Description and characteristics of the blueberry variety Bluecrop, planting and care

For a long time, Bluecrop blueberries have remained one of the favorite and sought-after varieties among amateur gardeners. Along with many new varieties, the old American blueberry variety is just as popular as the new ones. To grow a beautiful ornamental bush in the garden, get a high harvest every year and find out the secret of its popularity, you need to study agricultural technology and the intricacies of cultivation.

Description and characteristics of blueberries

Highbush blueberry Bluecrop is a beautiful shrub from the Heather family with a spreading crown, two meters high, and a bush habit of 1.7 meters.

The roots develop during the appearance of buds and stop growing in May. During ripening, the fruits begin to develop again. At a temperature of 5 °C, root growth stops until spring.

Blooms in May. The pollinator is other varieties that bloom at the same time.

It begins to bear fruit in the 3-4th year of cultivation. Large dark blue berries are slightly flattened, with a pronounced bluish tint. The berries hang from long clusters. The fruits are dense and do not crack when ripe. The taste of the berries is sour and tart. They ripen by the end of summer, ripening dates may vary. They ripen unevenly, and the berry harvest lasts for 2 months.

Blueberries of this variety have a decorative appearance thanks to the oblong leaves of a rich green color, especially in autumn - the leaves become orange-purple or red-crimson.

The description of the decorative properties of the variety suggests that the shrub is used in landscape design. The decorative nature of the bush allows it to be used when creating garden decorations.

History of the origin of the Bluecrop variety

American breeder Frederick Vernon Coville has been conducting research on wild blueberries since 1908. I wanted to select samples for plant selection. Elizabeth White supported the scientist in 1910 and provided the territory of her farm where cranberries were grown. Working together on blueberry breeding, they bred and tested 15 species of the plant. In the mid-20s of the last century, along with other species, the blueberry variety Bluecrop was created.

It appeared in the Soviet Union in the middle of the last century. It became popular in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Bluecrop blueberries bear fruit well and produce large fruits compared to other types.

Bluecrop is simply called American blueberry or American blueberry due to the similarity of the fruit.

Advantages and disadvantages

The positive properties of the variety are as follows:

• Fruits abundantly. The bush produces 6–9 kg of berries.
• Not afraid of frost. Withstands cold down to – 34 °C.
• Not very susceptible to disease.
• Contains many vitamins A, C, P, PP and microelements in the form of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, silicon, sodium, iron.
• Relieves inflammation.
• Tones.
• Participates in metabolism.
• Helps with vitamin deficiencies.

The following are considered disadvantages:

• the plant is heavily overloaded with berries;
• maturation is extended;

• the need for watering during the ripening of the crop so that the berries do not wrinkle;
• The taste of the berry is not sweet, slightly tart.

Subtleties of cultivation

The successful cultivation of Bluecrop blueberries is influenced by the quality of planting material, determination of the planting site, and proper preparation of the pit.

Selection of seedlings

When buying planting material, they give preference to strong two-year or three-year-old seedlings with a growth of 30–35 cm. The roots of the seedling are well developed, without visible signs of disease.

Selecting a location

A correctly selected planting location is the key to abundant fruiting.

The Bluecrop blueberry is photophilous. Can tolerate partial shade, but will not see a good harvest. The area around the planted blueberry bush must be cleared of tall plants so that it is not shaded. Planted within 2.5 m by 1.5 m so that as the seedlings grow, they do not interfere with each other.

Soil acidity is needed in the range of 3.5–5.0 (pH). If the acidity is low, oxidize the soil with an acid-containing agent.

Blueberries of the Bluecrop variety prefer places with shallow groundwater - approximately 60 cm.

Blueberries are not planted on limed soil. It is not grown after strawberries, after vegetables - carrots, garlic and other crops for which lime was added.

Soil preparation

It is important to choose the right soil for growing Bluecrop garden blueberries. The composition of the soil should be similar to forest soil. By mixing sand with peat, the desired soil composition is obtained.

Landing dates and rules

Planting is carried out in the spring at an air temperature of +17 °C. In autumn they are planted in September. Blueberries should take root before cold weather arrives.

Planting blueberries involves the following algorithm of actions:

1. Prepare a hole for planting measuring 50 x 50 cm.
2. Cover the bottom with crushed stone or crushed bricks to create drainage.
3. Prepare the soil substrate by mixing acidic peat and black soil, adding sand. To oxidize the earth, sulfur is mixed with pine litter.
4. Sprinkle some of the prepared soil on top of the drainage.
5. Remove the planting material from the container, straighten the roots and lower it into the hole.
6. Pour out the remaining soil, deepening the stem 3 cm.
7. Mulch with pine litter.
8. Pour in acidified water. Pour 100 g of table vinegar into a ten-liter bucket of water.

