Gareth Carter: The spectacular, colourful blueberry plant

Blueberries are a fashionable item in the garden and on the plate. Photo / NZME

This year as prices for fresh fruit and vegetables have increased we are seeing more and more people having a go at growing their own at home.

So many properties in Whanganui have enough backyard space for a number of fruit trees.

For those who do not there is the option of espaliering along sunny fences, using dwarf varieties and choosing smaller growing edibles. If you are renting or looking to shift soon, then there are many fruit options that can be grown in pots and containers.

Not only helpful on the budget, planting fruit trees and growing a vegetable garden has become a source of great enjoyment, stress relief and a place of solace from the rigours of the world we live in.

This week in the garden I have been admiring my blueberry plant that I have growing in a 35 litre pot. It is looking spectacular with a combination of blue-green sheened leaves but are orange-crimson in colour on the tips from the cooler winter months.

It is time for its spring feed – a mixture of acid fertiliser and Nova Tec will deliver what it needs. It currently has masses of flowers on it, which means I am destined for a good harvest of blueberries come summer. Blueberries are not the quickest growing of plants to establish and this one of mine is now coming up to its seventh year in its pot and is standing around a metre tall.

Blueberries are a fashionable item in the garden and on the plate. Thoughts of blueberry muffins, smoothies with blueberries, and blueberries and icecream all evoke senses that make one want to go looking through the fridge for dessert!

If the thought of all the delicious dishes that blueberries can be a part of don't tempt your taste buds then maybe the health properties will make you an advocate for this intriguing berry. Blueberries are both 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, whilst 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 here in New Zealand. There are a number of varieties that have now been bred in NZ specifically for our climate and conditions.

As many are exploring productivity in the home garden and healthy eating, as well as the budget slashing benefits of seasonal eating from our own gardens, let's look at how we can add these must-have berries to our harvest here in Whanganui.

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 3-4 years to get well established but then will remain fruitful for many years (20+) so plan your spot to grow them carefully.

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 the space of approximately 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, whilst still providing moisture. If your soil tends to retain water or gets boggy, then building elevated beds would be an advantage. This will eliminate water logging. 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 an acidic soil with a pH of 4.5-5.5 they are ideally suited to growing in the parts of Springvale and Mosston which have naturally occurring peat soils. Though as aforementioned, 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 daphne. 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 an 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're 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 a supplementary food three times a year also. When growing in pots, it is particularly important that 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 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 of these for Whanganui include Centurion, Tif Blue, Rahi, Powder Blue, Oneil, Maru 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

Have a good week!

Gareth Carter is general manager of Springvale Garden Centre