On Monday, hubby and I were at Costco (we love Costco), and we bought 8 blueberry bushes, and 3 bags of bulbs (
hosta's,
heuchera and
astilbe). We go through blueberries rather rapidly in our home and I usually buy a 30# box of frozen ones from my local grower once or twice a year. Buying them frozen has been the best for me because that's what I do with them anyways. I freeze them for cereal, smoothies and muffins.
However, I have always wanted to grow some so that we can enjoy them fresh as well.
So as we wandered the aisles on Monday, we spotted blueberry plants for sale. They were $11.99 for a two-pack. We grabbed 4 packs (8 plants). I spent the week researching the best way to plant them, how to care for them, etc... I discovered that they
reccomend two plants per person in a family.
PERFECT! I bought 8 and there are four of us.
It was then a matter of finding time and cooperating weather to plant. I know I live in the Northwest, but I still do not like doing anything in the rain!
The varieties I purchased were
Bluecrop(3), Duke(1), Elliot(1), North Blue(1), Polaris(1) and Brigitta(1). They range from Early-Very late blooming. This should give me blueberries all summer. The website I went to,
Fall Creek Nursery, gave great tips. They recommend not allowing your blueberries to bear fruit the first year, so I should pick the blossoms as soon as they appear. I will try this. The lady at Costco told me to give my blueberries coffee grounds to add acid to the soil. I also used peat moss because my soil is not the best.
The girls helped me, somewhat willingly. Once we got going I think they somewhat enjoyed it. Kat took all the blueberries out of the bags and made sure the tags were on them, so we could identify them.
Ready to plant. I used the leftover sawdust to put around the tops of the plants.
Into the ground they go.
I have been saving my old coffee containers and I love using these in the garden. They old quite a bit and have easy to grip sides so they work perfectly. One holds my coffee grounds and the other I used to scoop the peat moss mixture into the hole.
I know this doesn't look pretty now, but hopefully over time it will. We planted a ground cover in between the plants, and on the next dry day, we'll plant some other things towards the front of the shrubs. In the back are cedars and so we probably won't put anything back there. I want to get bark dust eventually.
Nan helping me out.
And the best......
DIRTY HANDS!!
On Monday, hubby and I were at Costco (we love Costco), and we bought 8 blueberry bushes, and 3 bags of bulbs (hosta's, heuchera and astilbe). We go through blueberries rather rapidly in our home and I usually buy a 30# box of frozen ones from my local grower once or twice a year. Buying them frozen has been the best for me because that's what I do with them anyways. I freeze them for cereal, smoothies and muffins.
However, I have always wanted to grow some so that we can enjoy them fresh as well.
So as we wandered the aisles on Monday, we spotted blueberry plants for sale. They were $11.99 for a two-pack. We grabbed 4 packs (8 plants). I spent the week researching the best way to plant them, how to care for them, etc... I discovered that they reccomend two plants per person in a family. PERFECT! I bought 8 and there are four of us.
It was then a matter of finding time and cooperating weather to plant. I know I live in the Northwest, but I still do not like doing anything in the rain!
The varieties I purchased were Bluecrop(3), Duke(1), Elliot(1), North Blue(1), Polaris(1) and Brigitta(1). They range from Early-Very late blooming. This should give me blueberries all summer. The website I went to, Fall Creek Nursery, gave great tips. They recommend not allowing your blueberries to bear fruit the first year, so I should pick the blossoms as soon as they appear. I will try this. The lady at Costco told me to give my blueberries coffee grounds to add acid to the soil. I also used peat moss because my soil is not the best.
The girls helped me, somewhat willingly. Once we got going I think they somewhat enjoyed it. Kat took all the blueberries out of the bags and made sure the tags were on them, so we could identify them.
Ready to plant. I used the leftover sawdust to put around the tops of the plants.
Into the ground they go.
I have been saving my old coffee containers and I love using these in the garden. They old quite a bit and have easy to grip sides so they work perfectly. One holds my coffee grounds and the other I used to scoop the peat moss mixture into the hole.
I know this doesn't look pretty now, but hopefully over time it will. We planted a ground cover in between the plants, and on the next dry day, we'll plant some other things towards the front of the shrubs. In the back are cedars and so we probably won't put anything back there. I want to get bark dust eventually.
Nan helping me out.
And the best......DIRTY HANDS!!
Ah blueberries! Yes, I suppose when the bushes are young it would take 2 per person. Mine are 30 years old and I get 100 pounds from four of them every year without fail. I have nine bushes but the ones in the back yard I let the birds have. Some day I suppose I will prune them and revive them but for now I have plenty of berries with the four bushes in the front! Enjoy the berries!
ReplyDeleteKirstin- Lucky you to be able to have blueberry bushes. Thye used to grow wild all around us in NJ now I live in VA on a lot with no sun and lots of deer. You are blessed!
ReplyDeleteI stumbled across your blog, and am curious how your blueberries are doing after the first year? Ron
ReplyDeleteRon, I am thinking they need to be moved. They survived their first year, but I don't think they're getting enough sun so they're not growing much. I want to move them, but the only other spot is my garden and the deer showed up this last year and at much of what I had in there, so I really don't know what I plan to do...
ReplyDelete