Growing 

 Blueberries 



Adaptability — Cultivated blueberries are being 

 succesfully grown from North Carolina to the 

 Northern boundaries of the Country. The best 

 indication that blueberries may succeed on a soil 

 is that the3^ 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 Avould 

 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 p.h. value from 3.8 to 5.5 with best 

 growth occurring between p.h, 4.1 to p.h. 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. 



Pruning — Usually very little pruning is necessary 

 until the end of the third season, when regular 

 annual pruning should ordinarily begin. Pruning 

 directions are included with your order. 



Fertilizer — The application of commercial ferti- 

 lizer has given a very marked increase in the yield 

 and size of fruit. Applications of 1/2 to % lb. per 

 bush have been very profitable, and indicate that 

 even heavier applications would pav. A mixture 

 of 100 lbs. nitrate of soda, I'OO lbs. dried blood, 

 400 lbs. rock phosphate and 06 lbs. sulphate of 

 potash has given good results on soils with a 

 p.h. value below 5.0. On less acid soils, sulphate 

 of ammonia should be used in place of nitrate of 

 soda. We are using a standard 5-10-5 fertilizer 



with very good results. Application should bo 

 made in a Avide band spread evenly around the 

 plant about 10 inches from the plant. NO FP:RTI- 

 LIZER SHOULD BE APPLIED THE FIRST 

 YEAR PLANT IS SET. 



Pollination— It is generally conceded that many 

 or all of the cultivated blueberries tend to be self- 

 sterile. Therefore, two or more varieties should be 

 planted to insure good pollination. 



Planting — For commercial 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 Avidth of five to six feet. 

 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 

 wnll keep the plant w^ell supplied with moisture 

 until it becomes established. Before planting, one- 

 half to two-thirds of the top growth should be 

 pruned off. 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 6 to 8 

 pints per plant may be expected from mature plants 

 and with medium pruning plants may produce 12 

 to 20 pints. However, most varieties will 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. Individual 

 bushes will produce some fruit after being planted 

 1 vear. A good rule of thumb is to estimate 1 

 pint per vear of age of well established bushes; for 

 example, "6 pints from a 6 year bush, etc. Present 

 records indicate that blueberry plantings, with 

 proper care, will be profitably productive for fifty 

 to seventy-five years, and possibly longer. 



Profits — Since the introduction of these large, 

 cultivated blueberries their excellent flavor and un- 

 usual size have kept them in the price bracket of a 

 novelty and prices have ranged very high with 

 75c per pint often realized. The market continues 

 to increase as more fruit becomes available and 

 many areas are just beginning to enjoy the intro- 

 duction of hybrid blueberries. It is safe to state 

 the market has merely been scratched, and because 

 of their solid meatiness, good keeping qualities and 

 absolute minimum of waste (no caps to remove) 

 customers feel justified in paying premium prices 

 above other berries. All of these reasons establish 

 the blueberry as a dependable profit maker. 



POINTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT BLUEBERRIES 



1. Plant at least two varietie.s to provide for cross pollination. Cultivated blueberries are con- 

 sidered self-sterile. 



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., may be mixed into soil to make conditions suitable. This is 

 important if you are planting in your garden or on your lawn. 



3. Do not permit lime or stable manure to come into contact with immediate area in which 

 plants are set. See directions on Soils and Fertilizers on this page. 



RAYNER BROTHERS ARE RELIABLE 41 



