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Blueberries are a fairly new culture for Our Country, which is still gaining popularity. The plant tolerates the conditions of the middle lane well, gives a stable harvest and does not freeze out in winter. Proper planting and caring for blueberries in the Moscow region will allow you to regularly collect tasty and healthy berries.
Features of growing blueberries in the suburbs
The climate of the Moscow region is perfect for growing blueberries. This culture is unpretentious to weather conditions, it is rarely affected by diseases and pests. The plant tolerates the close location of groundwater at a depth of 30 – 60 cm.
In the Moscow region, berries have time to ripen even in cold and rainy summers. Most varieties are highly winter hardy. Some hybrids do not freeze when the temperature drops to -35 ° C. Plants tolerate winters without problems under a light cover of leaves or peat.
For the cultivation of garden blueberries in the Moscow region, it is necessary to ensure high soil acidity. The plant develops at a pH of 3,5 to 5. It is measured using special instruments.
Soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils predominate in the Moscow region. They are characterized by low acidity, but a fairly high content of humus. Before planting blueberries, acidifiers must be added to such soil.
Marshy soils in the Moscow region are low-lying areas in the north and east of the region. They have high acidity, but are not rich in humus and other useful substances. When planting blueberries in a swampy area, a drainage layer must be made. In addition, they improve the composition of the soil due to mineral fertilizers.
Where blueberries grow in the Moscow region
Under natural conditions, blueberries are found in forests, tundra, and highlands. On the territory of the Moscow region, it is collected in wetlands. In the wild, shrubs grow in the Taldom, Shatursky, Egorevsky districts.
The wild form of blueberry is a perennial deciduous shrub up to 1 m high. Its leaves are smooth, alternate, up to 3 cm long, located on short petioles. Berries of various shapes: from round to oblong. Their dimensions do not exceed 1,2 cm. The color is blue, the skin is thin, covered with a bluish bloom. The pulp is greenish, watery. The taste of the fruit is sweet and sour.
Cultural forms can be grown in any region of the Moscow region. Compared to wild blueberries, they give a higher and higher quality yield. Most varieties bring large and tasty fruits already in the 2nd – 3rd year after planting.
What varieties of blueberries are suitable for the Moscow region
For cultivation in the Moscow region, medium-sized varieties are chosen that ripen in early and medium terms. These are cold-resistant plants that bring a stable harvest. Examples of early varieties for the Moscow region: Duke, Reka, Northland. Of the mid-season varieties for the region, Bluecrop, Patriot, Toro hybrids are suitable.
How to plant blueberries in the suburbs
When growing blueberries in the Moscow region, planting and care are of great importance. It is important to comply with the deadlines and sequence of work. Particular attention is paid to the choice of location and further preparation of the soil. Be sure to measure the acidity of the soil and choose the right substrate for the planting pit.
When to plant garden blueberries in the suburbs
For planting, two-year-old seedlings are preferred. If the plants are sold with a closed root system, then work can be carried out during the summer season. This includes the period from early spring to late autumn.
In the Moscow region, spring is considered the best time for planting berry crops. Waiting for the snow to melt and the soil to warm up. Usually it is the end of April – the beginning of May. When choosing the exact dates for disembarkation, they are guided by weather conditions. If frosts are predicted, it is better to postpone work until they are completed.
Autumn planting of blueberries in the Moscow region is allowed. Work is carried out 2 – 3 weeks before the onset of cold weather. If the planting dates have already passed, then the seedling is buried in the ground and sprinkled with sawdust. In the spring, the plant is removed from the soil and planting begins.
Site selection and soil preparation
According to gardeners, planting and caring for blueberries in the Moscow region does not take much time if you follow the basic rules. Blueberries grow best in sunny areas. In the shade, the shrub grows worse, and the berries gain little sugar. The optimal level of groundwater occurrence is from 40 to 60 cm. Before planting, the level of soil acidity is analyzed. An indicator of favorable conditions is the active growth of sorrel, mint, horsetail. More accurate results will be shown by an indicator or laboratory tests.
If the soil reaction is neutral or alkaline at a site in the Moscow region, then its composition must be adjusted. To fill the planting pit, acid peat, wood chips or topsoil from a spruce forest are used. As a substrate, rotted sawdust is also taken.
A good option for acidifying the soil is to use powdered sulfur. A year before planting, they dig up the soil and add 250 g of this fertilizer per 1 m3. Instead of sulfur, 20 g of ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate per 1 sq. m. Such fertilizers saturate the earth with nitrogen and acidify it well.
