How to increase blueberry yields? These growing methods are very practical

Blueberry is a shrub fruit, a new type of fruit introduced from abroad in recent years. Its nutritional value holds a large share among fruits. People of all ages and both sexes like to eat it very much, and it is also very suitable for them to eat. However, the annual yield of blueberries is currently limited, so it is far from meeting market demand, and the price is very expensive. So today, Qinnong Web will teach everyone how to increase blueberry yields.

1. Choose improved varieties

There are quite a few blueberry varieties, including lowbush blueberry and highbush blueberry. Some are suitable for growing in cool areas, and some are suitable for growing in warm areas. At present, there are as many as more than twenty existing blueberry varieties, so the types are diverse. Among them, rabbiteye blueberry is the easiest to keep alive, and O'Neal is also a very good variety, especially suitable for planting in the southern region of our country. There are also some blueberries suitable for planting in the north, which the editor will not list one by one here. Choosing suitable varieties is the most basic way to increase blueberry yields. Next, it is recommended to plant multiple varieties when planting, so that the yield and quality will be better.

2. Sow at the right time

There is a suitable time for planting blueberries; they cannot be planted casually. The time we most often choose for planting is from the end of August to September in autumn. Planting at this time will give a much higher survival rate, and at the same time it suits the growth and development of blueberries. Of course, they can also be planted in spring, but it is best to do so in early spring, so that the blueberries can take root and sprout in this season, and by the time the flowering and fruiting season comes, they can also keep up with the pace.

3. Fertilizer and water management

After planting blueberries, we need to carry out reasonable fertilizer and water management according to the nature of the planting soil. The fertilizer and water management for blueberries differs to some extent at each growth stage, and the management also differs for each variety. Under normal circumstances, two fertilizations are needed during the seedling stage. Taller blueberry plants need topdressing by digging trenches, while shorter plants only need broadcasting. Each time, farmyard manure or organic fertilizer is the main input. After the blueberries bear fruit, on the basis of these two fertilizations, apply one more topdressing, mainly foliar fertilizer, to promote fruit growth. From then on, foliar fertilizer needs to be sprayed about once every two to three months each year, so that the blueberry seedlings can grow better and avoid premature aging and reduced yield.

4. Field management

For field management, first we need to talk about pollination pairing in blueberry planting. Each plant must be planted according to a four-to-one pattern, which can increase the chance of pollination and thereby raise the fruit-setting rate. Second, the blueberry seedlings in the field need branch thinning, removing relatively weak branches and leaves; they will then grow new branches. After a certain number of years, all old branches need to be pruned away so that new branches emerge, meaning rebirth. Then, every winter, the seedlings need to be protected against the cold, otherwise the blueberry seedlings will be frostbitten. Also, during the flowering period, flower thinning is needed, and after the flowers fall, fruit thinning is needed. The methods of flower thinning and fruit thinning are both handled on the principle of keeping the good and large ones. Finally, there is field cleanup. Weeds, debris, fallen leaves, dead branches, and so on need to be cleaned up thoroughly and burned with fire into ashes to avoid virus infection.

5. Artificial pollination

Artificial pollination is also a way to increase yield, but under normal circumstances it is not used. We tend to prefer pairing pollinator trees well. When the weather is relatively stable, the pollination success rate is very high. Of course, other situations cannot be ruled out, so we need to use artificial pollination methods. One option is to borrow external forces, for example, placing bee colonies in the orchard for bee pollination, or collecting pollen for pollination. Finally, it is also possible to directly pick male flowers and then smear the pollen of the male flowers onto the female flowers, then cover the female flowers with the male flowers for pollination. These are all methods of artificial assisted pollination, and they can also be used when necessary. They are also very helpful for increasing blueberry yields.