How to Protect Blueberries from Cold in Winter? Latest Technical Method Tutorial
Blueberry is a perennial shrub small berry fruit tree. Its branches are relatively thin and weak, and its xylem is relatively thin, so under the effects of low winter temperatures and wind, it is highly prone to frost damage and branch dieback. Therefore, cold protection for blueberries in winter is extremely important. So how should they be protected from the cold in winter so they can overwinter safely? Let's take a look together.
1. Soil mounding for cold protection
In late autumn and early winter, bury the entire plant with moist fine soil. This can ensure that the branches and leaves do not lose water. If the plant is relatively tall, you can press the plant down with soil and then mound soil over it. However, in actual practice, to save time and effort, you can build an arc-shaped mound of soil about 40 cm on the windward side of the plant, artificially creating a sheltered, sunny environment. This can shorten the time the soil stays frozen and also helps the roots absorb water.
2. Snow piling for cold protection
In northern regions, winters are colder and snowfall is heavier, so snow piling can be used for cold protection. Blueberry plants protected by snow piling not only have higher yields than with other cold protection measures, but the method is also convenient and quick. Generally, covering two-thirds of the plant's height is suitable, and the usual suitable height is 20-30 cm. Plants treated by snow piling rarely show branch dieback, and yields also increase substantially. However, this method is suitable for areas with heavy winter snowfall and accumulated snow.
3. Mulching for cold protection
⟦NL>Before the soil freezes, you can cover the plants with some mulch such as leaves, straw, and grass curtains, which can provide some cold protection. In addition, combined with watering frozen soil water, the effect is better in areas above minus 10 degrees. Using leaves, straw, grass curtains, and other materials for protection is suitable for orchards of 3 years or older. Double-layer cold protection materials can also be used for cold protection. This saves labor during cold protection, and the materials can be reused for several years.4. Plastic greenhouses or glasshouses
Using plastic greenhouses or glasshouse cultivation, this method has the best cold protection effect and can also make blueberries ripen early and go on the market earlier, but the disadvantage is the relatively large upfront investment.
The above is an introduction to overwintering cold protection techniques for blueberries. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.