ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997 TAG: 9704230012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: FIELD WORK
SOURCE: JIM AND SARAH MINICK
We love the blues - the driving rhythm, the down-and-out lyrics, the sweet, wailing harmonica.
But we love another type of blues even more - the seasonal rhythm, the lyrics of bee, blossom and red falling leaf, the sweet taste.
Blueberries.
As a child, Jim gorged himself on blueberries from his grandfather's patch. He wandered from bush to bush, filling his mouth with the sweet ripe berries as well as the unripe, tart ones, always ending with a tummy ache.
He still does.
Now whenever we pick berries, we can't resist these blues and, though we should know better, we still eat mouthfuls until our bellies can't hold anymore.
Two years ago, we planted an acre of blueberries to start our pick-your-own berry farm, Minick Berry Farm. In the process of planting more than 1,000 bushes, we learned quite a bit about what they need to thrive, and we're still learning.
If you too love the blues, however, you don't need to plant an acre to enjoy them. Planting six of these bushes should provide enough sweetness for a family.
To ensure good pollination and production, plant at least two varieties of high bush blueberries (the kind that grow best in this area). We chose six - Patriot, Spartan, Bluecrop, Blueray, Berkeley and Nelson - but many others are suitable for our climate.
More important than the variety, though, is the soil. Blues "sing the sweetest" in acidic soil, with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5. They also like peat and rotted sawdust, both of which lower the pH. Conduct a soil test, and if the test indicates a high pH, add two gallons each per plant of peat and rotted sawdust. If the pH still needs to be lowered, add sulfur, following the directions on the bag.
Dig your holes wide and deep. The majority of a plant's roots live in the top two feet of soil. So make sure the soil is loose at least two feet deep and four feet on all sides. The soil can be loosened by stabbing with a pitchfork, but you'll have much better results if you rototill or double dig the area. Also, have on hand a supply of mulch to protect those shallow roots. We prefer wood/bark chips because of their longevity and prevention of erosion, but we also use hay, pine needles and sawdust.
Order bushes from a reputable nursery (see end of article for a few sources) and get the young plants in the ground as soon as they arrive, sometime in March or April. Spread out the roots, cover with soil, and then gently, but firmly, tamp the soil with your foot, so that no air pockets are left. Finally, water thoroughly and mulch.
Blueberry bushes will spend their first five years getting established, so be patient. They'll live and produce for up to 50 years. To help them live this long, be sure they get annual doses of nitrogen fertilizer (such as cottonseed meal) and sufficient water, which means an inch a week during the growing season. Don't over water, or you'll find your plants dying of root rot. Also, periodically test your soil to see if the plant needs other nutrients.
Here's one more secret tip. To ensure you can sing the blues for 50 years, pinch off all the blossoms the first year, and half of the blossoms the second. This forces the plant to put energy into its roots.
Of all the berry plants, blues suffer the least from pests. Rabbits might nibble them when they're young, so be watchful, especially in the early spring. Deer don't seem to like our plants, but birds do. For a small planting, a netting over the bushes should solve this problem.
Bug pests are few, but the main one is the Japanese beetle. In our field, we're trying Milky Spore Disease, a fungus that kills the grubs, biologically. You might want to try Milky Spore for your blueberries, and you'll get the added benefit of keeping these beetles off of your roses and other garden plants. Once established on a lawn, it lasts several years. (See sources at end of article).
Finally, when the plants begin to produce berries, be patient! Wait a few days before you harvest. The sugar in each berry depends on the bush's leaves. This means that the longer the berry stays on the plant, the sweeter it becomes. Once you pick a berry, it will not ripen any further. So, even when they turn blue, wait four or five more days before you pick. Then enjoy! Nothing beats these blues.
If all of this sounds like too much work, but you still want to "sing the blues," spend a day in the country and support your local pick-your-own berry grower.
Sources for Blueberries: Miller Nurseries, 5060 West Lake Road, Canandaigua, NY 14424, (800) 836-9630; Brittingham Plant Farms Inc. P.O. Box 2538, Salisbury, MD 21802, (410) 749-5153; DeGrandchamp's Blueberry Farm, 15575 77th St., South Haven, MI 49090, (616) 637-3915.
Sources for Milky Spore Disease: Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, 11173 Peaceful Valley Road, Nevada City, CA 95959, (916) 265-3276; Laurel Creek Nursery, 2930 Peppers Ferry Road Christiansburg, VA 24073, 382-6133.
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Blueberries from sixby CNBbushes should provide enough sweetness for a family. color.