Planting blueberries in the Moscow region
To grow blueberries in a country house in the Moscow region, it is important to properly perform planting work. A hole is dug at the site, which is filled with a prepared substrate. Plants are planted in groups or rows. If there are a lot of seedlings, then it is better to immediately dig a trench.
The procedure for planting blueberries in the Moscow region:
- At the site, a hole is dug with a diameter of 1 m to a depth of 0,5 cm.
- If the soil is clayey or not loose enough, then a drainage layer is made. To do this, a broken brick or small gravel is placed at the bottom.
- The walls of the pit are insulated with sheets of iron or polyethylene.
- A substrate is poured into the pit, consisting of an equal amount of sand and peat. Also, some needles, sawdust or sulfur are added to it.
- A comb is formed over the pit, on which the seedling is placed.
- The roots of the bush fall asleep and watered abundantly.
- The trunk circle is mulched with peat, rotten sawdust or needles.
On household plots in the Moscow region, it is convenient to grow blueberries in containers. The bush is planted in a wooden box or a ceramic pot. The plant will decorate the veranda, loggia or terrace. The containers are filled with peat, drainage is first poured onto the bottom. If the bush grows in containers, then for the winter it is removed to the basement or cellar.
How to grow blueberries in the Moscow region
According to reviews, blueberries in the Moscow region respond positively to care. Plants are provided with watering, fertilizing, bush formation.
Culture prefers moderate watering. During the growing season, the soil is kept moist. However, keep in mind that prolonged stagnation of moisture will lead to the death of the plant. For irrigation take warm settled water. It is brought under a bush, do not allow it to fall on leaves and shoots. In the Moscow region, it is enough to water it 1-2 times a week, taking into account precipitation.
When choosing fertilizers, they are guided by the pH level of the soil. The first sign that it needs to be acidified is the reddening of the leaves. If you do not take action, then white spots will appear on them, the plant will stop developing and will not bring a crop.
Options for feeding blueberries in the Moscow region:
- 10 g of urea or 20 g of ammonium sulfate per bucket of water;
- 10 g of potassium sulfate or Nitroammophoska per 10 liters of water;
- 10 ml of liquid for car batteries per 10 liters of water;
- 50 g sulfur powder per bush;
- 3 tsp citric acid in a large bucket of water;
- any mineral complex for blueberries or rhododendrons.
In spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied for blueberries in the Moscow region: urea, ammonium sulfate, Nitroammophoska. When flowering and fruiting, they switch to potash and phosphorus fertilizers. It is convenient to use special mineral complexes Florovit, Good Power, etc.
Blueberry care in the Moscow region also includes sanitary pruning. Due to the formation of the bush does not grow and gives a good harvest. In the third year after planting, no more than 5 powerful shoots are chosen. The rest of the shoots are cut at the root. Broken and dry branches are removed annually. In adult plants, old shoots that no longer bear fruit are cut off.
For the winter in the Moscow region, blueberries are spudded, peat or humus is poured into the trunk circle. To shelter young plants, a frame is constructed and a non-woven fabric is attached to it. In the spring, the structure is removed.
When blueberries ripen in the Moscow region
In the Moscow region, the first blueberries ripen in the middle of summer. Usually harvested in 2-3 doses. Most of the fruits are ready for harvest in the first wave of fruiting. They differ in large sizes. The remaining berries are harvested as they ripen over the next 2 to 3 weeks.
The timing of the ripening of a crop in the Moscow region depends on the variety. Early hybrids yield from the second decade of July. Varieties of medium fruiting are ready for harvesting in early August. Late blueberries ripen from the second decade of August.
Pests and diseases
Agrotechnics of garden blueberries in the Moscow region includes protection against diseases and pests. The culture has a high immunity and is rarely affected. Diseases and insects spread with dense plantings and high humidity. Therefore, special attention is paid to the formation of a bush and watering.
In a rainy summer in the Moscow region, blueberries show signs of fungal diseases: gray rot, spotting, moniliosis. They are found by dark spots on the leaves, fruits and shoots that dry out ahead of time. Affected bushes are treated with Topaz or Hom. Affected plant parts are removed and burned.
The most dangerous pests for blueberries in the Moscow region are caterpillars, leafworms, scale insects, and aphids. Insecticides Actellik, Karbofos and others are effective against them. For prevention, the bushes are dusted with tobacco dust or ash.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for blueberries in the Moscow region will allow you to grow a healthy bush and collect high yields. A separate plot is prepared for the culture; peat or other components are necessarily used to acidify the soil. During the growing season, blueberries are provided with care: watered, fed, carried out prevention from pests.
