Jersey Blueberry

Size

Its well known that blueberries are a healthy fruit, full of vitamins and antioxidants. Jersey Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum Jersey) is a classic berry variety that produces huge quantities of the healthy fruit. You can use the berries, which are ready for harvest late in the season (typically August), in pies, jams, or just for munching. Eventually, expect 8 to 12 pounds of blueberries on the 6 to 7 foot-high and wide shrub. This native bush consistently produces small- to medium-size blueberries after 2 to 3 years, and comes back year after year. Thats a bonus to you or to the birds who rely on their fruit as well. The plants will grow in zones 4 through 7 and feature whitish-pink flowers in late spring before producing delicious berries. This blueberry is self-pollinating, but adding a few other blueberry plants (Elliott or Darrow blueberries) nearby will help them pop with even more fruit. Jersey Blueberry Bush Care Plant your blueberry in spring after danger of hard frost or in fall. Give the bush full sun and soil that is loosened, free of weeds, and able to drain well. Blueberries prefer soil that has an acidic pH, which means you might have to prepare the soil a year before planting. Put a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch around the base of the plant to help hold in moisture and cut out weeds. Choosing an acid compost can help keep the soil at the optimal pH level. Do not apply fertilizer at planting time. Water your blueberry regularly during the growing season. Fertilize with an acid fertilizer (such as those for azaleas) about a month after planting. Always water well after fertilizing. Prune the shrubs in middle to late winter, removing older branches to help give energy to new branches for more fruiting. Growing Jersey Blueberry Bushes Your Jersey Blueberry will grow to full size and begin to produce berries in a few years, so be patient. You can grow Jersey Blueberry in a large container if you are worried about your soil type. In the ground, this is a quick-growing bush. It needs full sun and some room to spread. It also will produce the most fruit if located near other blueberries that cross-pollinate with it. Growing Jersey Blueberry Bushes in Containers If growing Jersey Blueberry in a container, be sure the container has good drainage and that it is at least 2 feet deep and 2 to 2.5 feet wide. Spring planting in containers is safest in cool zones. Use two-thirds of your preferred potting mix and one-third of a potting mix for acid-loving plants. Container-grown blueberries will likely dry out faster than those grown in the ground. Watering Jersey Blueberry Bushes Since blueberries have shallow roots, they need frequent watering, so be sure to water them regularly but not if the soil is already wet. Check the plant after rain to make sure the soil beneath the leaves received some water. Feeding Jersey Blueberry Bushes Feed your blueberry plant in spring just as new growth begins to appear but before it enters the active growth phase (and once more in late spring if you like). Look for a fertilizer with a lower pH (higher acid), designed for acid-loving plants. Also try to choose a fertilizer high in nitrogen, but without nitrates. Be sure to water well after fertilizing.