Patriot Blueberry

Whether you are simply looking for a prolific early-season blueberry bush or hoping to save space while still enjoying massive yields, the Patriot blueberry is an excellent selection. One Patriot Blueberry bush can yield upwards of 10 pounds of fruit once mature. The large, firm berries are excellent for fresh eating, baking, canning and freezing. In addition to its fruit, the shrub also offers attractive flowers, deep green foliage, and a brilliant fall color to make it both a practical and ornamental choice. Patriot Blueberry Bush Care The best time to plant blueberry bushes is in early fall or early spring after the danger of a hard freeze has passed. The fairly compact Patriot blueberry cultivar grows in a rounded form about 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, so space plants at least 3 feet apart. Choose a site with full sun and ensure the soil is moist but well-drained. Blueberries like the Patriot prefer soil with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5, so it may be necessary to work an acidifying soil amendment into the ground prior to planting. Routine annual pruning to remove dead or diseased branches and trim off some growing tips to shape the plant should occur in winter when the plant is dormant. Growing Patriot Blueberry Bushes A Patriot Blueberry will typically not reach maximum yields until four years after planting, but begins to yield fruit in small but increasing numbers after just one or two years in the landscape. A layer of organic material mulch will help to conserve moisture around the plants roots and keep the bush healthy. Growing Patriot Blueberry Bushes in Containers Patriot blueberries are more compact than many other types of blueberries, so it is possible to grow them in containers. You can gradually repot the blueberry in late summer or early fall every three years into larger and larger containers until it is ready for the ideal container size with a diameter of at least 24 inches and a holding capacity of 5 gallons of soil. Watering Patriot Blueberry Bushes The Patriot blueberry has moderate water needs and benefits from weekly irrigation whenever rainfall is insufficient. During hot, dry weather this bush may need supplemental water twice or more per week. Blueberry roots are quite shallow, so unlike most plants they prefer less water applied more frequently Feeding Patriot Blueberry Bushes Apply a fertilizer for acid-loving plants in early spring before leaves appear and again in late spring or early summer or as directed by the label on the fertilizer. Avoid late-season fertilizer applications this will cause growth that is vulnerable to winter damage.