NEW ENGLAND STATES 



PKEMIEK, FAIRFAX, TEMPLF. t'ATSKILE, 

 KOr.lNSON. HPARKLE, MIDLAND. KEDSTAK, 

 FAIKPEAKE. FAIKEAND and all Evorbearinj,'. 

 Also Ambrosia, Redcroi), Empire, Armore, Sen. 

 Dunlai). 



ALL OTHER STATES Consult listing of State 

 or climate nearest yoti. 



Growing 

 Blueberries 



Adaptability — Cultivated blueberries are being 

 successfully ki'owu from North Carolina to the 

 Northern boundaries of the Country. The best 

 indication that blueberries may succeed on a soil 

 is that they or some related plants, such as huckle- 

 berries, azaleas, or laui-el. are found growing there 

 naturally. We do not feel any exact limit of adapt- 

 ability has been established and would suggest 

 trial plantings anywhere except in the deep South 

 or where the soil is alkaline or very dry. 



Soils— VKKY I3IPOKTANT— Natural blueberry 

 soils have .'i pH value from 3.8 to 5.5 with best 

 growth occurring between pH 4.1 to pH 5. These 

 soils have an abundance of humus and a fairly 

 constant high water table. Such soils must have a 

 good surface drainage, as flooding during the grow- 

 ing season may cause serious injury. I'lanting on 

 this type soil is usually done on wide ridges, six 

 to seven inches high. DO NOT PLANT BLUE- 

 BERRIES IN RICH GARDEN SOIL THAT HAS 

 HAD THE BENEFIT OF LIME, STABLE MA- 

 NFRE OR OTHER SOIL SWEETENERS. If you 

 set blueberry plants in your garden or lawn the 

 best method is to dig a large hole where each plant 

 is to be set and till with woods leaf mold (the de- 

 cayed leaf and straw matter found in woodsland). 

 If this material is not readily available mix your 

 soil with generous proportions of i)eat, sawdust 

 (preferably rotting hardwood sawdust), or similar 

 humus materials. FNDER NO CIRCLMSTANCES 

 should lime or stable manure be permitted to come 

 into contact with the area in which plants are set. 

 It should be l)orne in mind that the productiveness 

 of a bluel)erry planting depends largely on the 

 moisture supplied in the upper soil. 



Mulching: — On all but natural blueberry soil, a 

 l)ermanent mulch should be applied as soon as the 

 plants are set. Such materials as straw, sawdust, 

 salt hay, sudan grass, pine needles or leaves should 

 be spread around the plants about six inches deep. 

 Further applications should be made each year in 

 sufficient quantities to maintain the mulch." With 

 individual plants mulch should be applied over an 

 area six to eight feet square. 



Fertilizer — The application of commercial ferti- 

 lizer has given a very marked increase in the A'ield 

 and size of fruit. Applications of % to % lb." per 

 l)usli liave been very successful. We are using a 

 standard 5-10-5 fertilizer with very good results. 

 Application should be made in a Avide l)and spread 

 evenly around the plant about 10 inches from the 

 plant. Where sawdust mulch is used. 2 oz. sul- 

 phate ammonia per l)ush should be added the sec- 

 ond and third years to supply necessary nitrogen. 

 Also note paragraph 2 on bottom of this" page. NO 

 FERTILIZER SHOULD BE APPLIED THE 

 FIRST YEAR PLANT IS SET. 



PLANTING — For commei-cial planting, plants are 

 set every four feet in rows eight to ten feet apart 

 as many varieties of blueberries reach a height of 

 SIX to seven feet and a width of five to six feet. 



CENTRAL STATES 



KENTUCKY — ILLINOIS — INDIANA — IOWA 

 KANSAS — ,>IISSOURI — ARO.MA, BLAKE- 

 IMORE, ROBINSON, I'REMIER. FAIRFAX, 

 TENNESSEE BEAUTY, SHIPPER. TEMPLE, 

 CATSKILL, TENNESSEAN. POCAHONTAS, 

 DIXIELAND, SEN. DUN LAP. 



TENNESSKK — ARKANSAS — OKLAHOMA — 



BLAKEMORE. TENN. BEAUTY. SHIPPER, 

 FAIRFAX, ROBINSON, TENNESSEAN, POCA- 

 HONTAS, DIXIELAND. 



Plants should be set slightly deeper than they grew 

 in the nursery, with the roots well spread out. 

 When planting. Ave place a thin layer of pulver- 

 ized peat and sand. Avhich has been soaked and 

 mixed half and half, beloAv and above the roots. 

 We feel this makes an ideal rooting medium, and 

 Avill keep the plant aa^cII supplied AAith moisture 

 until it l)ecomes established. Before planting, one- 

 half to two-third.s of the top growth should be 

 pruned off". Should some of the buds be missed the 

 l)lossoms may be pinched off first year as they 

 appear. For the home planting, plants may be 

 set in AA'hatever manner is convenient, giving them 

 about thirty-tAvo square feet of space to each plant. 



Yields — On good blueberry soil, yields of 6 to 8 

 pints per plant may be expected from mature 

 plants and Avith medium pruning plants may i)ro- 

 duce 12 to 20 pints. HoAvever. most varieties Avill 

 tend to overbear and after the third year it is the 

 l)ractice of commercial groAvers to jtrune the plants 

 to keep up the size of the berries and encourage 

 vigorous neAA^ groAA^th for the next year's crop. In- 

 dividual bushes AA'ill produce some fruit after being 

 planted 1 year. A good rule of thumb is to esti- 

 mate 1 pint per year of age of Avell established 

 bushes : for example, pints from a year bush, 

 etc. Present records indicate that blueberry plant- 

 ings, AA'ith proper care, will be profitably produc- 

 tiA-e for fifty to seA-enty-five years, and possil>ly 

 longer. 



IMPORTANT POINTS 



1. Plant at least two varieties to provide for cross 

 pollination. Cultivated blueberries are consid- 

 ered self-sterile. Do not permit to fruit first 

 year. Be sure to folloAV instructions in plant- 

 ing paragraph above. 



3. Blueberries should not be planted on soils limed 

 in recent years unless actual tests shoAV soils 

 are still acid enough for blueberries. For less 

 acid soils, decaying leaves or acid peat, rotting 

 straAA', sawdust, etc., may be mixed into soil to 

 make conditions suitable. This is important if 

 you are planting in your garden or on your 

 laAA-n. Aluminum sulphate at rate of 5 lbs. per 

 100 sq. ft. and up to 10 lbs. on heavy loams Is 

 excellent for garden plantings. See page 36. 



.S. Do not permit lime or stable manure to come 

 into contact Avith immediate area in Avhich 

 Blueberry plants are set. See directions on 

 Soils and Fertilizers on this page. 



WHY IT PAYS 



TO PLANT 



EARLY 



All nursery stock listed in this catalog are perennial in habit. They live 

 throughout the year, making growth in the groAving season and becoming dor- 

 mant in the Winter months. They do betJt Avhen transplanted during this dor- 

 mant stage in Spring and in late Fall. Unlike annuals (such as vegetables and 

 flowers (you do not have to consider frost damage and may plant as early as the 

 ground can be Avorked in Spring and as late as the ground can be worked in the 

 Fall. Any exceptions to Fall planting are so noted on descriptive pages. Early 

 planting ahvays gives best results. 



PLANTINCx SUCCESS BEGINS WITH PLANTS FROM RAYNER BROTHERS 



23 



