For recent research on California blueberries, view information from the
2008 Week of Blueberries.
Blueberries
United States Department of Agriculture
Cooperative State Research Service
Office for Small-Scale Agriculture
The blueberry is delicious as a fresh fruit
snack or in a variety of foods such as blueberry pies or muffins.
Although most large-scale commercial blueberry operations are
in either Michigan or New Jersey, highbush blueberries can be
cultivated throughout much of the United States-with careful site
selection and proper cultural practices.
Highbush blueberries fit nicely into small-scale
farming. In the Midwest, by selecting early or late varieties,
harvesting can begin in early June and last into August. Local
marketing by pick-your-own (PYO) customers, at farmer's markets,
or ready-picked sales to nearby stores is particularly feasible
for small-scale operators in close proximity to metropolitan areas.
Blueberry sales can supplement income from primary sources.
Growing highbush blueberries is labor and
management intensive. Most work can be performed by hand, but
specialized equipment may be beneficial. Blueberry production
requires a substantial investment In time and money. Plantings
require 2 to 3 years to establish and are not harvested until
the third or fourth growing season. Many things can go wrong during
the first years and a knowledge of blueberry biology and pest
management is essential.
Without good cultural practices-including
insect, weed, and disease control-plantings may be doomed even
before first harvest. Ideas on pest control practices should be
available through the local Cooperative Extension Service (CES).
Per-acre returns can be high. A mature planting
can gross $5,000 per acre and return $3,000 or more with correct
marketing, management, and growing.
Site and Pre-Planting Considerations
Blueberries should ideally be planted on
a gently rolling slope to provide good air and water drainage.
Good air drainage reduces likelihood of blossom damage from late
spring frosts. blueberry roots are very sensitive to standing
water so they need good surface and internal water drainage. Although
a sandy soil is best for drainage, heavier soils may be used if
internal drainage is adequate. This may require either planting
on ridges or placing tiles to improve drainage.
In choosing a site, give consideration to
a water source for irrigation. If the crop is to be harvested
by PYO customers, the location should be easily accessible to
parking nearby.
Blueberry plants are very sensitive to soil
pH and require acidic soils for success. Optimum soil pH is 4.8
to 5.2, although levels as high as 5.5 are acceptable. The soil
pH can gradually be reduced through use of acid-reaction fertilizers.
Soils with pH levels of 5.5 to 6.0 can be used if the soil pH
is lowered using an agricultural sulfur 1 year or more prior to
planting. The sulfur required to lower soil pH varies with soil
type. It may be economically unfeasible to adjust the pH of some
soils. Therefore, prior to planting, another soil pH test should
be conducted to learn whether the soil pH has attained a satisfactory
acidic reaction.
Planning should begin at least 1 year prior
to planting blueberries. This time schedule allows for adjusting
soil pH (if needed), tiling, ditching, and digging a pond or drilling
a well. During this time, it may be possible to control perennial
weeds which may be difficult to stop with herbicides registered
for use on blueberries after planting. A green manure crop of
rye or wheat may be grown and then turned under to improve soil
tilth. Any cultivated crop grown during this preparatory year
may help reduce insect and weed problems. If herbicides are used
to manage weeds during the preparation of the site for blueberry
production, then be aware of the time limits for degradation of
the herbicide residues in the soil.
Plant Selection
Cultivars (cultivated varieties) are the
keys to success and are selected a year ahead. They should be
booked with a reputable nursery. The CES (Extension agent) should
have information on which cultivars are best adapted for local
use. A potential grower may also learn about cultivar selection
by visiting other growers and from nursery professionals. Most
nurseries offer rooted cuttings, 2-year-old bare-rooted fieldgrown
plants, and 2-year-old containerized nursery stock.
Many small-scale operations buy containerized
planting stock because of the increased survival and earlier production
they may offer. If containerized stock is used, it is wise to
pick up the plants at the nursery and eliminate shipping expenses.
