- The growth of cultivated blueberries
- Pruning cultivated blueberries in the garden
- The propagation of cuttings from the cuttings of blueberries
- tips and tricks
With a maximum height of up to three meters, cultivated blueberries grow much larger than their wild relatives on mountain slopes and in moor forests. Nevertheless, in most cases a cut is not required on a regular basis.
The growth of cultivated blueberries
Cultivated blueberries are now available in many varieties in specialist shops, the most popular of which are:
- Bluecrop
- pilot
- Hardyblue
- Northblue
These varieties usually differ in terms of the shape and color of the fruit or the exact time of ripening in midsummer. What most varieties have in common, however, is relatively similar growth with a width of up to two meters and a maximum height of around three meters. Unlike some fruit trees, blueberries don't necessarily need pruning for regular fruiting and plant health. With sufficient fertilization, blueberries in the same location can provide good yields for up to 30 years once they have reached their maximum size.
Pruning cultivated blueberries in the garden
A cut of blueberry bushes in the garden can be appropriate if you discover winter moth webs on the young shoots in spring. These should be cut out as quickly as possible and removed at some distance from the site. A pruning of particularly old branches can also promote the sprouting of new branches and thus a slightly higher fruit set. If possible, cut back the blueberry bushes in autumn, when the plants can no longer be damaged by dry and hot weather periods.
The propagation of cuttings from the cuttings of blueberries
Use the material gained from pruning to propagate your blueberries. Cuttings are an easy way to grow young blueberry bushes yourself. To do this, cut off branches about 10 to 15 centimeters long from the bushes and plant them as deep as possible in a loose and humus-rich substrate with a pH value between 4.0 and 5.0. In autumn, the cuttings, which are kept evenly moist, usually sprout the first roots within about eight weeks.
tips and tricks
When propagating blueberries, look out for protected licensed varieties. If a variety is still subject to the license protection of the producer, young plants may only be propagated for personal use.