Blueberries multiply all by themselves in the forest. Sometimes a little help is needed when growing them in the garden. Propagation by cuttings or via sinkers is a good idea here.

Sowing, lowering and cuttings of blueberries

In the wild, wild forest blueberries usually reproduce not only by sowing, but also by natural sinkers and root suckers. In contrast, cultivated blueberries based on originally North American breeds grow in a very orderly manner and generally do not form any root suckers. Even self-seeding hardly takes place at the location in the garden due to regular mowing between the rows. These plants can be propagated relatively easily by layering and cuttings.

Propagating blueberries from cuttings

When propagating blueberries from cuttings, success depends on several factors:

  • the time of taking the cuttings
  • the right substrate for rooting
  • an even moisture balance during the rooting phase

The cuttings are ideally taken in early fall when picking of the ripe fruit has been completed. Like the mother plants, the blueberry branches, which are about 10 to 15 centimeters long, should definitely be planted in an acidic and relatively lime-free substrate. Planting them in a greenhouse or covering the pots with plastic wrap can help maintain an evenly moist rooting climate. Under ideal conditions, the cuttings usually develop their first roots within six to eight weeks.

Propagating blueberries by lowering

Blueberries can also be propagated using the so-called lowering technique. This describes the bending down of a branch to the ground with the aim of rooting and later separation from the mother plant. This can be done with shoots close to the ground by weighing them down with some soil and a stone. You can also use special wire hooks that hold the branches permanently to the ground like tent pegs. You should give blueberry bushes about half a year to a year for the rooting of sinkers.

tips and tricks

In good conditions with an acidic soil, cultivated blueberries grow quite quickly, so that scions can sometimes start yielding after a year or two. Please note, however, that certain cultivars are often subject to license restrictions and can therefore only be reproduced for personal use.

WK

Category:

Vegetable garden