Blueray Blueberry

Size

Blueray Blueberry is one of the most reliable Blueberries for mid-season cropping. Large berries of the bluest blue on bushes that have deep dark leaves. The growth of Blueray is very upright and sturdy and will blend into a mixed hedge with ease. The foliage has beautiful pink touches early as the leaves emerge and then fantastic fall color. This is one edible shrub that deserves to be added to the ornamental garden. Blueray has a more compact growth habit than many other older varieties. Blueberries are self-fertile plants, although they do benefit from having another variety that blooms at the same time nearby. The native bees, honeybees and butterflies all love the rich nectar of Blueberry bushes. Be sure to cover the bush with netting or a cage as the berries get closer to ripening. Birds might like Blueberries even more than humans. Blueray Blueberry Care Blueberries thrive in full sun, but will tolerate early morning or late afternoon shade well. An average soil texture with an acidic pH of 4.5-5.5 will give the foliage a deep color and help the fruit to form properly. Well drained and consistently moist soil is the best. Extra irrigation will be needed during extended hot and dry spells. Pruning is not needed often. A quick cutback of any dead, dying, diseased or diagonal stems early in the spring should be enough to help Blueray to keep its shape. After a couple years all of the dead stems should be cut out to the ground to encourage vigorous new growth. A fertilizer formulated for acid loving plants should be applied early in the spring as the new leaves emerge, before flowering starts. Mulching plants with organic compost will help to make the soil more moisture retentive. Blueray Blueberry Spacing Blueray Blueberry reaches a height of 6-7 feet with a width of 6-7 feet. Blueberries can be planted closer together if used more as an ornamental, informal hedge. Spacing the plants at 5 feet on center. If planting many blueberries together for production, allow a more generous spacing. This is so that you can get all of the way around each plant to harvest every last berry.