Field Layout
Blueberries benefit from cross pollination
so growers should alternate cultivars with similar flowering seasons
in alternating blocks of 2 to 4 rows. Rows ideally run north to
south to allow for uniform sunlight. However, any orientation
is acceptable. Blueberries are normally grown with wide row spacings,
with the area between rows seeded down to a perennial cover crop
such as Kentucky bluegrass or fescue.
Row spacings of 10 to 14 or more feet ensure
that mowing and spraying can be done by tractor, although narrower
spacings will allow for equipment use during the first few years
of planting. However, without at Ieast 10-foot spacing the plants
will grow large enough that a tractor can no longer be driven
between the rows. Spacing within the row is commonly 4' or 6'.
Planting for PYO operations should allow
for customer convenience and handling. Rows should be interrupted
with cross-walks or drive alleys about every 200'. It is also
helpful to arrange cultivars with similar ripening seasons together
so that harvest can progress in an orderly fashion.
Planting
Planting of containerized nursery stock
may occur in either early fall or early spring. Bar root nursery
stock is normally planted in the spring. Fall planting should
occur between late September and early October. The roots of these
fall-set plants will continue to grow until soil temperatures
fall below 45 F. Spring plantings are often delayed because of
wet weather. Fall-set plants are already in place and have the
advantage of early spring growth, which is often missed in spring
plantings due to wet weather delays. Fall-pIanted blueberries
must be mulched prior to winter in areas in danger of frost heaving.
Spring planting should begin as soon as the danger of severe frost
has passed.
Blueberries are shallow rooted so the planting
hole needs to be wide. Holes may be dug by hand or with an oversized
tractor-mounted posthole digger. Some growers prefer to plant
in a plow furrow. After the hole is dug, the plants should be
planted as deep as they were in the nursery. Usually about 1 pound
of moist acidic sphagnum peat moss is used per plant during planting.
It is mixed with soil during backfilling of the planting hole
should be thoroughly wet prior to using. Failure to wet the sphagnum
peat moss can result in it drawing moisture out of the soil and
causing the newly set plants to dry out.
After planting, bare-root plants should
have 1/3 to 2/3 of the branches removed. This allows the plant
root system to be in balance with the shoot system and increases
survival by reducing transpirational demand. Plan containerized
stock reduces the need for pruning branches at planting time.
Flower buds should be rubbed off to ensure that energy is channeled
into vegetative growth.
Mulch and Irrigation
In most regions where highbush blueberries
can be grown, both mulch and irrigation are essential for successful
production. Mulch goes on newly set plants soon after planting
and irrigation should be ready before newly set plants dry out.
Many materials are suitable for mulching blueberries, but sawdust
Is most common. Mulch keeps soil temperatures cooler during summer,
reduces weeds, and maintains soil moisture more uniformly.
Although mulch helps save moisture, it does
not eliminate the need for irrigation. Blueberries are very sensitive
to drought and irrigation is essential in most areas. Trickle
irrigation offers the advantage of being more efficient, but it
does not allow for the frost protection that overhead systems
can provide. In areas where late spring frosts are of little concern,
trickle irrigation is normally chosen because of its increased
efficiency. Irrigation then occurs without interrupting spraying
or harvesting.
Crop Management
Bird depredation can be the biggest problem
of small-scale producers, sometimes causing crop losses of over
70 percent. Scare devices and exclusion by netting are commonly
used to reduce losses.
Insect and disease problems may be small
in areas of few blueberry plantings. The CES can provide information
on weed, insect, and disease control.
Marketing the Crop
The principal small-scale market may be
consumers in local communities. A high percentage of blueberries
are direct marketed locally. The potential trade area for blueberries
tends to be larger than for strawberries. Blueberries also offer
other advantages over strawberries for PYO operations. Blueberries
require little stooping. Customers find them easy to freeze, requiring
little preparation other than washing, and easy to use. PYO surveys
have found a trend towards an increased average age of PYO consumers.
Sales of ready-picked blueberries at the
farm or local markets bring higher prices to producers from consumers
who desire farm fresh produce, but do not wish to PYO.
