How and when to plant garden blueberries in open ground in spring

Blueberries are a perennial that attracts visitors with their beautiful bell-shaped flowers and delicious berries. The fruits are used for canning, freezing, and eaten fresh, and the shrub itself emphasizes the unusual landscape design. In order for a crop to bear fruit and maintain productivity, it must be replanted correctly. The work is carried out in the autumn or spring season. According to agronomists, transplanting garden blueberries to a new location yourself is effective in the fall. Experts recommend choosing the right material, preparing the soil and following the planting pattern.

Planting material: selection and preparation

It is best to move blueberries to a new site in early September. This way you can eliminate the risk of seedlings freezing and increase their survival rate in frosty weather. For high-quality cultivation of shrubs, it is worth selecting its type, taking into account climatic conditions and the time of fruit ripening.

The Russian marsh form grows in natural conditions. It is almost impossible to cultivate, since the plant prefers the acidic peat bogs of coniferous forests. However, at home they take root:

• tall American form. The berries are compared to blueberries, but the bush is not resistant to weather factors and temperature changes;
• Bluecrop, Patriot, Weymouth are species with early and medium ripening periods. Suitable for the Middle Zone.

Only high-quality material guarantees full survival of the shrub. It can be purchased in stores or nurseries. High-quality seedlings are those with roots covered with soil and placed in pots and containers.

When is the best time to replant blueberries?

There are several options when you can transplant blueberries to another place. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should be taken into account before starting work. Specific dates are chosen taking into account weather conditions and the condition of the bush.

It is most preferable to transplant in early spring or late autumn. During such periods, the plant best tolerates changes in external conditions. Transplantation in summer is also possible, but has a number of restrictions.

For spring replanting, choose the period when the snow melts and the soil warms up. It depends on the climate in the region and weather conditions. In the south, work is carried out until the end of March, in the middle zone - in April. In colder climates, transplanting is done in May.

Growing blueberries at home from seeds in a pot

Blueberries can also be grown at home. But this is a long process that requires special patience. To collect the seeds, you need to select ripe berries. Sort through them, separating the planting material. You can knead the berries with your hands and extract the contents from the pulp.

How to check seed germination?

The grains are lowered into the input. Those that fall to the bottom are ideal planting material. Selected seeds are well dried.

How to dry blueberry seeds?

The seeds are laid on a layer of damp sand or moss and kept for about 3 months. Seeds are planted in a pot or box in the spring. To plant in a container, you need to prepare a peat soil mixture. Planting material does not need to be deepened into the ground; it is enough to place them on the surface and cover the top with a small layer of sand or sawdust. Then you should cover it with transparent polyethylene or glass that allows sunlight to pass through.

Selecting soil for planting

Blueberries are not a purebred crop. This is a bush from the lingonberry family, from the blueberry genus. There are two main types found in nature:

• swamp Russian blueberry, growing in peaty soil in a forest zone. The plant cannot be cultivated and is a “wild” berry. Found in deciduous-coniferous forests;
• tall American blueberry. This variety does not tolerate temperature changes, but is a garden plant. It propagates easily and pleases with an excellent harvest in the plots.

When choosing garden blueberries for planting on your site, you need to select and prepare the soil for planting the shrub. This allows you to avoid problems with the root system and get an excellent harvest next season.

Determining suitable soil

There are several recommendations for selecting the optimal location and soil for plant cultivation:

• blue berry is a light-loving crop. The optimal place for planting shrubs is an area illuminated by the sun throughout the day. Lack of ultraviolet radiation has a bad effect on yield;
• the site should be protected from drafts and cold winds;
• For planting in the garden, preference should be given to early-ripening varieties that tolerate frost well. Such species quickly adapt to new conditions and easily tolerate any weather changes;
• the soil is suitable only with drainage, i.e. surface water should not be retained in it. Overmoistening of the soil leads to rotting of the root system;
• Blueberries do not tolerate drought. In summer, the bush must be well watered. It is also not recommended to plant the crop next to other fruit trees;
• the ideal soil for growing black berries is drained, peat soil with a small layer of rotted leaves;
• Clay terrain is not suitable for cultivation.

Taking into account the recommendations of experts on choosing the optimal place for planting blueberries, you can achieve excellent results in growing the berry. Every year the bush will bear a good harvest of delicious fruits.

When is the best time to replant blueberries?

There are a couple of options when you can transplant blueberries to another location. Each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages, which are taken into account before starting work. The specified dates are selected taking into account atmospheric conditions and the condition of the bush.

It is most preferable to transplant in early spring or late autumn. During these periods, the plant most efficiently tolerates changes in external conditions. Transplantation in summer is also possible, but has a number of restrictions.

