Planting Blueberries: Choice of the Budget Gardener for the Healthiest Eating

As therapeutic and money-saving as gardening may be for many suffering from financial hardship during America's continued economic decline, it still costs some money to buy certain vegetables to plant. And you'll have more expenses than you think in taking care of the garden via gardening tools and a water bill. But when having to make a choice as to which vegetables (or the rare fruit) to grow in your garden, consider the healthiest choices. Or, if it came down to one on a shoestring budget, there's a superior alternative that's not only tasty and useful, but also packed with more antioxidants than anything else you could grow in a garden. I'm talking about blueberries, where the expense of planting won't strain your wallet--yet providing a fruit that can be used in just about every culinary context.

As I write this, the time is perfect to start planting blueberries here in the U.S. mainland. Keep in mind that certain climates are better than others, particularly because blueberry plants need at least half a day's worth of sun in order to grow properly. While my home state of Oregon may not be conducive to seeing that much sun in a day during late winter/early spring, many farmers here start planting now for a late summer/early fall crop of every type of blueberry.

In choosing which blueberries you want to plant, keep in mind that the wild Rubel blueberry is recommended and considered to be loaded with the most antioxidants of any others despite a sometimes tarter flavor. However, the Highbush blueberry is the most common type you see planted here in the U.S. and sold in your local grocery stores due to their slightly plumper shape. If you're into the health aspects over the shape, though, consider looking into planting any kind of wild blueberry should you live in a sunny climate. Along with the above-mentioned Rubel, also look into buying the wild Toro blueberry that's becoming more commonly planted in Oregon and other states.

If you initially think you can't find those wild blueberry cultivars, don't despair. You can find all these varieties in most local nurseries or even by mail via websites that sell them. But before you purchase your blueberry plant, consider the type of soil in the garden you'll be growing them in. Most farmers and gardening masters will tell you that an acidic soil is essential to a successful blueberry crop. Then others might say that it doesn't matter all that much as long as the pH (usually translating to "potential of hydrogen") is between 4.0 and 5.0--give or take a few. Adding ammonium sulfate helps considerably in the acidic quality of the soil if you don't have the time to test your soil.

The roots of most blueberry plants need to be kept cool during the summer growing season, so it's important to add mulch and create as reliable of a watering system as you can afford. Obviously, automatic watering systems can cost you a bundle, so it's best to just turn on your irrigation system manually for about an hour a day if you can. Be sure that the water in your new blueberry garden is able to drain, because the roots of blueberry plants can easily be destroyed if too much water gets into the soil.

Planting several or more blueberry plants and following these simple guidelines in growing them should give you continuous crops each year. They're also easy to pick because the plants are higher up and don't have thorns as you'd get with blackberries or raspberries. But, as with all valued plants, you'll have to take care of them year-round in order to assure that the plants stay healthy to assure your diet...as well as providing you a heavy dose of blueberry pies or muffins in the fall and winter.
_____

Fertilizing, of course, is one of the key aspects to keeping any plant alive and thriving. For blueberry plants, buying a fertilizer that keeps the acidity of the soil is important, even though it's best to not over-fertilize in the beginning. It's usually recommended that you add up to roughly around a pound or more of fertilizer starting in the second year and every ensuing year, with half a pound in the first.

Then there's the sometimes back-breaking task of pruning as you have to do in the winter with rose bushes. Blueberry plants aren't all that tough to prune thanks to the above-mentioned quality of the plant not having thorns that can literally stick you in the side (or fingers) when cutting dead growth. Other than perhaps having to stoop a little to thin out dead branches to ensure healthy blueberry growth in the blooming season, you don't even have to prune your blueberry plants for at least the first couple of years. Only when they start growing exponentially will you have to go outside with a pair of short or long-handled clippers to make sure you won't have to turn your blueberry garden into a corn garden the following year.

Before your blueberry plants starting blooming, consider that nature's creatures are out to amorally raid your garden for their own survival. You might even have to consider the possibility of humans who are suffering economically reaching into your garden to take what they want, hence bringing a new era of garden snatchers. The only way to combat that is a screen or the more common terms of bird netting and chicken wire.

Ultimately, birds are the most prevalent thieves when it comes to berries growing in your garden. Birds are also fairly intelligent on how to find ways through your netting. That means you'll have to make sure it's locked down as firmly as possible so they can't use their ingenuity to get in there to take half your blueberry crop. You'll be wiped out if they do, despite your possible generous personality in wanting to share your food with nature.
___

These steps might seem like a lot of expense when it really isn't. Buying anywhere from four to five of your blueberry cultivars won't cost an arm and a leg and will ultimately save you money in having to buy blueberries in your local market where they sometimes go for more than many families can afford.

Perhaps some might think it strange to just grow blueberries in your garden. You can just tell your detractors that blueberries provide more antioxidants to help combat illness than if you decided to create nothing but a tomato garden...

A link for some delicious recipes utilizing the blueberries you grew on your own...

http://www.blueberryrecipes.org/