My Edibles: Blueberry Trees VIC

Blueberry - Blue Rose (Seedling) ^9/10

Comments: -

Update - Just got my first harvest of blueberries! I did lose one to a bird but I quickly netted the plant and protected the rest. The taste of the berries is very subtle with a hint of sweetness and none of the tartness of the store-bought blueberries. 

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Previous update - lots of little fruits have started forming all over where the flowers used to be. I applied some acidic fertiliser once the berries stated started to develop. Looking forward to heaps of tasty fruit, provided the birds don't get to them first!

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I bought this as a seedling from my local nursery this year. After a number of friends had failed attempts with their blueberry plants, I thought I'd give it a go. I did a lot of research before buying it as I had heard that they can be very fussy plants, but hardy, if they like the conditions they're in.

It is important for the soil to be sufficiently acidic. I potted it in a large 50cm glazed pot, with camellia/azalea potting mix and mixed through peat moss (which is acidic). I mulched with pine needles and every now and again throw on ground coffee which also helps to lower the ph in the soil. It's also important to only water with rainwater as tap water can be quite basic with all the chemicals they add to the water these days. 

So far it seems to be doing well. It has grown quite vigorously even in the short time I have had it. It has dropped all its leaves in the winter. Melbourne has had a particularly cold winter so I'm hoping for a good crop this year!

Update - just last week it started flowering following Melbourne's warmest August days on record! The flowers are stunning as you can see in the photo below. I've got my fingers crossed I get some fruit as the flowers are very sensitive to frost and reports of freezing winter days ahead

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Fruiting Months January, November, December

Planted: 2011

Growing: In a Pot

First Fruited: 1 Years from purchase in pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting and Spring

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Backyard Blue ^6/10

Blueberry - Highbush (Seedling) ^8/10

Comments: -

Planted in my front garden bed which is west facing two years ago, so it gets plenty of sun.  Still a young seedling and is doing ok but hasn't grown as much as I would have liked.  Last year got some fruit, this year nothing because I pruned it back hard in winter to shape it.  I seasoled a month ago.

Planted: 2009

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Northland

Blueberry - Briggitta ^10/10

Comments: -

I love this variety because it is heavy bearer with very sweet tasting berries. The berries also have long shelf life and can be frozen without losing their shapes. By far, I reckon this is my favourite variety of blueberry.

I have one large mature plant over 1.2 meter high growing in a pot and 5 one-footers also growing in pots. So far they are growing without a fuss. I use a mixture of peat coir, pine bark and garden soil as potting mix. I also add a slow release fertiliser to the mix.

Fruiting Months January, February, November, December

Planted: 2011

Qty: 6

First Fruited: 4 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 20% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Organic Status:Partially Organic

Blueberry - Blue Rose ^10/10

Comments: -

I just love blueberries, the Blue Rose was recommended to me by a friend. I have one that is 40cm high and is currently propagating 12 plants from cuttings taken from my friend's mature plant.

They are great fruiters and the flavors are sweet. I have mine in 50cm pot right now and it is doing well. I use peat coir, pine mulch and garden soil as potting mix with extra pea mulch on top.

Fruiting Months January, October, November, December

Height 1.1 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

First Fruited: 3 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 20% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

When I Fertilise: When Fruiting

Pest Control: Just birds. I have my fruits conceal in mesh bags once the berries burn blue.

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Dennis ^8/10

Comments: - I purchased this variety without releasing it. I thought it was one of the other blueberry varieties I grow at home. I was told by my obsessed Blueberry-lover friend that this variety bares very large fruit with excellent flavours but unfortuantely they don't have a long shelf life and must be eaten within a day. So far it is doing great in a 50cm pot.

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 20% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue (Cutting) ^10/10

Comments: - I love this variety because it is an ever-green and suited to pot growing. It gives loads of fruits and is so easy to grow in Melbourne climates. I purchased a few small plants this year and had some potted up and some in the ground. So far they are all doing great. I have removed the flowers off all of the plants as they show up except for one plant. 

Fruiting Months October, November, December

Height 1 Feet

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 6

First Fruited: 2 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pruned By: 20% in After Fruiting

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control: Just have to keep the birds away once the fruits turn blue.

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Blue Rose (Cutting)

Comments: -

This is a NELLY KELLY blueberry bush- not BLUE ROSE as described.Such a pretty little bush- full of pink bell shaped flowers. Easy to look after. Produced first crop of blueberries last summer- probably harvested a punnet full.