For spring replanting, select the period when the snow melts and the soil warms up. It depends on the climate in the region and atmospheric conditions. In the south, work is done until the end of March, in the middle zone - in April. In much colder climates, transplanting is done in May.

Without borders, you can replant blueberries in the spring in the middle zone, in the North-West, the Urals and Siberia. It is recommended to do the work before the buds open. If you are late with the deadlines, it will take more time to adapt.

Advantages of spring planting of shrubs:

• have time to adapt to a new place;
• there is no risk of cold weather;
• the ability to care for shrubs throughout the season.

Spring planting has a number of disadvantages:

• the growing season may not begin until recently, when suitable atmospheric conditions arrive;
• if spring frosts are predicted, then it will be necessary to postpone work until the fall or build a shelter for the bushes;
• The plant is given full care: watering, fertilizing, mulching.

Summer replanting of shrubs is a bad option. If you disturb a plant during the growing season, it will disrupt its rhythm of life. The procedure is especially dangerous during flowering and berry development. If you need to replant bushes in the summer, then first of all the harvest is completely harvested.

Young bushes that have not yet begun to bear fruit are most suitable for summer replanting. In most cases, the berries on the first bushes ripen in the 2nd to 4th year after planting. If you transplant a five-year-old blueberry in the summer, the plant will direct its energy to adapt to new conditions. There is a possibility that next year the yield will be small.

Good qualities of a summer transplant:

• the berry grower will not be able to suffer from frost;
• Suitable for working with vegetation in containers.

Disadvantages of transplanting blueberries in summer:

• the growth and development of the bush is disrupted;
• the plant needs more energy to adapt.

Autumn replanting is practiced in the south. The work is done in November, 2 - 3 weeks before the cold arrives. In other regions, bushes are replanted in October. At the same time, they wait until the end of the growing season, when the leaves have fallen. If frosts are predicted in the region, it is better to postpone replanting until spring. There is a possibility that blueberries will die under the influence of cold.

In autumn, the plant goes into a dormant period and tolerates replanting well. At the same time, the blueberry root system continues to grow. Therefore, by the beginning of winter, she has time to adapt to new conditions.

Benefits of replanting blueberries in the fall:

• high survival rate of bushes;
• the adaptation period will take place in the fall, and in the spring the blueberries will immediately begin to grow;
• After transplantation, the plants require little care: just enough watering and shelter for the winter.

Disadvantages of autumn transplantation:

• blueberries are likely to suffer during a cold snap;
• during winter, bushes are more often damaged by rodents;
• for young bushes they provide shelter for the winter.

How to plant blueberry seedlings in the fall?

Planting blueberries by planting cuttings is easier than, for example, growing a crop from seeds. In the autumn, when all the leaves fall, cuttings are taken from an adult shrub. They are cut off at the very roots and branches at least 12 cm long are selected. It is important to remember: the thicker the cutting, the faster it will grow roots.

Ensuring the survival of the material

In order for the seedling to quickly take root in the ground, it must be kept in a cool room for a day. After this, it is transplanted at an angle into prepared soil with peat and sand in a container. When the seedling is buried in soil, another layer of peat is poured on top, about 3 cm. When the cuttings take root, they are washed and trimmed a little with pruning shears. Pruning will allow an additional branch of the root system to emerge. Now the young sprout is ready to be planted in a permanent place.

How to transplant blueberries to a permanent place?

The need to replant blueberry bushes is associated with increasing fruiting and eliminating plant diseases. The crop should be planted in a new place at the same depth. The procedure is also performed for adult bushes.

How to acidify the soil for blueberries, how to water blueberries with vinegar?

The soil for blueberries is acidified in several ways:

• Sulfur powder. Used for already planted and “mature” shrubs. The powder should be added to moist soil; this must be done carefully so as not to damage the root system.
• Mineral fertilizers. Such substances must contain ammonia or ammonia sulfate. For this you can use urea, ammonium or potassium sulfate.
• Acidified water. For preparation, you can use any acid: acetic, citric, oxalic. The proportions are simple: 10 ml of acid per 1 liter of water.

Sapling planting scheme

For different varieties of blueberries, different planting schemes are used, differing in some features:

1. Highbush blueberries are placed in holes 50 cm deep, spaced 60 cm apart.
2. Low varieties are planted at a distance of 50 cm.
3. Medium and tall varieties need free space. A distance of about 1 m should be maintained between neighboring plants. The optimal width between rows can be considered 3-3.5 m.

The final stage of planting shrubs is mulching the surface. For this, straw, sawdust, pine needles, and peat are used. The thickness of the mulch layer should be at least 12 cm.

Technology and planting scheme

High-growing blueberry bushes are planted according to the following scheme: in rows of 1-1.5 m, between them - 1.5-2 m; for low-growing blueberry bushes, the distance between bushes and in row spacing may be 1 m less.

