I love fruit! Naturally, I planted fruit trees, both large and small, in the garden. Amidst this fruitful chaos, I also tried American blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) in the hope of someday enjoying some delicious blueberry jam. However, it has been six years since I planted them, and my yield is limited to just a few berries each year. What mistake did I make? Am I really that bad at gardening? Which countries border Bhutan? If Gibraltar is a strait, what are the other two? I have so many questions since then...
The initial situation
I planted my three little blueberries, whose variety name escapes me (editor's note: a friendly tip, keep a notebook with the names of your plants), in heavy, clay soil that I mistakenly thought was acidic (it was somewhat incorrect). Why three blueberries? Well, even for self-fertile varieties, it's advisable to plant several plants for better fruiting.
Initially, they were situated in a sunny spot without excess, but in relatively cool soil. In the first few years, the bushes languished, to say the least. They did produce a few flowers, which resulted in even fewer fruits. Fruits that I generously left for the garden's wildlife. While not spectacular, the autumn coloration was aesthetically pleasing.
Current situation
Of the three bushes initially planted, one passed away quietly during a remarkably wet winter. The two remaining survivors are indeed leafy in season, but they no longer produce fruits or beautiful autumn colours. In fact, the surrounding trees and bushes have grown (and quite a lot!) into what I would now call a "little wood in the garden," providing the blueberries with far too much shade to thrive.
What’s wrong?
As Louis Bonisseur de La Bath, alias OSS117 (the French fun movie), would say, the only thing going well is that I am here. Because, indeed, nothing is going right in the cultivation of my blueberries: the soil is rather neutral, slightly alkaline, and the shade above their heads is far too significant. Only the soil, once heavy and compact, has improved over time (thanks to the trees!).
It’s time to act
Two solutions present themselves: either we leave them in place and improve the situation, or we transfer the bushes to more favourable conditions.
Correcting the pH of soil is more myth than something truly feasible. At best, we can slightly lower the surface pH for a limited time. As for the shade, I can indeed create a light well by pruning a branch or two above their heads.
However, I will choose to dig them up in autumn and offer them to a friend whose garden can provide better conditions for them to thrive: non-burning sunlight and acidic, well-drained soil. Hopefully, this time, the yield will be sufficient in the coming years for him to at least offer me a jar of jam.
To learn all about cultivating this little bush, read The Blueberry: Planting, pruning, and care.
Everyone makes mistakes in the garden
Even the pros! I echo the words of our colleague and friend, Fabien (he's the one who takes, among other things, the "as delivered" illustration photographs for our product sheets): "you can tell plant enthusiasts by their conversation topics. You only talk about plants you have lost."
That’s not untrue! As a "plant nut," we try, we experiment, we take risks... Sometimes with success, often with failures. But that’s how we progress! But never despair and keep smiling. No blueberries in the garden? No worries, my other fruit trees provide plenty of fruit to forget about them!
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