What Type of Blueberry Plant to Grow in Georgia?
Georgia blueberries include the native rabbiteye varieties and the southern highbush types. Blueberries need an acidic and moist soil. Once these soil conditions are matched to the type, blueberries will grow easily in most backyards. Blueberry bushes of these types may be grown as specimen plants in pots, in clusters or in rows. Does this Spark an idea?
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Southern Highbush Blueberries
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Southern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are sometimes grown in beds of pine bark 6 to 8 inches deep. Highbush blueberries require an acidic, porous soil with both sand and organic matter. These blueberries benefit from a layer of sandy soil under the topsoil. Southern highbush blueberry types include O'Neal, Legacy and Blue Ridge. This type of blueberry is more drought tolerant than other types of highbush blueberries. They are often grown commercially in Georgia.
Highbush Blueberries
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Highbush blueberries such as Morrow, Reveille, Croatan, Murphy and Bounty may require some irrigation. These types, sometimes called northern highbush blueberries, grow in the mountains. They fruit later in the season and therefore are less likely to succumb to frost. They are often browsed by deer and birds.
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Rabbiteye Blueberries
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The rabbiteye blueberry (V. ashei) is native to Georgia. Types of rabbiteye blueberries include Climax, Premier and Tifblue. It is helpful to plant several types of rabbiteye berries to help with cross pollination. Rabbiteyes will tolerate more soil types than all types of highbush berries. The soil pH should not exceed 5.4 for these berries.
Seasons
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Different blueberry types flower and yield fruit at various times during the season. Among the rabbiteye berries, early season types include Climax and Premier, mid-season blueberries include Tifblue and Powderblue, while late-season berries include Centurion and Baldwin. Among the highbush types, the early plants are Duke and Earliblue, mid-season plants include Blueray and Legacy, while the late-season highbush are Jersey and Elliot.
Considerations
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Consider temperature extremes when selecting blueberry types. Rabbiteye blueberries do not tolerate extreme cold, so they are not suggested for the northern Georgia mountains. Highbush blueberries thrive in well-drained and consistently moist soil. Both types need pruning each year. Blueberry plants do not often need pesticides and grow well organically.
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References
- Photo Credit blueberries image by samantha grandy from Fotolia.com
