How to Fertilize Blueberries? A Detailed Tutorial on the Latest Techniques and Methods
Blueberry is a fruit with extremely high nutritional value and is deeply loved by consumers in daily life. In recent years, China's demand for blueberries has been increasing, and the blueberry planting area has been growing year by year. Blueberry is an oligotrophic plant, so the fertilization amount and fertilization technique are extremely important. So how should blueberries be fertilized? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction.
1. Fertilizer requirements and characteristics
Blueberry is relatively sensitive to the type and amount of fertilizer. It prefers ammonium nitrogen, and its absorption of ammonium nitrogen far exceeds that of nitrate nitrogen, so attention should be paid during fertilization. Attention should be paid to chlorine during fertilization. Blueberry is extremely sensitive to chlorine, and applying chlorine-containing fertilizer may cause chlorine poisoning, and in severe cases lead to death. In addition, blueberry also avoids alkaline conditions, so alkaline fertilizers should not be used during fertilization. Blueberry has a small fertilizer requirement, and each plant needs only 30 grams of nitrogen, 10 grams of phosphorus, and 20 grams of potassium each year, so attention should be paid during fertilization, and excessive fertilization should be avoided, as it may cause damage to the tree's storage and even death.
2. Fertilization time
Many growers are extremely concerned about the fertilization time for blueberries. Generally, base fertilizer should be applied in autumn before the soil freezes, mostly in November when the leaves fall. In addition, blueberries need multiple topdressings throughout the entire growth period. The first is applied 10-15 days before germination to promote flower bud differentiation; the second is applied during flowering and fruit setting, generally in May, so that the plant blooms and bears more fruit and the fruit-setting rate is improved; the third is applied 7-10 days before harvest to promote fruit expansion and improve yield and quality.
3. Fertilization methods
The specific fertilization method should be determined according to the condition of the tree and the soil fertility. The root system of blueberry has weak absorption capacity, and the roots are mainly concentrated at the outer edge of the canopy, so fertilization should focus on the area where the roots are concentrated, induce the roots to develop outward, and expand the absorption area as much as possible. Base fertilizer generally uses the ring fertilization method and the strip trench fertilization method. Apply base fertilizer reasonably, and be careful not to damage the roots during fertilization, especially the new roots. Topdressing is mainly by drip irrigation. Watering and fertilizing can be carried out multiple times during germination, fruit development, and fruit harvesting. The advantage of doing this is that the fertilizer concentration is lower, it has been absorbed by the root system, and there are fewer impurities, maximizing fertilizer efficiency.
The above is an introduction to blueberry fertilization techniques. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.