The blueberry crop is usually sold within
60 days, depending upon weather and varieties. Weekends are usually
the busiest. Coordinating sales advertising and promotion with
peak harvests challenges even experienced growers.
PYO growers must be market oriented, plan
far ahead, seek alternative market possibilities, train employees,
and develop successful advertising, especially a good farm logo.
Before starting any small-scale enterprise, a farmer should study
the potential markets, trade areas, competitors, and the advertising
media.
About 450 PYO customers can harvest 1 acre
of blueberries (6,000 pounds). PYO blueberries are usually sold
by weight in pounds and/or ounces. The scales used for sales should
be inspected by the Weights and Measures Division of the State
Department of Agriculture or Commerce.
A direct market business requires time to
develop. Blueberries lend themselves nicely to market development
because they require 6 years or more to reach maximum yields.
Careful attention to a business image, including the logo, quality
of fruit, and how fields are maintained, is essential. A direct
marketer should exceed customer expectations. Merely raising high-quality
blueberries is not enough.
Often customers enjoy the recreational aspect
of a trip to a country farm as much as obtaining high-quality
produce at reasonable prices. They want well marked roads; adequate
parking; and friendly courteous service.
Since accidents do occur, growers must have
adequate insurance. A regular farm insurance policy may not cover
liability to PYO customers.
For More Information
State university and county CES personnel
can often provide information from local Ag Experiment Stations
which is geared to local production and marketing. For example,
the University of Illinois conducts an annual "Small Fruit
School" and publishes a Proceedings, which includes information
on blueberries as well as other small fruit. For information write
to J.D. Kindhart, University of Illinois, Dixon Springs Agricultural
Center, R-1, Box 256, Simpson, IL 62985. Similar extension schools
are held in Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, North Carolina,
Pennsylvania, Missouri, and other States.
Other Information Sources
Highbush Blueberry Production Guide (200
pp, color), Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service,
152 Riley-Robb Hall, Cooperative Extension, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY 14853.
Small Fruit Crop Management (608
pp), Prentice Hall. Mail Order Billing Dept.,200 Old Tappan Road,
Old Tappan, NJ 07657.
Growing Blueberries in Missouri (26
pp), State Fruit Experiment Station of SMSU, Mountain Grove, MO
65711.
Hints on Growing Blueberries (8
pp), Bulletin Office, 10B Agriculture Hall, Michigan State University,
East Lansing, Ml 42824.
Fruit and Vegetable Clip Art for Direct
Marketers University of Illinois,
Department of Horticulture, Dixon Springs Agricultural Center,
Simpson, IL 62985.
Small Fruit Production and Pest Management
Guide (111 pp), Publications
Distribution Center, 112 Agricultural Administration Building,
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802.
The Highbush Blueberry and Its Management
(270 pp), The Haworth Press Inc.,
10 Alice
Street,, Binghamton, NY 13904.
By J.D. Kindhart, University of Illinois,
and George B. Holcomb, Office of Communication, U.S, Department
of Agriculture (USDA), for USDA's Office for Small-Scale Agriculture
(OSSA); Howard W. "Bud" Kerr Jr., Program Director,
Ag Box 2244, Washington, DC 20250-2244. Telephone: 202-401-1805;
Fax: 202-401-1804.
The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of
race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability,
political beliefs and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited
bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA Office of
Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 TDD).
To file a complaint, write the Secretary
of Agriculture, U.S, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 TDD).
USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Mention of commercial enterprises or
brand names does not constitute endorsement or imply preference
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
All uses of fungicides, pesticides, and
herbicides must be registered by appropriate State and/or Federal
agencies before they can be recommended.
CAUTION: Fungicides, pesticides, and
herbicides can be injurious to humans, domestic animals, desirable
plants, and fish or other wildlife if they are not handled or
applied properly. Use all products selectively and carefully.
Follow recommended practices for the disposal of surplus products
and their containers.
May 1994
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