Fruiting Months January, February, November, December

Height 45 Centimetres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Fruit Harvest: 30 Fruit Per Year

First Fruited: 7 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Autumn

Pruned By: 30% in After Fruiting

Pollination: No

Fertiliser or Organics Used: seasol

When I Fertilise: Yearly and Spring

Pest Control:

None

Organic Status:Organic

Question:

Should I move to a larger pot next winter?

Blueberry Bluerose (Cutting) ^9/10

Comments: -

Bought at Wantirna market barerooted for $35 in July 2009. The bush has been doing very well. I used 50% of peat and 50% of soil as growing medium.

This one and a smaller one had desease so I quickly bin it. I still have had 3 small ones in my garden.

Fruiting Months November and December

Planted: 2009

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 6

First Fruited: 3 Months from Purchase in Pot

Sun/Shade: Full Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Pest Control:

Will net when fruits are about to change colour

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Blue Rose

Comments: - Planted Dec 2008. Died but sprang back to life Dec 2009. Wasn't doing well in wine barrel so I repotted it in a self watering pot. It has since taken off. 

Pollination: Self Pollination

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue

Comments: -

Compact and pretty flowers.  I hear they are not as fussy about their soil type as other blueberries that only tolerate acidic soils.

It's still young so I'm only feeding it for green growth rather than flower support for the first two years.

Planted: 2010

Height 0.3 metres

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Low Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Blueberry - Brigitta

Planted: 2010

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In a Pot

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: cow manure

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue (Seedling) ^7/10

Comments: -

Planted two Sunshine Blue and one Elliot Blueberry seedlings into the East facing front lawn. (Morning sun and to about 2pm)Hope to create an informal hedge as they grow.  (Elliot is a pollinator)

Have used pine nettles and shreded sugar cane as mulsh and to acidify the soil slightly.  Also have planted broad bean plants around them to use as green fertiliser later.  Have a dripper system under the mulch which is timed for every second day for a half hour feed.

Will remove any fruit in first two years to encourage growth.  Seem to be growing slowly as yet.

Planted: 2010

Height 15 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 2

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Pollination: Cross Pollination

Cross Pollinator Variety: Blueberry - Elliot

Pest Control:

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry (Cutting)

Comments: -

cant remember the variety

Growing: In a Pot

BLUEBERRY - REVEILLE (Seedling)

Comments: - Purchased August 2009

Blueberry - Climax

blueberry- climax ^9/10

Comments: -

I bought this from Daleys. All their plants arrive in great condition and are very healthy.

I think my blueberry would like a more acidic soil than I have given it, but it is bearing fruit this year for the first time. Which is very exciting!  I keep going into the garden to look at the little ripening berries.

Blueberry - Misty

Pollination: No

blueberry

Planted: 2009

Height 40 Centimetres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 50

Sun/Shade: Full Shade

Water Given in: Spring

Pollination: No

Pest Control:

We are creating two blueberry lanes of varies types.

Organic Status:Certified

Blueberry Denise ^5/10

Comments: -

One of two that we planted - the other was Brigitte, but the latter carked it, unfortunately.  It struggles due to the slight alkalinity of the orchard bed, but I feed it azalea food, some weak vinegar-water solution and sulphate of ammonia at different times of the year to improve its living conditions.

The flowers are a delicate pink-white, very pretty.  The leaves turn gorgeous golds and reds in autumn, and they are a lovely soft green in spring and summer.  The stems are a russet colour.  A very attractive plant.  It needs a lot of water, which we can't always supply due to the bloody drought and the water restrictions, but it is shaded from the worst of the summer sun by the deciduous trees in the bed.

Once I've got a few more things in the garden sorted out, I will obtain more blueberry plants.  Our cool to cold winters mean we can grow the high- and moderate-chill varieties, which tend to be sweeter.

Fruiting Months November and December

Planted: 2007

Height 0.5 metres

Growing: In the Ground

Qty: 1

Sun/Shade: Medium Sun

Water Given in: Spring

Pruned By: 2% in Spring

Pollination: Self Pollination

Fertiliser or Organics Used: Blood

When I Fertilise: Spring

Pest Control:

None, except for alkaline soil tendencies.

Organic Status:Organic

Blueberry - Sharpblue

Pollination: Self Pollination

Blueberry - Sharpblue ^7/10

Comments: -

Panted out in garden over winter - have high hopes!

Blueberry - Sunshine Blue