When planting blueberries in spring and autumn, you need to adhere to the direction of placing rows from north to south, and you need to plant the bushes the way they grew before - north side to north, south side to south. You can identify them by color; on the south side the shoots will be darker.

Step-by-step instructions for planting blueberry seedlings in autumn and spring:

1. At the bottom of the hole, place drainage made of stones, pieces of brick, broken slate 15 cm thick. This is a mandatory condition; without drainage, blueberry roots can rot in wet soil.
2. Place the seedling in the center and straighten the roots. Deepen the root collar 5-8 cm below the soil level. Under the ground in this place, new young roots will begin to form, which will increase the volume of the root system. The plant's nutrition will improve.
3. Water the bush (with clean water or a solution of a root formation stimulator), sprinkle it with substrate to the top, and compact it.
4. Trim shoot tips to stimulate lateral branching.
5. Mulch the surface of the earth around the blueberries with pine sawdust, peat or oak leaves. Minimum layer – 10 cm.

By planting blueberries according to the presented scheme, it will be possible to provide each plant with the necessary nutritional area for it.

Specifics of agricultural technology

Blueberry agricultural technology involves loosening the soil on the walls and bottom of the hole before planting the seedling. This facilitates the passage of air and the development of the root system. The hole is filled with an acidic substrate consisting of the following components: pine needles, sawdust, sand, 50 g of sulfur and high-moor peat. There is no need to apply organic fertilizer. At the bottom of the hole, the substrate is compacted, the young plant is lowered into it, the roots well straightened, and covered with earth. If the seedling is less than a year old, after planting in the ground, damaged branches should be trimmed. Young blueberries over 2 years old do not need additional processing.

Shrub care

Transplanted blueberries will need proper care. It is as follows:

1. Periodic watering. Depending on weather conditions, the shrub needs to be watered several times a week in spring and summer. In autumn, soil moisture can be eliminated.
2. Mulching the earth. Rotted sawdust and pine needles are used as mulch.
3. Feeding. In spring, mineral fertilizers are applied to the bush.
4. Pruning. Pruning is done in the spring, before the buds ripen. The procedure is carried out a year after planting the seedling.
5. Spraying leaves. Moisturizing the leaves of the bush should be done on hot days in the evening.

It is recommended to carry out gardening work comprehensively and strictly observe its frequency.

Planting blueberries - step-by-step instructions

In general, planting blueberry bushes in open ground follows the same pattern as planting other crops. However, there are a number of nuances that need to be taken into account.

Planting methods and patterns

Since blueberries require light, acidic and organic-rich soil for normal growth and development, high-moor or transitional peat . In its absence, other options and technologies are acceptable that provide the bush with appropriate conditions.

No peat

In this case, the planting hole is filled with ordinary soil from the site, having previously increased its acidity level using a special composition prepared on the basis of sulfur.

This substance is a powder: colorless or yellow. When dry, it is placed in the planting substrate (to a depth of about 20 cm) and mixed with it. The recommended dosage is indicated in the manufacturer's instructions.

When the soil is moistened, sulfur powder dissolves, increasing its acidity. For acidification, citric or oxalic acid is also used, dissolved in water in a ratio of 1 tsp. per 3 liters, or vinegar (9%) in a proportion of 100 ml per 10 liters of liquid.

Any of the prepared compositions is applied under the blueberry bush 2 times a year:

• in spring (after the end of frost);
• in the fall (before preparing the crop for winter).

Into the ridges

Blueberries are planted in clayey soil using the “ridged” method. The sequence of the procedure is as follows:

1. Preparation of a planting hole with a depth of up to 15 cm.
2. Formation of a hill from several components: peat, sand, sawdust, earth.
3. Place the seedling in the center of the formed elevation.

This technology allows you to place the roots at ground level and remove excess moisture between the rows. After the procedure is completed, a layer of sawdust (8-12 cm) is lined around the stem.

Planting in pine needles

Also, the absence of peat can be compensated for by a coniferous substrate prepared from several components:

• soil from a garden plot;
• forest land taken from under coniferous trees;
• rotted needles.

Preparing for winter

The stages of caring for blueberries also include preparation for wintering. The plant must be prepared for the arrival of cold weather. To achieve this, the following activities are carried out:

• the branches of the bush are straightened;
• then the branches are pressed to the ground with staples;
• in severe frosts, the shrub is wrapped in burlap or hosta to prevent freezing.

You can open the bush and free the branches after the onset of spring. These measures help protect blueberries from cold and strong winds in winter. Blueberry is a shrub characterized by the beautiful color of its berries and spreading branches. The plant has many beneficial properties. Leaves and fruits are used in folk medicine and eaten. Proper transplanting of delicious blueberries to a chosen new location in spring or autumn will help you obtain high yields of healthy berries every year.

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