subject: 4 Tips For Growing Blueberries At Home [print this page] Blueberries are a great source of anti-oxidants which are essential components for the body. Antioxidants slow down as well as prevents oxidative damage to our body and cells. Oxidative damage includes cancer, heart diseases and other diseases and infections. When we take in oxygen in our bodies, it actually has some substances that can cause grave harm to our bodies. This is where the antioxidants come in by protecting the building blocks of the body, that is, the cells, from damage. Hence, we know the reason why many home gardens have an abundance of various blueberry plants producing tasty blueberries. But before you join them, here are some things to consider before purchasing these plants.
My 4 Tips
1. Soil
Blueberry plants need an acidic soil to grow in. Before you purchase blueberry plants, check the acidity of you soil. If you have never done this before and need help, simply bring a sample to somewhere with the ability to test the acidity, such as a garden store. If the soil is not acidic, it needs peat-based compost. This fertilizer which is organic increases the acidity of the soil. Once your soil is a pH of between 5 and 6; it is suitable for blueberry plants.
2. Weather
Before you purchase blueberry plants, it is important that you find out the suitable weather conditions for these plants and note it against the weather conditions of the proposed planting site, such as in your home garden. Winter seasons are not good for raspberries or any other season that has a lot of frost periods. Frost periods create frost pockets in the soils which freeze the roots causing them to die. Check your local weather conditions to see when the last frost pocket date; plant at least two weeks after this date. The perfect time to plant blueberries are in the fall or spring time when the soil is more workable and favorable to your raspberry plants.
3. Fertilizer
Before you purchase blueberry plants, you must seriously decide if you have the time to fertilize these plants once they have been planted. They should be fertilized in early spring or winter, a month before the first growth shows any signs. Remember, peat moss is the best fertilizer for these plants.
4. Location
Blueberry bushes do well on hillsides; hence if you live in a hilly area and always wanted to effectively use the landscape, then planting blueberry bushes will fit great; provided that the other conditions are suitable for their growth as well. Slopes also do great in this regard.
