Jan 3, How to Grow Blueberries

by Steve Nicolini

Learning how to grow blueberries is simple and they canprovide a unique addition to our diet. Are there any other blue fruits? The incredibly high level of antioxidants in each blueberry makes it anessential fruit for longevity.  This iswhy the northwest natives lived to become wise elders.  The wild blueberries and huckleberries were astaple food for them. The B vitamins boost metabolism.  The minerals in each berry aid in moderatingheart rate and blood pressure. 

Just like the unique role the berries play in our bodies, thebushes that blueberries grow upon fill a unique ecosystem niche.  In the wild, blueberries and their huckleberryrelatives grow on forest edges where they receive a lot of sunlight.  In learning how to grow blueberries, we have to understand that different species grow at different altitudesand therefore ripen at different times of the summer and early fall.  And so the blueberry (and huckleberry) isessential to the survival of many wildlife species, especially the belovedblack bear.

How can we apply these observations of blueberry bushes innature to our farm and garden ecosystems? 

We know from studying the wild relatives that they thrive invery moist, acidic soil conditions (4-5.5 pH). They grow on edges where they receive a good amount of sunlight.  They are enjoyed by animals. 

These observations guide us in our blueberry patch decisionmaking processes.  We place our patch ina moist, yet still well drained place that receives a lot of sunlight, possiblyalong the southern edge of our orchard or forest garden.  We plant the plants in the fall or spring,when temperatures are mild and root growth is peaking.  We plant many varieties that fruit atdifferent times during the season for two reasons.  In considering how to grow blueberries, we first want to maximize pollination andtherefore fruit production.  Second, we,like the black bear, want to snack on fresh blueberries for longer than two orthree weeks each year.  We protect ourblueberry bushes and (especially) their fruits from predation. 

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