How to grow blueberries in Vancouver backyard

How to grow Blue berries  in backyards of Vancouver BC

"Will it grow in backyard.” Asked my curious neighbors and friends eight years back when I started planting blue berry in my backyard. They never seen this.  They were doubtful whether it will succeed. But now they are all surprised  to see them growing. Now they are all inspired by our backyard blueberries.

Climate

As per Plant hardiness zone map or agriculture zone map, areas of Vancouver, Burnaby, surrey,  Delta and  Richmond   falls under zone  8b. Since there is microclimate difference between the terrains it may vary between  7 to 8, and   it cannot  precisely classified into a single zone.

Blueberries that can grow in  zone 8b are classified into different classes depending on the ripening.  They all ripen between June and August.

Season Ripening	Name	Remarks
Early ripening	Duke, Sparton. Reka, concord, stanly
Early midseason ripening	Patriot, North country
Mid season	Bluecrop, Blueray,  Northsky, Toro
Mid to late	Chandler
Late season	Brigette, Legacy, Jersy





Blueberry in pot

 The most common ones are Duke, Reka, Bluecrop, Blueray, Sparton, etc.  in Vancouver climate


Blueberry essentials

Sunlight	Fruit needs plenty sunlight
Soil	Acidic between 4.5 and 5.0. Blueberries are like heather and  rhododendrons. Most of the other  fruits do well between 5.5 and 6.5.
Soil drainage	Adequate draining is important.
pollination	Mainly self-pollinating, not all. But it will be better to have different varieties within 100 feet, so bees can travel and do cross pollination.

Spacing.



Blueberry in pot in beginning of spring

Blueberries can be planted between 6 feet  to 8 feet apart, but in back yard 4 to 6 ft is enough. It is better to plant them in short blocks like 4 or more different types in one block rather than in long big rows. With this you can control the PH or acidity of the soil in one block by adding ammonium sulphate or organic material. This will help cross pollination between plants too. 

When to transplant?.

Transplant it in early spring or fall. Dig a hole 2 ft deep, 18 inch wide.  If the soil is not acidic add 50 ml garden Sulphur. Spread peat moss, one fourth sand and cotton seed meal at the bottom and around the pit. Wet fully or soak the pot 2-3 hours before planting. Plant the blueberry. While transplanting, place them on the same level with the ground as was in the pot. Don’t plant it deeper or bury the crown.

Soil
Plants require right Ph to absorb nutrients. To make the soil acidic mature plants need 6 oz or 170gm ammonium sulphate at each application. Apply first  in early spring and then second  in late spring  when berries are first formed. Dissolve in water  just before applying.  or water after application

  Container

If grown in container remove from the pot lightly rough up the surface of the root ball every year. Cover the roots with ½ inch soil or peat moss. Water well.

Fertilizing

Blueberries like acidic fertilizer like Azalea or Rhody. Use 1 ounce or  2 table spoons of 10-20-10 ie NPK or similar in late spring for newly planted stock when buds begin to break in the spring.  Six weeks after applying fertilizer  apply two tablespoons of ammonium sulphate per plant. Continue ammonium sulphate application at six weeks intervals two or more times during season. Caution: Blue berries are very sensitive to over fertilization. Frequent manuring is better than overdose. For subsequent use apply 1 ounce in early spring and again in late spring for best results.  After fertilizing always water well. Or dissolve in water.  Add fertilizer away from the stem.

Caution
Avoid using fresh cow or steer manure.  Never use mushroom manure since it may contain salt. You will kill the plant. Avoid homemade compost too, since it may be sticky on the roots and it may contain salt. It is sticky  too acts like clay  and the roots cannot breathe easily. I killed around 20 plants by using mushroom manure and home-made sticky compost.

Mulching.

It is better to Keep 2"-4” mulch over the roots to conserve moisture, to add organic matter and to  prevent weeds. Add grass clippings, bark mulch, dried leaves, sawdust, etc are good every year. The fibrous roots will establish rapidly on the top mulch.

Pruning.

It is better to allow new plants to get established before bearing fruit. Avoid bearing the fruit on the first year. Keep minimal or avoid fruits in the first 3 years by pinching the blossom.  Prune the base growth to let it grow higher.

1. Cut  old, weak , low spreading branches near ground to soil level in every  2-3 years during winter. Leave mainly strong erect branches.
2. Prune dead wood, and non-vigorous branches.
3. Thin out to get a balance.
4. Pruning to be done when the leaves are fallen. In BC it is November. Keep only 6 to  8 shoots in a more than 10 year old bush.

Blueberries can be easily grown in the backyards of Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam  etc. I am growing them for the last eight years. You will get delicious organic fresh fruits from June to August at your convenience. Enjoy the organic fruits.