# Blueberry "Orchard"



## Chopper (Mar 28, 2009)

I own a small 50-acre farm. It's low land bordering a river, half of which is in the 100-year flood zone. But it's very fertile land, in a farming community.

Anyway, on the dryer portion of the land, I have 88 blueberry bushes. About 75 of them are fully mature and healthy, and I've pruned them really good this year. I'm hoping to get 150 lbs of blueberries this year, much of which will be used to make wine.

I've also got a lot of wild blackberries and elderberries. And next year I'm gonna plant "June-bearing" strawberries, and thornless blackberries.


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## Tom (Mar 28, 2009)

Wish I had enough land to plant "fruits" Strawberry and Blueberry are my favorites for fruit wine.


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## AlFulchino (Mar 28, 2009)

pictures!!!!


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## Wade E (Mar 28, 2009)

With that much berries I would be buried in bottles of wine and port and what ever else I could do with it!


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## grapeman (Mar 29, 2009)

Glad to see you started a thread here chopper. Sounds like you have a nice place there.


What varieties of blueberries do you have planted? Some of them really pump out the berries. One of my sisters has about a dozen bushes. They range from 3-5 feet in size and are all bearing heavily now. They easily pick 150 pounds of blueberries every year. When yours start bearing like that (about 10 pounds per bush) you will be "berried" in berries.


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 29, 2009)

Sounds like a dream Blueberry Orchard..you must have perfect soil for them...as well as climate.

Around here the wild Blueberries grow where there is acid soil in the pine forests...The crops are undependable due to snow cover to protect the buds..so, Blueberries are a prize.

Our soil is very high pH and would take alot of tending to produce...,so, try for the wild ones on good years....

We have planted some 'Poor-Man's' Blueberries...*Juneberries *[aka...Serviceberry...Saskatoons] Hope the little bushes planted last spring live to produce. I have ordered some hybred varieties for this spring...We tend to get a fungus on the older bushes...so, some fungicide is required....

Good luck on your crop of real Blueberries.


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## Chopper (Apr 1, 2009)

Al Fulchino said:


> pictures!!!!



Pics coming soon.


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## Chopper (Apr 1, 2009)

appleman said:


> Glad to see you started a thread here chopper. Sounds like you have a nice place there.
> 
> 
> What varieties of blueberries do you have planted? Some of them really pump out the berries. One of my sisters has about a dozen bushes. They range from 3-5 feet in size and are all bearing heavily now. They easily pick 150 pounds of blueberries every year. When yours start bearing like that (about 10 pounds per bush) you will be "berried" in berries.



Ours are the "Rabbit Eye" variety. A low bush variety that maxes out at about 6 feet high.

Since I have way more berries than I can use, I pruned the bushes a whole lot this year so I could get larger and more flavorful berries. I was advised to do this by the county extension office. I'll post pics soon.

Also have a lot of wild elderberries and blackberries. And, unfortunately, the chiggers and rattlesnakes that come with them. I killed a big snake the first day I was pruning this year.


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## grapeman (Apr 2, 2009)

I don't have to worry about snakes here when I am pruning. They can't move in the cold! Sometimes I can't hardly either. It's a good thing they are "low bush" if they grow to 6 feet high. Can't wait to see pics.


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## NorthernWinos (Apr 2, 2009)

appleman said:


> I don't have to worry about snakes here when I am pruning. They can't move in the cold! Sometimes I can't hardly either. It's a good thing they are "low bush" if they grow to 6 feet high. Can't wait to see pics.



I was thinking the same thing...

our wild Blueberries are lucky to get 18"...our 'Half- Highs' and High Bush get to be 3 feet, but only produce from branches protected by snow cover....not a dependable cop here....As well, the acidy soil is localized.


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