Contents
Blueberry North Blue is a mid-early hybrid that produces a bountiful harvest of large and tasty berries, despite its short stature. The plant is winter-hardy, suitable for growing in harsh climatic conditions. Caring for blueberries hassle-free.
History of breeding
The North Blue blueberry variety has been bred by breeders in the United States as part of a crop propagation program since 1973. Seedlings US-3, G-65, Asworth are called parents. An intermediate hybrid of tall species and narrow-leaved Canadian blueberries is particularly frost-resistant.
Description of berry culture
The hybrid strikes with an abundant collection of fruits, therefore it spreads quickly in regions with a short warm season.
General idea of the variety
The shrub rises only 60-90 cm. The root system of the blueberry is fibrous, densely branched, located in the upper soil layer. A hybrid of medium vigor, creates up to 5 young shoots per season. Straight powerful skeletal branches diverge in rays to the sides, forming a spreading crown, which is approximately equal to the height in a circle. Annual growth of North Blue blueberries from 30 cm, green with a matte effect. Old branches are light brown. The leaves are ovate, pointed, glossy on the upper side of the plate, 4-6 cm long. Flower panicles form on the side branches of blueberry bushes, 6-10 white-cream flowers of a beautiful bell shape.
Berries
In the brushes, the fruits are collected heaped. Tall blueberries North Blue have large berries with a small scar. Fruits are from 15 to 18 mm wide, weighing up to 2,5 g. North Blue fruit pulp has a dense structure, attractive taste, fragrant, sweet, without cloying, with a slight sourness. The tasters gave them the highest rating.
A feature of the berries of the North Blue hybrid is the high content of pigments of the glycoside group – anthocyanins. The strong skin of the berries under their influence acquires a rich shade of ultramarine, with a wax coating on top. 100 g of dried North Blue berries contain 6,73 g of anthocyanins, which exceeds the characteristics of other blueberry varieties by 2-3 times. These are not just dyes, they are active antioxidants.
Characterization
The compact bush North Blue is popular for its unpretentiousness and sufficient decorative effect.
Main advantages
The variety is grown in those regions where tall blueberries freeze slightly. Shrub withstands up to -35 оC. Frost resistance decreases in snowless winters. At the same time, the hybrid, created on the basis of undersized species, is moderately resistant to drought, withstands short-term drying of the soil. In hot summers, plants are watered. According to reviews of North Blue blueberries, the plant develops well on acidic light soils, it is undemanding to care. Ripe berries are stored for 10 days, they have a dry detachment from the stalk, they are suitable for transportation.
Flowering period and ripening period
North Blue blueberry buds bloom in the last days of May, flowering lasts up to 20 days. The ovaries ripen for two months. The fruits are harvested from late June or early August to September. The ripening of blueberries is influenced by spring frosts, air temperature, soil moisture and the presence of mineral supplements.
Yield indicators, fruiting terms
The descriptions of the North Blue blueberry mention its self-fertility, but many gardeners still advise planting several bushes of the culture nearby. Due to cross-pollination, the yield increases significantly, and a lonely standing bush produces only a third of the berries out of the total number of flowers. In addition, observations show that fruits on plants surrounded by neighboring blueberry bushes are sweeter and more tender. North Blue bears fruit steadily every year, from 1,2 to 2,5 kg of berries are harvested per season from a bush.
Signal berries are formed under good conditions and in the first season after planting. Experienced gardeners recommend giving blueberries the opportunity to grow wood and cut off the ovaries. The bush enters fruiting in the 2-3rd year.
Scope of berries
Blueberries are useful fresh or in the form of fresh juice. Jam, compotes are prepared from berries, frozen. Used as a fragrant filling in pies.
Disease and pest resistance
According to the characteristics of the variety, North Blue blueberries are not susceptible to such diseases as anthracnose, moniliosis, white spot, gray rot, which affect berry bushes. The plant is protected from aphids, various caterpillars and mites, beetle larvae.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The clear advantages of the shrub contribute to its spread:
- frost resistance;
- high consumer qualities of fruits;
- productivity of a relatively compact form of a bush;
- decorative plant.
