that will be a source of pride to him. Blueberries should do well under 
conditions favorable to rhododendrons. 
Blueberry bushes have a special appeal to many persons for landscape 
use, as individual bushes, mass plantings, or in hedges. The bare bushes 11. 
winter, the spring bloom, and the foliage in summer and autumn are attractive 
and fit well into many landscapes. If the bushes are not covered with netting 
to protect the crop, they are especially attractive in July. The development of 
such a planting should be worked out for each individual spot. 
The districts growing blueberries best have some freezing weather during 
the winter but rarely a minimum of 20 degrees below zero, as such extreme 
cold kills the fruit buds. Some gardeners in the colder climates protect their 
blueberry bushes with straw tied around the tops during the winter. Frosts 
after growth starts may ruin the bloom and crop, but such troubles are more 
common in the low-lying commercial fields than they would be in the garden. 
Soil Management Is Most Important 
Most commercial fields have a peat-sand or peat-loam soil that is acid 
and moist. The water table usually is about 18 to 24 inches below the surface. 
This level keeps the soil somewhat moist but allows good drainage at ne 
surface. Fields are usually made by draining swamps or low areas where the 
peat and sand are found, clearing the land of its natural growth, and mixing 
the soil well before planting. A few fields are on deep peat with little or no 
sand present. Such soil may be fairly satisfactory if the acidity is below pH 5. 
Where soils like these are available in the home garden, blueberries should 
grow well. In most New Jersey gardens, however, the soil is loamy sand, loam, 
or clay loam in texture and is relatively low in organic matter. If the soil is 
sandy, rather acid, and has had a wild growth of blueberries, laurel, or rhodo- 
dendrons, then as much as possible of the natural peat should be retained and 
worked into the soil. If additional peat canbe brought in, it will help. If the soil 
is distinctly dry, some form of irrigation, probably of the sprinkler type, may 
be necessary to ensure good growth. If the soil is reasonably moist, a mulch 
deep enough to control weeds will conserve sufficient moisture. Salt hay, saw- 
dust, or leaves will make a satisfactory covering, but any strawy material will 
do. Where clean cultivation is especially desired, the surface soil may be 
worked with a hoe or iron rake and water supplied, by irrigation, as needed in 
dry weather. On loam and clay loam soils with fair moisture content, a mulch 
will usually hold enough moisture. Very compact, poorly aerated, and poorly 
drained soils should be avoided, as the plants may die if water stands around 
them during the growing season 
Where a mulch of organic material is applied, especially on the lighter 
soils, the soil microorganisms which cause decay of the organic matter will 
multiply rapidly and tie up nitrogen from the soil in their own bodies, and 
the plants may suffer from a deficiency of this element. Later when the 
organisms die, this nitrogen will be released and may be used by the plants. 
When the mulch is first applied to a soil naturally rather low in nitrogen, 
about twice as much nitrogen should be applied in the fertilizer as would 
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