Planted blueberries are fed twice using complex fertilizers.

Further care of berries

Blueberries are easy to care for. Shrub care consists of the following activities:

• watering;
• weeding;
• loosening;
• mulching;
• pruning;
• feeding

Watering and mulching

Water regularly. Do not allow water to stagnate at the roots and the soil to dry out.

Regularly remove weeds around the seedlings. Especially young plants suffer from weeds. If you do not weed in time, you can destroy the bush.

Loosen the soil around the seedling. This is done shallowly - no more than 10 cm, the roots of the plant are located at a depth of 20 cm from the ground.

Constantly mulch the soil under the plant with pine needles, peat or sawdust.

Feeding

When feeding, they do not use organic matter. Fertilize so as not to disturb the acidity of the soil.

They add nitrogen, phosphorus and boron to the soil. The plant itself will help you figure out how to feed the bush:

• leaves grow poorly or turn yellow - nitrogen is needed;
• leaves turn purple - there is not enough phosphorus;
• If the growing point of the plant turns black or the tips of the leaves wither, it is necessary to feed with potassium fertilizer.

They feed twice during the season: in April and early summer. In early spring, shrubs are given compounds in the form of a complex fertilizer for heathers.

Blueberry pruning

Lack of regular pruning reduces blueberry yield.

In the first years of cultivation, the lower branches are pruned to speed up growth. When the bush thickens, it is necessary to regularly free the bush from excess branches that interfere with the plant. Sanitary pruning is carried out from the 4th year of cultivation - weak branches are removed. If you do not do this, the berries lose quality - they become smaller.

Preparing for winter

Bluecrop is a frost-resistant blueberry variety. Winter hardiness is good, withstands 30-degree cold under cover. But you need to prepare it for winter.

Plants are covered in October. The blueberry branches bent to the ground are carefully fixed, then covered with pine needles or spruce branches.

When carrying out the procedure, you cannot use plastic film; the plant can be destroyed.

Remove the cover when the snow melts.

Diseases and pests of the variety

If blueberries are unwell, then the color, shape and size of the berries change, and the foliage changes.Any manifestations indicate the presence of diseases.

The most common blueberry diseases are:

• Bacterial cancer. Shrubs at a young age are most often affected. There is a delay in the supply of water and nutrients to the plant stem. Cancer appears when there is an oversaturation of nitrogen fertilizers. The bush stops growing and the yield drops. Symptoms of the disease appear as a growth on the plant. The infected bush is removed.
• Gray rot. It appears when there is dampness and high air temperatures. All parts of the plant suffer, especially the fruits. Initially, yellow specks appear, they quickly increase in size. The berries rot and a gray coating appears. They protect against the disease with Euparen, Signum, Tercel, Switch, Rovral, Topsin, Polyversum.
• Powdery mildew. Crops get sick in hot weather with increased dampness and sudden temperature changes. The plant dries out, the bush becomes weak, and winter hardiness decreases. The treatment is carried out with a 3-5% solution of copper sulfate.

Blueberries are attacked by sucking pests in the form of bud mites and aphids. Kidney mites are difficult to detect immediately. This small pest sucks out the juices and depletes the blueberry bush. They resort to treatment with vitriol and Nitrafen. Aphids lay many eggs. The leaves turn yellow and fall off. “Iskra” and “Aktara” are used to combat aphids.

Blueberry propagation Bluecrop

The following propagation methods are used:

• With the help of layering. In the spring, the bent branch is sprinkled with a peat-sand mixture or covered with plastic film. By autumn the cuttings will take root. Next year in the spring, the rooted material is transplanted to the designated place.
• Using cuttings. In the fall, lignified shoots are prepared. Cuttings are wrapped and placed in a cool place until spring.In March, the branches are cut into cuttings 20–25 cm long. They are placed in a prepared peat-sand substrate and covered with film or a lid. Monitor humidity. The rooted plant is transplanted to a permanent place in August.
• From seeds. They are sown before winter, before the onset of frost. They can also be sown in the spring, but the seeds must undergo stratification in the refrigerator in the winter. The process of growing from such material is the most labor-intensive.

Collection and storage rules

You need to collect the berries carefully, trying not to deform them, into small containers. It must be cooled within 4 hours after collection, otherwise it will begin to collapse. Chilled fruits are stored at temperatures up to +2° C with a relative humidity of 90-95%. The harvested crop can be stored for two weeks at a room temperature of 1.5 ° C and a humidity of 85%.

You can prepare the fruits for the winter by freezing them or processing them.