Content
Country blueberries are a variety native to the United States. It was created by American breeders more than 30 years ago; its cultivation is carried out in this country on a production scale. The collection of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences contains more than 20 varieties of blueberries, including North Country. However, unlike American farmers who create blueberry plantations, domestic summer residents grow them exclusively for personal purposes.
Description of the North Country blueberry variety
The description of the North Country blueberry variety makes it clear that this species has its own characteristics, which you need to know about even before planting the plant.
Features of fruiting
North Country is a blueberry variety that has high yields and is unpretentious in terms of climatic conditions - blueberries can withstand frosts down to -40 degrees, so they can be cultivated not only in the middle zone, but in the Urals and Siberia.
Bushes of the North Country variety are considered low (about 80 cm), its shoots are straight and very strong. The foliage of the plants is narrow, bright green throughout the season, and changes to red-pink in autumn.
North Country is a self-fertile variety, so fruiting of the crop without the presence of pollinators is impossible. In view of this, any other varieties of berries (at least two types) should be planted in the vicinity of this blueberry variety.
North Country fruits are numerous, have an even round shape and a dark blue color. When ripe, the berries do not fall and can hang on the branches for more than a month. The first berry appears at the end of July, but ripens unevenly.
The taste characteristics of the fruits are high, their purpose is universal. Can be used fresh, stored for a long time in a cool place, and cooked into jams and compotes.
The yield of North Country is high; each bush produces at least 2 kg of berries. External conditions do not affect the number of fruits in any way.
Advantages and disadvantages
Experienced gardeners know that each plant has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of North Country blueberries include the following:
- high productivity;
- frost resistance;
- resistance to various diseases and pests (blueberries can independently fight not only insects, but also fungi);
- possibility of successful transportation.
The only downsides are the need for constant acidification of the soil and the small size of the berries.
Features of reproduction
Like all other blueberry varieties, North Country can be propagated in three ways - seeds, cuttings, and dividing the bush. Propagation by cuttings is considered the most popular and effective.To do this, select a suitable twig, cut it from the bush, and root it in a mixture of sand and peat. After rooting (at least a year), the seedling can be planted in a permanent place.
Seed propagation is no less complicated; you just need to sow blueberries in peat and plant the seedling after 2 years in open ground. In this case, the fruits will appear no earlier than after 5 years.
Dividing the bush is not considered the best method of propagation; rooting blueberries in this case is problematic, since the root system of the plant suffers greatly when dividing.
Planting and care
North Country is a light-loving blueberry variety that is demanding on the composition of the soil. Therefore, the main factor influencing yield is the correct choice of planting site.
Recommended timing
North Country blueberries can be planted in both fall and spring. The latter option is considered the most preferable, since over the summer the root system of the plant will have time to get stronger, allowing the blueberries to safely overwinter.
Site selection and soil preparation
A sunny area, protected from gusts of wind and drafts - this is exactly the place you need to choose for planting North Country blueberries. As for the soil, all varieties of this berry love an acidic substrate; this must be taken care of before planting the seedlings so that they can take root without problems.
Soil preparation consists of mixing the following components in equal proportions:
- peat;
- sand;
- pine sawdust or fallen pine needles.
Landing algorithm
Before planting a young seedling, you need to dig a hole that will correspond to the following dimensions - 40 cm in depth, 40 cm in diameter. You need to prepare the hole a couple of months before planting the blueberries so that the soil has time to settle.
After the planting hole is ready, you should place the seedling in it, level the roots over the entire diameter of the hole and sprinkle it with prepared soil. Apply a layer of mulch on top - this can be ordinary sawdust, dry leaves or pine needles. All this will help retain moisture at the roots, which quickly evaporates from the prepared substrate.
The next step is abundant watering. For the planted bush, you need to immediately prepare at least 10 liters of warm, preferably settled, water.
Growing and care
From the description of the North Country blueberry variety, you can understand that the plant is one of the unpretentious ones. However, some rules for caring for it must be followed in order to get the desired harvest.
Watering schedule
The first few weeks after planting, blueberries are watered twice a week. The procedure should be carried out in the evening or early in the morning, before sunrise. It is not recommended to over-moisten the substrate - prolonged stagnation of water can lead to the death of the plant, so it is necessary to focus on the condition of the soil and climatic conditions, adhering to the “golden” mean.
After the roots of the plant have become stronger, the amount of watering is reduced to once a week, while at the time of flowering and fruit formation it is necessary to double the water dosage.
Feeding schedule
Soil acidity is an important factor that every gardener should pay attention to when growing any blueberry variety. With insufficient acidity, the foliage on the bush becomes withered and yellowish.Periodically watering the plant with water with the addition of table vinegar or citric acid will help correct the situation. To a bucket of water, it is enough to add about a glass of vinegar or 8 - 10 tablespoons of lemon.
Fertilizing North Country blueberries is also an important factor when growing. Blueberries do not tolerate organic fertilizers, so the use of manure, mullein or humus is prohibited.
For plant growth, minerals are necessary (complexes containing phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, etc.). The first feeding is carried out in the second year of blueberry life in the spring. The second portion of nutrients is added in July.
Trimming
For the first 5 years, blueberries can be pruned only for sanitary purposes, removing dried branches, if any. Subsequent pruning is of a rejuvenating nature; young branches must be left on the bush, completely eliminating old shoots.
Preparing for winter
The North Country does not need winter shelter. Even in harsh climatic conditions, simply mulching the soil with sawdust or other suitable material will be sufficient.
Pests and diseases
North Country blueberries, as can be seen from the description of the variety and reviews, are a resistant plant with a good immune system, so they rarely get sick and can bear fruit for many years.
North Country blueberries are also not afraid of infectious and fungal diseases. But experienced gardeners recommend carrying out preventive treatment of the plant with antibacterial drugs and insect repellents. This can only be done in early spring or before frost. At the time of fruiting, the use of any chemical compounds is prohibited.
Of the pests for this variety of blueberries, only birds that would not mind eating fresh tasty berries can become dangerous. You can protect the plant by covering it with a regular net.
Conclusion
Country blueberries are a variety of berries that are becoming more and more popular among compatriots every year. It is quite possible that in the near future North Country will be grown on an industrial scale, and not just on personal plots.
Reviews of North Country blueberries
