both manually and with the help of machines. The peel of the berries is quite dense, which allows you to transport the fruits without fear that they will crack or crumble. Blueberries can be used fresh for sale, and often the berries are often processed or frozen. As for the resistance of the variety to cold weather, the plant withstands frosts up to 29-35 degrees.
This indicator shows high winter hardiness, which is very important for cultivation in the northern regions of the country. American blueberries have the ability to quickly regenerate frostbitten branches. Bluecrop is very resistant to string virus disease and moderately resistant to powdery mildew, fruit mummification and red ringspot. It is best to carry out a one-time spraying of bushes with fungicides after spring pruning. Also, the variety does not need constant treatment from pests.
Now, having studied the description of the American Bluecrop variety, you can buy good seedlings with confidence and start growing this healthy and tasty berry in your summer cottage.
Video “How to grow American blueberry Bluecrop in a summer cottage”
From the video you will learn the rules of care and the preparation of special soil for planting Bluecrop blueberries.
Author: Svetlana Galitsina
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