Blueberries.
Dr. Paul Fisher
pfisher@ufl.edu
52 percent of 68 million gardeners are growing edibles. Yeah!
Recommended "Emerald" which is BIG and vigorous as a pollinator for "Sunshine Blue" a dwarf.
"Sunshine Blue" is not patented so we can propagate new plants. Yeah. This is Dr. Fisher's favorite blueberry. Two foot high. One per 14" container or put several in a larger pot. Fruit from this blueberry: 100-400.
Cross pollination of Emerald and Sunshine Blue will assisst with pollination. However, it is not necessary.
To propagate Sunshine Blue: take a LOT of 4" tip cuttings in Spring-Summer, use rooting hormone, and plant in peat-bark based potting soil. Less than 25% will root.
Blueberries need a lot of bark, less peat moss, and a little perlite. We are aiming for a pH of 4. They want full sun, bees, and a tiny amount of phosphorous to bloom.
Pruning is recommended. Do not prune in Fall.
There might be benefits to moving blueberries to part shade over the summer here in SW Florida (lanai), but they don't know for sure.
Just as reminders:
- Chill hours are the amount of hours the temperatures is 40 degrees or less.
- Short Day = daylight that is less than 12 hours
- Long Day = daylight that is 12 hours or more
