Gareth Carter: Become your own blueberry-growing specialist

Blueberry plants take three to four years to get well established.

Blueberries are arguably one of the most prized of all berries, not only for their delicious taste but also for their healthy food properties.

They are recognised for being vitamin-rich and high in antioxidants, with properties that are beneficial in fighting heart disease, aiding against ageing skin and boosting brain development.

In New Zealand, blueberries are among the five most common berry fruit grown, while in the US they are reputedly ranked second to strawberries as the most popular berry to consume. Though native to North America, they also grow well in New Zealand. There are a number of varieties that have now been bred in NZ specifically for our climate and conditions.

When you are planning to grow any new plant, it is worth first establishing the basic essentials for the plant in question; the environmental requirements (shelter/light/space), soil preferences, moisture tolerances/needs and the optimal nutrient levels. Blueberry plants take three to four years to get well established but will then remain fruitful for many years (20-plus) so carefully plan your spot to grow them.

When making a site selection for blueberry plants, taking the following points into consideration will give the best results. Like almost all fruit, blueberry plants will perform best in a full sun situation. They are fairly indifferent to wind, though exposure to a strong prevailing wind will limit growth.

In the home garden, blueberry plants should be allowed a space of around 1m to 1.5m to grow individually as bushes. They can be grown in rows and if planted closer together will form a hedge. There are some size differences between varieties.

The soil needs to drain well while still providing moisture. If your soil tends to retain water or gets boggy, building elevated beds would be an advantage. This will eliminate waterlogging. Raised beds are also a good option where natural soil quality is poor. Watering during the summer months is important, especially as fruit is developing.

Because they prefer acidic soil with a pH of 4.5-5.5, they are ideally suited to growing in naturally occurring peat soils or rich loam though, as mentioned, drainage may need to be addressed. But don’t be perturbed if your soil is not naturally peat. Soils can be enhanced with the addition of Yates Hauraki Gold Peat. This can be liberally mixed in with the existing soil when planting. When fertilising, use an acid fertiliser, the same as is used for rhododendrons, camellias and daphnes. For established plants, a mulch of peat around the plants in November or December is advantageous, helping to limit weed growth and conserve moisture during the summer months, as well as providing acidic conditioning to the soil.

Here are some essential tips for nurturing your plants.

Like citrus trees, the flowers should be removed from your blueberry bushes for the first couple of years. This gets a good-sized bush established. Once they are up to a reasonable size, they can be left to fruit but should then be pruned every July. Blueberries fruit on second-year wood. Prune by first removing any diseased or dead wood, then any low-spreading branches as it is best to encourage more upright growth. It is good practice to remove some older branches each year to encourage newer ones to develop. Some shortening of growing tips will help increase the size of berries.

No matter what soil your blueberry patch is in, come September, December and February apply an acid fertiliser. This will maintain good plant growth and health, and thus promote good yields of berries. Be careful not to apply too much at once as it simply washes away before it is of use to the plant - little and often is most beneficial.

Blueberry plants are shallow-rooted, requiring regular watering during the drier summer months. Regular watering is particularly important to establish the plants in the first couple of years.

If you are short on space, blueberries can be grown in pots. Use a specialist acid potting mix (such as Daltons Premium Acid Mix) when planting and add supplementary food three times a year. When growing in pots, it is particularly important they are watered regularly. The biggest failure of plants growing in pots is the lack of water, so make a deal with your neighbour when you go on holiday or install a simple watering system with a timer.

Now you are your own resident specialist in blueberry growing. No doubt you already have in your mind’s eye the perfect spot and are perhaps currently imagining yourself out there with bowl in hand, collecting great plump berries. But before you start, your last remaining undertaking is to choose your variety.

Blueberries have both female and male parts on the same flowers; however, most will not pollinate themselves. So having two different varieties planted in relative proximity (within 20m of each other) will ensure the bees share the pollen around and you will have the best possible crop. There are a few self-fertile varieties - check the label when purchasing plants.

By growing a range of varieties, fruit can be harvested from November to April. The Rabbiteye group of varieties are evergreen plants that do well in Whanganui and tend to carry on fruiting later into early autumn. You need to plant two Rabbiteye varieties to ensure cross-pollination and fruiting. Good varieties for Whanganui include Centurion, Tif Blue, Rahi, Powder Blue, Oneil, Maru, Blast and Ezi Grow.

As a general rule, planting two plants for each blueberry lover in your household will give you enough berries to use.

So you’re well-equipped to give it a go. Get started now in your home garden and grow yourself a bountiful harvest of delectable, anti-ageing, heart disease-reducing, brain-improving dessert.

For more gardening information visit www.springvalegardencentre.co.nz.

* Gareth Carter is the general manager of Springvale Garden Centre.