Does anyone grow blueberry bushes here in Texas? Are they difficult? They are so beautiful.
Blueberry Bushes
i know that there is a blueberry farm over in Nacogdoches. they even have a Blueberry Festival every year in the town. there must be some varieties that do well here. you might be able to find the farm on the internet and contact them for additional info.
tracie
This message was edited Mar 22, 2008 10:21 PM
I have one which I keep pretty small--afternoon shade, and lots of Holly-tone from Epsoma.
Was listening to Bob Webster's Garden Show on the radio this morning (he owns Shades of Green in San Antonio). He was talking about blueberry plants too! Said folks have been calling in about growing blueberries in Texas and they've had some awesome success.
He also mentioned the ones the Ag Extension Service is promoting DO NOT do as well but he couldn't remember the name of the one folks had called him about. Perhaps you can call up and ask.
But hey, if Nacodoches has a blueberry festival...the folks living there would know for sure!
~ Cat
Nacodoches must have acidic soil. All blueberries, regardless of type require very acidic soil ( pH 4 to 5). Soil that acidic in Texas is found in east Texas although a good portion of the Post Oak Savanna soil types are somewhat acidic. They would be easier to amend. The rest of Texas has alkaline to very alkaline soil that may be next to impossible to amend enough to keep acidic. Generally, the farther west you travel from east Texas, the more alkaline the soil gets. You could try growing blueberries in large pots filled with acidic potting soil and feed them with fertilizer for acid loving plants.
If you want to try growing blueberries in your soil, find out what the current soil pH is and amend it until you get the needed pH. It may take a while to get the soil down to pH 4 - 5. (You may want to buy a pH meter of some sort. Sending soil samples out to be tested can get pricey.) Buy the plants only after you have prepared the soil as it may take a while to get the pH down and stabilize it at the level. You will have to be very determined to grow blueberries in naturally alkaline soil.
Rabbiteye blueberries grow well in the south. Choose cultivars that will grow in your zone. Most other types of blueberries require more chill hours than most of Texas can provide. I believe Zone 7 is the farthest south that can grow them well provided you have acidic soil. Here are some links that might help:
http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1078/
http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/article/40/
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/l106-w.html
They have several pick it yourself blueberry farms right over by where the Texas Renaisance Festival is held every year--far below zone 7--and lots of people grow one or two on the edges of their LA Iris beds around here.
As long as its acidic enough for Louisiana Iris, crinum americanum, and hymenocallus liriosome to thrive, not just survive, they will do fine provided you pick the right variety. They are not really that hard to grow around here as long as you apply soil sulfur or holly-tone 3 times a year (both are organic) as recommended for the other 3 plants. I probably know at least 5 professional bulb growers within 100 miles of Houston that also do small amounts of blueberries.
Debbie
Well I'll keep ya posted on how well they do as I picked up 2 at Lowe's a couple weeks ago and have them planted out back they will get sun but shade also.
They are called Tifblue...has to have 6 hours full sun it says and Deciduous, very productive, dependable shrub, heat and drought tolerant, great screen hedge or background is what the tag on them says LOL
But then I am on the edge of the Post Oak, Piney Woods.
don't let the listing of Flint fool ya ...My place is closer to Chandler and Tyler then Flint.
Trying some new things often will surprise you--I grow a lot of things that people say won't grow here, and am quite successful at it. Its a good thing the plants can't read--I get a lot of Cape bulbs to do really well here and Tulipa clusiana var chrysantha is a reliable naturalizer here, too. And my one blueberry bush (I'd have 2 or 3 if I had the room) anchors one end of my Louisiana Iris bed and gives me enough to freeze. Always pushing the envelope here.....
Debbie
=)
ok silly question cape bulbs and Tulipa clusiana var chrysantha? not good with technical names yet common ones yes LOL
I just planted 2 Hydrangea bushes out front and mulched around them to help retain the moisture they need.
I know I will be pushing the envelope alot as DH doesn't have a problem watering things he has the goal of getting grass growing...the one patch eh started out my where the grey water comes out is really taking off
Now to just get him to understand no planting behind the terrace until we get a backhoe again to get ALL the bamboo roots out LOL