Page 36 - ALG Issue 2 2019
P. 36

blueberry
Blueberries originate from North America and were gathered by
Native Americans who used them as medicine, ate them fresh, preserved them for use in stews and soups, and also used the dried berries to flavour meat. When English settlers arrived
in America, they struggled to feed themselves until the Native Americans taught them about growing corn and gathering and drying blueberries to eat in the winter. The blueberries used by the Native Americans were the wild, or low bush variety. Most blueberries that are cultivated today are the high bush variety that was domesticated in the early 20th century by Elizabeth White and Dr. Frederick Coville. In 1911, they teamed up to identify wild plants with the most desirable properties, crossbred the bushes and created vibrant new blueberry varieties.
Most of the cultivated forms of blueberry that are to be found in gardens today are bred from these north American blueberries. There are two distinct types to be found
in cultivation, the high bush that
can reach a height of 1.5metres/5ft
or the shorter growing low bush
that may grow 60cms/2ft tall. The dwarfed varieties are especially suitable for growing in pots, raised beds or containers. Both varieties of blueberries require the same growing conditions. Although blueberries
are considered to be self-fertile, it is recommended to always plant different cultivars to cross fertilise
each other and ensure that there is
a good crop of berries. Their natural growing habitat is in boggy soil
which is very acidic with a pH of 5.5. Because most garden soils aren’t this acidic, these conditions are difficult to replicate in the garden. Always carry out a pH test on the soil before buying any plants.
Mains water could contain lime or chemicals that will affect the growth of the bushes, so it is advisable to only water with rain water
the bushes with well-rotted wood chips or bark to conserve moisture and suppress weed growth. Very little pruning is required in the early years other than to cut out weak, crossing, damaged or diseased branches. After a few years some of the older wood will become less productive and will have to be pruned out to be replaced by younger wood. Ripe blueberries are uniformly blue and plump. If it still looks reddish, it isn't quite ready.
There are British and European
forms of blueberries that grow wild
on the acidic, heathland moors
of mountains. Known as Bilberry, Blaeberry, Whortleberry, Whinberry or Windberry, they are low-growing plants with sparse, very dark purple berries. Some say that the taste is inferior to blueberries but I beg to differ. I can still taste the wonderful sweet, sharp tasting filling – bursting from a bilberry tart bought at my local bakers in West Yorkshire – and still have juice stains on a shirt! They can be grown in acidic soil on an allotment but, speaking from my experience of foraging for bilberries, you would need an awful lot of plants for just one pie!
vaccinium
corymbosum
  Mains water could contain lime or chemicals that will affect the growth of the bushes, so it is advisable to only water with rain water. Mulch around
           36 Allotment and Leisure Gardener












































































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