Who grows blueberries?

I think “go for it” and down the road if you change your mind you can pull them out.

I have several bushes for the “walk by picking” and putting some in the freezer. I can then go to the local “pick your own” to supplement my supply.

I haven’t had any blueberries for a couple years (thank you rabbits) and I’ve added several bushes so I don’t know if I will even have to buy some berries this year. We’ll see.

-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)

Cindy, we enjoy our blueberry bushes very much. My children love to go out and forage for ripe berries in July. Already our bushes are covered with plump green berries. My bushes are still young (about three years old) so like MsDebbie, we also go to a local farm and “pick your own” so I have blueberries to eat through the winter, but having our own bushes means we can eat some every day of the season, not just when you go pick some at a farm.

A healthy blueberry bush will live and produce berries over 25 years. Doesn’t that seem like an incredible investment? Mulch the roots well to keep out weeds around the bushes and you will have a beautiful, carefree, delicious source of blueberries. Do you know they have bright red colored leaves come autumn? Give them room so that there will be good air circulation and sunlight for the bushes and also room to get around the plants when it is time to harvest. If they are high bush varieties you have chosen, they will get quite large. I planted young bare-root mail order plants and they are already taller than my children.

As for how much they produce, when we go to the pick your own farm, we easily pick 20+ pounds of blueberries….Once they are mature, five bushes should provide you with a good source of blueberries to eat and preserve for the winter.

-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi

Hey, Radicalfarmergal, I just realized you’re in Mass.! I’m originally from Ct., and I miss my blueberries! lol (and my real maple syrup). I’m going with rabbiteye plants, and I can’t wait.
Ooops! Dinner’s burning, gotta go!

Ok, back…as I was saying, I’m going with rabbiteye, and I may buy two highbushes locally to see if they do well in our winters. You can’t have too many blueberries ; ) The rabbiteyes have mostly yellow-orange fall foliage, if my reading is correct – either way it will be pretty. I was going to make a second patio in the spot where I’m tearing out my 8’ x 10’ shed, but I’m thinking I’ll put up low, pretty, white picket fencing & turn it into a veggie patch instead. I’m wanting to grow as much of my food as possible. There are several heirloom veggies I’d like to try. I already have a nice patio on the other side of my trailer under the crabapple tree, so why waste the space on another patio?

-- ~ Cindy, Virginia Appalachians, UDSA Hardiness Zone 6 ~

I would definitely go with the garden.So much more rewarding in the end.Good luck with the blueberries.

-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more

Great info everyone. I’m looking at planting some of these too, if I can find the right spot out front.

-- There's a box?

I would definitely go with the garden.Blueberries sounds so good i am going to try
and great information this will help me and many i am sure
Thanks…...

-- http://www.mightygarden.com/flower-gardening.html