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Cultivating Wild Blueberries #6782052
02/24/20 10:02 PM
02/24/20 10:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 5,570
Dunbar, Wisconsin
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Pike River Offline OP
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Pike River  Offline OP
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Dunbar, Wisconsin
I have a small patch of wild blueberries that have shown up in the last few years.

It's up on a rocky forested (oak and maple) hill.

What can I do for these to come in thicker and stronger?

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782072
02/24/20 10:19 PM
02/24/20 10:19 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
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snowy Offline
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I also have wild berries and a year ago I fertilized and brought in some old manure and worked it in around the trees and bushes. That was in the fall and last year I had the worst crop of berries that I could remember. I decided not to touch them again and I actually will plant some bare root wild blue berry, Juneberry and Black currents this spring and will try to help them along so to keep the berries thriving on my place.
These old berry plants are very old on my place and the ground is poor and they are on steep hill sides and very hard to get access to them. I do harvest a lot of berries through the years but as I get older in time I won't be picking berries where they are at. The new planted one I will be able to get to them easier.
Good luck.


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: snowy] #6782081
02/24/20 10:24 PM
02/24/20 10:24 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,296
East-Central Wisconsin
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bblwi Offline
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East-Central Wisconsin
They want and need low pH soil or acidic soil so watch what you use for fertilizer, organic matter etc. I grew up in west-central Wi and our wild berries were on the open to the sun sandy soils mostly in the poorer soil areas and very dry. You may be able to culture them for better yields but be mindful of their needs when doing so.

Bryce

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782146
02/24/20 11:49 PM
02/24/20 11:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
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snowy Offline
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^ that is interesting. I never did any research when I tried to enhance my wild berry. I actually thought after I did all that fertilizing they were going to die off. They did survive and I'm hoping to see them do better this year.


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782165
02/25/20 12:08 AM
02/25/20 12:08 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,271
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Offline
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james bay frontierOnt.
Aluminum sulfate will acidify your soil if it is not acidic enough for the berries.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782252
02/25/20 06:39 AM
02/25/20 06:39 AM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,779
Northern lower Michigan
Feedinggrounds Offline
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Northern lower Michigan
In the spring mine stuck up through melting snow. I was doing rabbittat work. I came back the next day with a weed burner and burned some areas to get new young lush growth. I got that, and great wild blue berries as a bonus. The wild blackberries perked right up too. Safe, well timed burning is part of my habitat work now. Always early spring with some snow. Like about now. This is at my off grid hunting cabin. I can count on the ripe blue berries around 4th of July.


you're only allowed so many sunrises... I aim to see every one of them!
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782265
02/25/20 06:50 AM
02/25/20 06:50 AM
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 2,575
NH
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trapNH Offline
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NH
Blueberries need acidic soil, sawdust or wood chips as a mulch helps also on the blueberry barrens it helps to burn the area over every few years.

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782451
02/25/20 09:53 AM
02/25/20 09:53 AM
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,791
IA
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teepee2 Offline
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Ammonium sulfate is better than aluminum sulfate for blueberries. Aluminum sulfate is high priced and it may harm the plants. beside that it is not good for human consumption. Elemental sulfur will also lower the ph of soil, it takes longer but in turn it lasts longer. Blueberries do not need a lot of fertilizer [nitrogen] and are susceptible to over fertilization.

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782461
02/25/20 09:59 AM
02/25/20 09:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,664
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline

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Minnesota
Good advice!!!^^^


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782521
02/25/20 10:45 AM
02/25/20 10:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 6,683
PA
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gryhkl Offline
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PA
We only have about twenty blueberry plants but we get many gallons of berries every year from them. WE save coffee grounds and mix them with planer shavings and sawdust to dress around the plants.

Do any of you have advice for rooting blueberry cuttings? The plants are so expensive I'd like to propagate my own.

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782527
02/25/20 10:50 AM
02/25/20 10:50 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,252
mi. u.p
grapestomper Offline
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mi. u.p
Water them if dry. Does wonders if you keep it up the whole growing season.

