New shrubs appear in the collections of amateur gardeners every now and then. And garden blueberries can become a special exhibit. She will require special treatment. In order to hope for a good harvest, you need to choose a good variety and prepare the soil most suitable for garden blueberries, or waterdrinkers, as they are also called.
The main mistakes when growing garden blueberries
It is very important to know exactly how garden blueberries should be planted, and what kind of care they need to be provided in order to be guaranteed to get an excellent harvest of healthy and tasty berries.Try to avoid the typical mistakes of amateur blueberry growers:
- improper soil preparation;
- location of the bushes - it is required to be light and sunny;
- forget about the plant for the whole summer after planting - it is unlikely to survive without watering;
- improper feeding;
- lack of formation of bushes - at least 6-7 strong branches should be on each.
Let's talk about how to avoid mistakes.
Selecting a site for culture
The best place for blueberries will be a clean area where no crops have been cultivated until now. Otherwise the bush may die. In any case, you won’t expect active development from him..
You should not plant blueberry bushes in low-lying areas. Stagnant water will also negatively affect its root system, and the roots will begin to rot. The same thing will happen in an area with clay soil.
Understand the main condition - blueberries love light most of all. Choose a sunny area for her. Even in partial shade, you run the risk of eventually “enjoying” small berries with a sour taste. And shoots develop more slowly due to lack of light, which is why they do not have time to become woody by winter. And this is a direct threat of freezing in cold weather.
Important! If the site is chosen correctly, the harvest is guaranteed.
What kind of soil does blueberry like?
It has long been known that this plant is not the most demanding of soil composition. It cannot tolerate stagnant water, but if planted in sand, on the contrary, it will suffer from moisture deficiency.
The best soils for blueberries are light and acidic. Peat bogs and sandy loam substrates are comfortable for it, and rotted leaf litter serves to improve the water regime and increase the fertility of the land.
Why are blueberries so sensitive to acidic soil? Due to the special structure of its root system.You will not find small hairs on blueberry roots. For other plants, they serve as a means of providing water and various nutrients. For blueberries, mycorrhiza became such a guide. This is the name given to microfungi that can develop exclusively in an acidic environment.
High peat for blueberries becomes a more productive mixture when bark, needles, branches, cones or sand (10%) are added to it. Lowland peat is mixed with the other components so that its share is at least 40%.
How to make acidic soil for blueberries with your own hands?
It is enough to notice in the spring that the leaves turn red to understand that the soil is not acidic enough. Simultaneously with this sign, the entire plant freezes in development. In autumn, reddening leaves should not bother you. The plant is preparing for winter.
If it turns out that the soil in the designated area is slightly acidic, you can oxidize it yourself using fairly effective means. These substances are aggressive. So when working with them you will have to wear rubber gloves and more. You will also need plastic glasses and a mask.
Important! Recommendations on how to increase the acidity of the soil in which blueberries grow (per 1 square meter of land):
- Dilute 5 grams of citric acid powder in 10 liters of water.
- Add 100 grams of acetic acid to 10 liters of water. But such a solution is used in exceptional cases. They shouldn't get carried away.
- One liter of water with a drop of concentrated sulfuric acid.
- 5 grams of sorrel powder are diluted in 20 liters of water, and the solution is poured into the wells.
- Acidifier from electrolyte, which is used to fill car batteries: 30 milliliters per 10 liters of water.
- Powdered sulfur (15 grams) is distributed over the soil under the blueberry bush. But first, the soil should be well watered. Then you can plant shrubs.
- Make homemade organic fertilizers. Before planting the bush in a hole, pine needles, sand, sawdust or peat are placed in it.
It is not difficult for a gardener to prepare such substrates. So with his own hands he will quickly get the necessary soil for blueberries.
Rules for planting and watering blueberries
Make sure that all planting material is healthy and has a closed root system. Two-year-old young seedlings are quite suitable for planting. They can be planted both in autumn and spring.
It is recommended to plant blueberry bushes from north to south, in a row. Each bush should have about 2 square meters. This should be taken into account when calculating the distance between them.
Fertilizers are applied in the season following planting. Sanitary pruning is performed in the third season, removing dry, damaged branches and slightly thinning the crown. Pruning tall branches allows you to give the shrub an aesthetic appearance.
Treatment with fungicidal agents, such as Euparen or Topsin, will serve as a preventive measure after pruning.
Little tips will teach you how to water correctly:
- Important! The optimal soil moisture level is 60-70%.
- Don't use a hose. A watering can is much more useful.
- Watering is required every 3 days, in the mornings and evenings. An adult bush needs 5 liters of water.
- The bushes require especially abundant watering in July and August.
- In hot weather, in addition to watering, you can spray with cool water.
Experienced gardeners are well aware of the unpretentiousness of blueberries. But you won’t be able to turn a blind eye to its demands on the ground. The gardener must provide the plant with proper care.And then in the fall its rich harvest will become a real source of pride.
