NEW ENGLAND STATES 



PREMIER. FAIRFAX, TEMPLE, CATSKILL, 

 ROBINSON, SPARKLE. MIDLAND, REDSTAR, 

 FAIRPEAKE, FAIRLAND and all Everbearing. 

 Also Ambrosia, Redcrop, Empire, Armore. 



ALL OTHER STATES— Consult listing of State 

 or climate nearest you. SOUTHERN STATES see 

 Southern Varieties page. 



CENTRAL STATES 



KENTUCKY — ILLINOIS — INDIANA — IOWA 

 KANSAS — 3IISSOI Kl — AROMA. BLAKE- 

 MORE. ROBINSON. I'REMIER. FAIRFAX. 

 TENNESSEE BEAUTY, SHIPPER, TEMPLE. 

 CATSKI LL. TENNESSEAN. 



TENNESSEE — ARKANSAS — 0KLAII03IA — 

 BLAKE.MORE. TENN. BEAUTY. SHIPPER. 

 FAIRFAX, ROBINSON, TENNESSEAN. 



Growing 

 Blueberries 



Adaptiibility — Cultivated blueberries are being 

 successfully grown 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 

 huckleberries, azaleas, or laurel, are found growing 

 there naturally. We do not feel any exact limit 

 of adaptability has been established and would 

 suggest trial plantings anywhere except in the 

 deep South or where the soil is alkaline or very 

 dry. 



Soils— VERY IMPORTANT— Natural blueberry 

 soils have a 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 

 growing season may cause serious injury. Plant- 

 ing on this type of soil is usually done on wide 

 ridges, six to seven inches high. DO NOT PLANT 

 BLUEBERRIES IN RICH GARDEN SOIL THAT 

 HAS HAD THE BENEFIT OF LIME, STABLE 

 MANURE 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 fill with woods leaf mold 

 (the decayed leaf and straw matter found in 

 woodsland). If this material is not readily avail- 

 able mix your soil with generous proportions of 

 peat, sawdust (preferably rotting hardwood saw- 

 dust), or similar humus materials. UNDER NO 

 CIRCUMSTANCES should lime or stable manure 

 be permitted to come into contact with the area in 

 which plants are set. It should be borne in mind 

 that the productiveness of a blueberry planting 

 depends largely on the moisture supplied in the 

 upper soil. 



Mulching — On all but natural blueberry soil, a 

 permanent 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 yield 

 and size of fruit. Ai)plications of i/4 to % lb. per 

 bush have been very successful. We are using a 

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

 Application should be made in a wide band spread 

 evenly around the plant about 10 inches from the 

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

 phate ammonia per bush should be added the sec- 

 ond and third years to supply necessary nitrogen. 

 Also note paragrapli 2 on bottom of this page. 

 NO FERTILIZER SHOULD BE APPLIED THE 

 FIRST YEAR PLANT IS SET. 



PLANTING — For commercial planting, plants are 

 set every four feet in rows eight to ten feet aT>arl 

 as many varieties of blueljerries reach a heiglit of 

 six to seven feet and a width of five to six f(>ef. 

 Plants should be set slightly deeper than they grew 

 in the nursery, with the roots well spread out. 

 When planting, we place a thin layer of pulver- 

 ized peat and sand, which has been soaked and 

 mixed half and half, below and above the roots. 

 We feel this makes an ideal rooting medium, and 

 will keep the plant well supplied Avith moisture 

 until it becomes established. Before planting, one- 

 half to two-thirds of the top g^rowth should he 

 pruned oflf. Should some of the buds be missed the 

 blossoms may be pinched off first year as they 

 appear. For the home planting, plants may be 

 set in whatever manner is convenient, giving them 

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



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

 pints per plant may be expected from mature 

 plants and with medium , pruning plants may pro- 

 due 12 to 20 pints. However, most varieties Avill 

 tend to overbear and after the third year it is the 

 practice of commercial growers to prune the plants 

 to keep up the size of the berries and encourage 

 vigorous new growth for the next year's crop. In- 

 dividual bushes will produce some fruit after being 

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

 mate 1 pint per year of age of well established 

 bushes: for example. pints from a year bush, 

 etc. Present records indicate that blueberry plant- 

 ings, with proper care, will be profitably produc- 

 tive for fifty to seventy-five years, and possibly 

 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 follow instructions in planting 

 paragraph above. 



2. Blueberries should not be planted on soils limed 

 in recent years unless actual tests show soils 

 are still acid enough for blueberries. For less 

 acid soils, decaying leaves or acid peat, rotting 

 straw, sawdust, etc., ma.v be mixed into soil to 

 make conditions suitable. This is important if 

 you are planting in your garden or on your 

 lawn. 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 4>' 



3. Do not permit lime or stable manure to come 

 into contact with immediate area in which Blue- 

 berry 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 (except Summer - flowering bulbs) 

 are perennial in habit. They live throughout the year, making growth in the 

 growing season and becoming dormant in the Winter months. They do best when 

 transplanted during this dormant stage in Spring and in late Fall. Unlike an- 

 nuals (such as vegetables and flowers) you do not have to consider frost damage 

 and may plant as early as the ground can be worked in Spring and as late as th(> 

 ground can be worked in the Fall. Any exceptions to Fall planting are so noted 

 on descriptive pages. 



PLANTING SUCCESS BEGINS WITH PLANTS FROM RAYNER BROTHERS 



2a 



