Good spring everyone.
This is my second year seriously gardening. I have a duplex without much landscape that I can work with so everything is in containers. I am gaining as much knowledge as I can right now before I buy a house and have actual land to work with.
I have been told blueberry are pretty difficult to take care of in the ground let alone in containers. So I never expected much, but it looks like it Might be a good harvest this year. I planted 2 different varieties next to each other in the same peat moss and soil mixture. I have added soil acidifer and mulch to the top and I'm 99% I have river pebbles at the bottom. I also have hopes drilled into the sides to help with drainage. Last year I watered them with pretty much only fish tank water with a good ph and nutrient value. I switched to tap water before letting them go dormant in my in heated garge over what was a pretty warm winter (sw Missouri zone 6.) I brought them out of dormancy not really expecting much but so far they look pretty healthy and with lots of buds. I mean tons of buds.
So my questions are...
Should I expect every bud to turn into a cluster of blueberries as long as birds, Japanese beetles or other pests leave them alone?
Should I aerate the soil to promote new root growth? I'm sure the roots are bound pretty tight in the smaller containers. I think they're 12inch containers. It makes them semi portable so transplanting them doesn't sound like something I'd want to do especially if that will stunt the harvest this year.
I haven't pruned or trimmed them in any way what so ever? Should I wait to prune them until later in the season or do it now to promote growth for next year?
What do you guys think? I'll take any opinions or advice. I just really really really like blueberries. And strawberries but thats a different post.
This is my second year seriously gardening. I have a duplex without much landscape that I can work with so everything is in containers. I am gaining as much knowledge as I can right now before I buy a house and have actual land to work with.
I have been told blueberry are pretty difficult to take care of in the ground let alone in containers. So I never expected much, but it looks like it Might be a good harvest this year. I planted 2 different varieties next to each other in the same peat moss and soil mixture. I have added soil acidifer and mulch to the top and I'm 99% I have river pebbles at the bottom. I also have hopes drilled into the sides to help with drainage. Last year I watered them with pretty much only fish tank water with a good ph and nutrient value. I switched to tap water before letting them go dormant in my in heated garge over what was a pretty warm winter (sw Missouri zone 6.) I brought them out of dormancy not really expecting much but so far they look pretty healthy and with lots of buds. I mean tons of buds.
So my questions are...
Should I expect every bud to turn into a cluster of blueberries as long as birds, Japanese beetles or other pests leave them alone?
Should I aerate the soil to promote new root growth? I'm sure the roots are bound pretty tight in the smaller containers. I think they're 12inch containers. It makes them semi portable so transplanting them doesn't sound like something I'd want to do especially if that will stunt the harvest this year.
I haven't pruned or trimmed them in any way what so ever? Should I wait to prune them until later in the season or do it now to promote growth for next year?
What do you guys think? I'll take any opinions or advice. I just really really really like blueberries. And strawberries but thats a different post.