The exactingness of a sunny landing site is attributed to the disadvantages of the variety.
Rules of landing
The hybrid will grow well and bring a bountiful harvest if the rules are followed when planting.
Recommended dates
Spring is the best time to move blueberries into the garden. Plants in containers are planted later, in early summer. In areas with a warm climate, you can plant the North Blue blueberry in the fall, with a long interval before the onset of frost, so that the bush takes root.
Choosing the right place
Although the low shrub was bred on the basis of wild plants from wetlands, garden blueberries require completely different conditions:
- well-drained light soils, preferably peatlands, sandy or loamy, and good lighting without partial shade will ensure the expected yield of berries;
- with the help of testers, it is necessary to analyze the acidity of the soil in the garden – the optimal pH values are: 3,8-5;
- the occurrence of groundwater is not higher than 60 cm.
Soil Preparation
North Blue blueberries should be planted in a carefully prepared substrate if the garden soil does not meet the requirements of the variety. A pit 70 x 70 cm wide is prepared so that a 30-50 cm layer of riding red peat fits. Or they prepare a substrate from 3 parts of peat, 1 – sheet, 2 – coniferous land. 10 cm of drainage are laid at the bottom.
Selection and preparation of seedlings
The stems of a healthy North Blue shrub are elastic, the buds are alive, the bark is undamaged. If the seedling is bought in a container, it is soaked in water for several hours before planting. The roots are straightened, because in cramped conditions they clump together.
Algorithm and landing scheme
Before planting, a peg is hammered for gartering the stem:
- the prepared seedling is deepened into a pit, straightening the roots horizontally woven in an earthen coma;
- the root neck is 5 cm below ground level;
- sprinkled with a substrate, tamped, watered, mulched with needles or pine sawdust;
- seedlings above 40 cm are cut to 100-120 mm.
Culture aftercare
Growing North Blue blueberries requires the gardener to pay attention to pruning and mulching the trunk circle.
Necessary activities
Blueberry North Blue is watered during periods without rain, 10 liters under a bush in 2-3 days. The soil is moist, but without stagnant water. A variety planted in the south requires sprinkling 2 times a week or more often during the heat. For fertilizer in the spring at the beginning of flowering and the creation of ovaries, ammonium and potassium sulfates or minerals are used in a special complex.
shrub pruning
In early spring, sanitary and formative pruning is carried out. The latter type is used after a plentiful previous harvest to unload the bush.
Preparation for winter
Despite the fact that the North Blue blueberry variety is frost-resistant, bushes cover in autumn in regions with little snow. Wrap shoots in agrotextile, protecting from icing. Raise the mulch layer.
Collection, processing, storage of crops
Planting and caring for North Blue blueberries is easy, and the hassle of processing berries is pleasant. The fruits are harvested for a month, up to 10-14 days they are stored in the refrigerator.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
Diseases | Evidence | Treatment | Prevention |
Viral red leaf spot | Red spots, small shoots and leaves | Plant removal
| Fight against insects and ticks, vectors: “Karbofos”, “Fufanon” |
stem cancer | Brown spots, cracks and ulcers on the bark | Shoot removal | Cutting according to the rules. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture |
vermin | Evidence | Fight | Prevention |
The Mite | galls on branches | Iron vitriol, Nitrafen | Cleaning fallen leaves, affected shoots |
Cvetod | fallen buds | “Intavir”, “Fufanon” | Autumn cleaning |
Conclusion
Blueberry North Blue is a winter-hardy and productive variety that can be not only a valuable fruit crop, but also an ornamental one. A low compact shrub looks spectacular from the second half of summer and autumn in bright crimson decoration. Growing garden blueberries gives aesthetic pleasure and health.
