Blueberry Winter Damage: Care Of Blueberries In Winter. Most perennials become dormant during the late fall and winter to protect themselves from the cold temperatures; blueberries are no exception. In most cases, blueberry plant growth slows as dormancy develops and the cold hardiness of the plant increases.

Partner Post: Protect Potted Berries from Winter in Three Easy Steps

1. Give Them a Drink. Many berry shrubs don’t need much water while dormant, but check containers at least once a month.
2. Get out the Pruners. Once berries have been harvested and the plants are losing leaves, it’s time to prune.
3. Keep Berry Plants Warm.

Select a sunny, sheltered spot. While blueberries are tolerant of shade, better crops are obtained in the sun. At the same time, they should not be exposed to harsh, drying winds. Don’t plant blueberries too close to trees, as the trees will not only block out sunlight, but will also suck up any moisture in the soil.

Protect the blueberry bush from cold winter winds and ice damage by wrapping it in burlap. Start at the top of the plant and cover the bush with burlap, pinning the material together. Continue wrapping until the entire bush is covered. Leave the burlap on the blueberry bush until spring.

A blueberry bush is at least two or three years old before it is mature and established enough to bear fruit. During the first one or two growing seasons, you should pull off any flowers that appear on the bush to encourage your blueberry plant to concentrate its growth on its foliage and root system.

You can expect to average around five to seven pints of fresh, sweet blueberries per plant each summer. Blueberries are remarkably carefree. You aren’t likely to encounter many insects or diseases, and if birds are a problem, just cover the plants with netting.

Annual vegetables that can accompany blueberries include radishes (Raphanus spp.), potatoes (solanum spp.), peppers (Capsicum spp.) or endive (Cichorium spp.), while the herb parsley (Petroselinum spp.) makes a decorative and useful companion to blueberries as well.

Blueberry plants need full sun: Blueberries will tolerate partial shade, especially late in the day. Blueberries will grow in higher pH, but to achieve highest production, you will need to amend the soil around the plants.

Water blueberry plants during the day. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Give them at least 1″ per week during growing season and up to 4″ per week during fruit ripening. Keep the soil moist to a depth of 1″.

Blueberry plants will gradually spread from their growing location through a process called suckering. New, fast-growing shoots grow out of the soil from the main root cluster a few inches from the main clump. Over time, the size of the blueberry bush grows gradually as new suckers form.

50 years

The best selection is the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), our native species which is ideally suited to all three growth zones of the Garden State. Highbush blueberry cultivars have an inherent resistance to many diseases of fruit, flower, and foliage.

Blueberries. 3 Plants per person is usually enough. We have 12 mature plants for our family (2 per person) and could definitely use more!

The average life of blueberry plants is 20 years with proper maintenance. Suggested number of plants for a family of 5: 8-10 (2 plants per person).

You can expect about three to six regular-sized potatoes and a few smaller ones from each plant.

Each bucket is home to one vegetable plant and perhaps two or three smaller herbs or annual flowers. Using 5-gallon buckets, you can grow as many different vegetables as you’d like.

A bush type tomato growing in a 5-gallon container needs water every day, sometimes twice a day during the hot summer months, and when the plant is actively producing tomatoes. The best way to check if the plant needs water is to stick your finger in the potting soil up to 2” deep.

Whether you grow sweet or hot peppers, plan on one pepper plant per bucket. Because peppers are already compact plants, they are one of the best vegetables to grow in buckets, fitting well in a typical 5-gallon plastic or metal bucket.

A 5-gallon bucket holds an amazing number of potatoes, and you have the option of bringing them in or moving them to a warmer place outdoors whenever bad weather threatens. Pour about 4 inches of good-quality potting soil or compost into each bucket, and place two small seed potatoes, evenly spaced, on top of the soil.

Without further ado then, let’s take a look at 15 of the most popular fruits and veggies that thrive when grown in 5 gallon buckets:

1. Tomatoes. Tomatoes are one of the most popular options to grow in containers.
2. Peppers.
3. Eggplant.
4. Zucchini.
5. Cucumbers.
6. Lettuce & Other Leafy Crops.
7. Kale, Broccoli & Other Brassicas.
8. Onions.

Cucumbers are available in the familiar vining cultivars as well as bush versions. A 5-gallon bucket filled with a light, rich mix, such as compost mixed with peat moss or coconut coir and perlite, can support two plants.