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Blueberry Country is a variety native to the United States. It was created by American breeders more than 30 years ago, its cultivation is carried out in this country on an industrial scale. The collection of the Main Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences includes more than 20 varieties of garden blueberries, including North Country. However, unlike American farmers who create blueberry plantations, domestic summer residents grow blueberries exclusively for personal purposes.
Description of the blueberry variety North Country
The description of the North Country blueberry variety makes it clear that this species has its own characteristics, which you need to know about even before planting the plant.
Features of fruiting
North Country is a blueberry variety that has high yields and is unpretentious in terms of climatic conditions – blueberries can withstand frosts down to -40 degrees, so it can be cultivated not only in the middle lane, but in the Urals and Siberia.
Bushes of the North Country variety are considered low (about 80 cm), its shoots are straight and very strong. The foliage of plants is narrow, painted in bright green throughout the season, and in autumn it changes shade to red-pink.
North Country is a self-infertile variety, so fruiting a crop without the presence of pollinators is impossible. In view of this, any other varieties of berries (at least two types) should be planted next to this blueberry variety.
The fruits of the North Country are numerous, have an even round shape and a dark blue color. When ripe, the berries do not fall, they can hang on the branches for more than a month. The first berry appears at the end of July, but ripens unevenly.
The taste characteristics of fruits are high, their purpose is universal. Can be used fresh, stored for a long time in a cool place, cook jams and compotes.
The productivity of the North Country is high, at least 2 kg of berries grow on each bush. External conditions do not affect the number of fruits in any way.
Advantages and disadvantages
Experienced gardeners know that each plant has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of blueberries of the North Country variety include the following:
- high yield;
- frost resistance;
- resistance to various diseases and pests (blueberries can independently fight not only insects, but also fungi);
- possibility of successful transportation.
Of the minuses, only the need for constant acidification of the soil and the small size of the berries are noted.
Features of reproduction
Like all other blueberry varieties, North Country can be propagated in three ways – seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush. The most popular and effective is propagation by cuttings. To do this, choose a suitable branch, cut off from the bush, rooted in a mixture of sand and peat. After rooting (at least a year), the seedling can be planted in a permanent place.
Seed propagation is no less complicated, you just need to sow blueberries in peat, plant a seedling in 2 years in open ground. In this case, the fruits will appear no earlier than in 5 years.
Dividing a bush is not considered the best way to propagate, rooting blueberries in this case is problematic, since the root system of the plant suffers greatly during division.
Planting and care
North Country is a light-loving blueberry variety that is demanding on the composition of the soil. Therefore, the main factor affecting the yield is the correct choice of planting site.
Recommended dates
Blueberries of the North Country variety can be planted both in autumn and in spring. The latter option is considered the most preferable, since over the summer the root system of the plant will have time to get stronger, allowing blueberries to safely winter.
Site selection and soil preparation
A sunny site, protected from gusts of wind and drafts – this is the place to choose for planting North Country blueberries. As for the soil, all varieties of this berry love an acidic substrate, this must be taken care of before planting seedlings so that they can take root without problems.
Soil preparation consists in mixing the following components in equal proportions:
- peat;
- sand;
- coniferous sawdust or fallen needles.
Landing algorithm
Before planting a young seedling, it is necessary to dig a hole that will correspond to the following dimensions – 40 cm deep, 40 cm in diameter. You need to prepare the hole a couple of months before planting blueberries, so that the earth has time to sink.
After the planting pit is ready, a seedling should be placed in it, the roots should be leveled over the entire diameter of the hole and sprinkled with prepared soil. Apply a layer of mulch on top – it can be ordinary sawdust, dry foliage or needles. All this will help to retain moisture at the roots, which quickly evaporates from the prepared substrate.
The next step is abundant watering. On a planted bush, you must immediately prepare at least 10 liters of warm, better settled, water.
Cultivation and care
From the description of the blueberry of the North Country variety, it can be understood that the plant is among the unpretentious. However, some rules for caring for it must be followed in order to get the desired harvest.
Watering Schedule
For the first few weeks after planting, blueberries are watered twice a week. The procedure should be carried out in the evening or early in the morning, before sunrise. It is not recommended to overmoisten the substrate – prolonged stagnation of water can lead to the death of the plant, therefore it is necessary to focus on the state of the soil and climatic conditions, adhering to the “golden” mean.
After the roots of the plant get stronger, the number of waterings is reduced to once a week, while at the time of flowering and fruit formation, it is necessary to double the dosage of water.
Top dressing schedule
Soil acidity is an important factor that every gardener should pay attention to when growing any variety of blueberries. With insufficient acidity, the foliage on the shrub becomes withered and yellowish. Periodic watering of the plant with water with the addition of table vinegar or citric acid will help correct the situation. It is enough to add about a glass of vinegar or 8-10 tablespoons of lemon to a bucket of water.
Top dressing of blueberries of the North Country variety is also an important factor in cultivation. Blueberries do not tolerate organic fertilizers, so the use of manure, mullein or humus is prohibited.
Plants need minerals for growth (complexes containing phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, etc.). The first feeding is carried out in the second year of blueberry life in the spring. The second portion of nutrients is introduced in July.
Trimming
The first 5 years, blueberries can only be cut for sanitary purposes, removing dried branches, if any. Subsequently, pruning has a rejuvenating character, it is necessary to leave young branches on the bush, completely eliminating old shoots.
Preparation for winter
The North Country does not need winter shelter. Even in harsh climates, simply mulching the soil with sawdust or other suitable material will suffice.
Pests and diseases
Blueberry North Country, as can be seen from the description of the variety and reviews, is a resistant plant with a good immune system, so it rarely gets sick and can bear fruit for many years.
Blueberries of the North Country variety are also not afraid of infectious and fungal diseases. But experienced gardeners recommend preventive treatment of the plant with antibacterial drugs and insect repellents. This can only be done in early spring or before frost. At the time of fruiting, the use of any chemical compounds is prohibited.
Of the pests for this variety of blueberries, only birds that will not mind eating fresh tasty berries can become dangerous. You can protect the plant by covering with a regular net.
Conclusion
Blueberry Country is a variety of berries that every year is becoming more and more popular among compatriots. It is quite possible that in the near future the North Country will be grown on an industrial scale, and not just on personal plots.
Blueberry Reviews North Country
