Blueberries in NY?

[clonedone]

hi, im new here, and i want to buy a blueberry bush.

i live in Brooklyn, NY is it possible for blueberries to grow here? and if it is, what kind? thanks

-- clonedone

[clonedone]

oh yeah, and i have been reading around here, do i need two bushes t grow blueberries? and im not sure what pH i have in my soil, but how would i test it? and what if i left it non acidic? what would happen

-- clonedone

[General Schvantzkoph]

It's a little early in the year to be thinking about planting blueberries but in the spring you can put in a few bushes. They grow fine in New England so I don't see why they wouldn't grow in New York.

[TQ]

Blueberries grow on LI, so there/s no reason they won/t grow in Brooklyn as long as you plant in a sunny location and the soil is well drained and you keep the plants watered well.

[Lynn]

I can't see why they wouldn't grow for you. I imagine you are thinking of geting the highbush blueberries and yes you will need two different kinds about 3-4 feet apart. when you dig a hole for your plants in the spring add a shovel full or two of peat moss . don't add lime to the soil around these plants and don't add manure. don't let the roots dry out and it needs full sun. you can mulch around the plants with saw dust,chips,straw later on to cut down of weeds. keep well watered and pick off any blooms for the first 3 years so all the energy goes back into the plant. a mature bush should yeild about 10-15 pints of berries each year.

I have the patriot and jersey highbush kinds. and the leaves have a lovely red color in the fall.

[TQ]

Ah, that luscious fall color!

We have highly productive huckleberries on our lot intermingled with bayberry and the color contrast in the fall is fan-tab-u-lous.

[Steve]

Whether you bother to test your soil or not, I would suggest that you don't plant them close to your house. Even if the native soil is acid enough, the pH near the house may be higher. Basement walls and foundations are usually built from materials that leach lime into the soil.

Steve

[Salmon Egg]

I remember picking wild blueberries and huckleberries in a number of places in New York. There also were blackberries, raspberries, and black raspberries all over the place. In particular, I remember the Shawangunk mountain area. I do not know what the legal aspects of collecting such plants would be.

There were itinerant pickers who would pick commercially. Even during the depression, we would splurge anywhere from 30¢ to 50¢ a quart. I was also told that forest fires were purposely set to improve the blueberry crop and to enable extra money to be earned fighting the fires. We were also told that if you were an adult you could be impressed to fight these fires.

Bill

-- Ferme le Bush