Garden

[c_la_vee]

My question is about the size of the plant.

I see that nurseries are selling blueberry bushes now and I look at the tags and the measurements of the mature plants seem to be around 5 to 6 feet.

We bought a place a just a few years ago in the country where we spend weekends if we're lucky and I inherited a blueberry patch, around 50 plants from the previous owners so these plants are pretty old.

This is the first year that I am paying attention to these plants, at the moment they all have berries on them but they are not ripe yet.

What I am wondering about is, if it's normal for the plants to be about 10 feet high.

Some bushes are that high and some are knee high, probably the newer ones but I've never seen 10 foot tall blueberry bushes! 

Pretty soon I'll have a blueberry tree forest.

I can bend the branches to reach the berries though some might break, wondering if I should prune them next year or just let them be.

There are more berries than we can eat anyway so I'm thinking to just let the birds eat from the tall plants.

Anybody have or seen really really tall blueberry bushes? 

[GingerPeach]

@c_la_vee

Blueberries come in multiple varieties, with differing heights.

Here's an article on them, plus pruning info:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/blueberries/varieties-of-blueberry.htm

[JustJazzmom]

@c_la_vee

 Wide varieties in your garden give more yield through cross pollination. 

Here is an info sheet we hand out to homeowners: http://ccenassau.org/resources/blueberry-growing

Do a pH test to see how acidic the soil is. It should be around 4.5 pH. Why so low? Because the blueberries can access the fertilizer you put down easier. If the pH is higher, the plants have more difficulty accessing the fertilizer.

Check the fact sheet to see when to prune back to shape those really tall varieties. According to the fact sheet it says for Hardiness Zone 7, in late March. Sounds like the blueberries bloom and produce fruit on the current season’s growth or new wood.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

The older they are with no pruning, the woodier they become at the base.  Thus, height.

Sounds like you have a nice patch!

I'd probably carve out a space for my self to comfortably harvest, probably over the course of a couple of years.  I like your idea of letting the birds have the tall stuff.  Could serve as a foil for your personal harvest.

[CinNC]

Thanks so much for the link to the Gardeningknowhow website @GingerPeach

[c_la_vee]

Thank you for the replies 

I have seen those soil testing kits in nurseries but have never bought one. I might try that.

Thanks for the suggestion and for the links

These bushes seem to be thriving without anybody's help!

Since we got this place, I'm loving spring and summer, it used to be the opposite.

[mousiegirl]

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@c_la_vee wrote:

Thank you for the replies 

I have seen those soil testing kits in nurseries but have never bought one. I might try that.

Thanks for the suggestion and for the links

These bushes seem to be thriving without anybody's help!

Since we got this place, I'm loving spring and summer, it used to be the opposite.

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@c_la_vee  Since they are growing well, they obviousl;y like the soil and where they are planted.