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: snowy] #6782550
02/25/20 11:12 AM
02/25/20 11:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16,171
ny
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upstateNY Offline
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ny
Originally Posted by snowy
I also have wild berries and a year ago I fertilized and brought in some old manure and worked it in around the trees and bushes. That was in the fall and last year I had the worst crop of berries that I could remember.

That's because you fertilized too late.Blueberries shot NOT be fertilized any time after the fourth of July.


the wheels of the gods turn very slowly
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782575
02/25/20 11:35 AM
02/25/20 11:35 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,005
Oregon
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Barnyard manure tends to have too much sodium and nitrogen in the form of nitrate which blueberries aren't fond of. Commercial guys use ammonia sulfate as the ammoniacal form of nitrogen is what they can process the best and it also acidifies the soil. If you want to go the natural route fish fertilizer works well. This is only applied from early spring to late spring in multiple light dosages.

If you live in an area that already has a base pH below 6 I don't think you need to work at acidifying the soil. They'll be OK.

To root blueberries you need to take green cuttings in June when there is at least 6-10" of new growth. Small pieces (treated with rooting compound) 4-6" in peat with diffused light and misters set up, or some way to keep the humidity above 80%. Plus heating cables to keep that moist peat at 75-80F. If you're not adept at rooting things don't start with blueberries. They are not on the easy side of the scale.

Last edited by beaverpeeler; 02/25/20 11:41 AM.

My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782580
02/25/20 11:45 AM
02/25/20 11:45 AM
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Posts: 16,171
ny
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upstateNY Offline
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Originally Posted by Pike River
I have a small patch of wild blueberries that have shown up in the last few years.

It's up on a rocky forested (oak and maple) hill.

What can I do for these to come in thicker and stronger?

I use " Holly Tone "right after snow melt,,then once again in June.Works well for my blueberries.


the wheels of the gods turn very slowly
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782810
02/25/20 03:52 PM
02/25/20 03:52 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15,540
Champaign County, Ohio.
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KeithC Offline
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Champaign County, Ohio.
I tried growing blueberries here with no luck. My soil has a really high ph. I added peat moss, manure and high acid rhododendron fertilizer. I probably over fertilized.

I want to try blueberries in raised beds, where I can control soil conditions better. What is a good ph test kit for soil? What type of blueberries takes more alkaline soil better?

Keith

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6782952
02/25/20 06:58 PM
02/25/20 06:58 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 5,570
Dunbar, Wisconsin
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Pike River Offline OP
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Would more sun help them or would they dry out with the extra sunshine?

Was thinking of turning this into a wood lot.

Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: upstateNY] #6783005
02/25/20 07:51 PM
02/25/20 07:51 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
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snowy Offline
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Originally Posted by upstateNY
Originally Posted by snowy
I also have wild berries and a year ago I fertilized and brought in some old manure and worked it in around the trees and bushes. That was in the fall and last year I had the worst crop of berries that I could remember.

That's because you fertilized too late.Blueberries shot NOT be fertilized any time after the fourth of July.

Thanks I never know that would about kill them.


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: Pike River] #6783021
02/25/20 08:21 PM
02/25/20 08:21 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,005
Oregon
beaverpeeler Offline
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Oregon
Keith, garden stores have kits for testing pH, but personally I would spend $35 and have a lab do a complete soil test. I'll bet you can get your pH in the proper zone with elemental sulfur. It's just a matter of how much. Keep in mind it needs to be incorporated into the soil and it will take months before it can adjust the pH. In other words you need to treat your ground at least a year ahead of planting. So i would be doing a soil test before, and one after taking measures to acidify.


My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
Re: Cultivating Wild Blueberries [Re: beaverpeeler] #6783049
02/25/20 08:48 PM
02/25/20 08:48 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15,540
Champaign County, Ohio.
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KeithC Offline
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Champaign County, Ohio.
Originally Posted by beaverpeeler
Keith, garden stores have kits for testing pH, but personally I would spend $35 and have a lab do a complete soil test. I'll bet you can get your pH in the proper zone with elemental sulfur. It's just a matter of how much. Keep in mind it needs to be incorporated into the soil and it will take months before it can adjust the pH. In other words you need to treat your ground at least a year ahead of planting. So i would be doing a soil test before, and one after taking measures to acidify.


Thanks Beaverpeeler.

Keith

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