Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

ALMOST BEEKEEPING - RELATED TOPICS => FARMING & COUNTRY LIFE => Topic started by: BeeMaster2 on February 04, 2012, 10:49:07 pm

Title: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 04, 2012, 10:49:07 pm
I transplanted 120 blueberry bushes 2 weeks ago. They are now in full bloom along with the plants that that didn't get moved. That is at least a month early. If we get a freeze, will they re-bloom?
Jim
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: AllenF on February 05, 2012, 02:58:54 pm
No.    Frost will kill the blooms.   Up here any frost around Easter kills the early berries.    Also with newly planted blueberries, I always tell people to pull off the blossoms from the first year plants that way they grow roots not berries.
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: BlueBee on February 05, 2012, 06:49:33 pm
Mmmmm, Mmmmm blueberries. 

How well do they grow in the south?  I thought they were more of a northern plant?  I know you have the low PH down there, but can they take the heat? 

They grow tons of blueberries along the west coast of Michigan.
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: AllenF on February 05, 2012, 07:54:49 pm
Our red clay soil is very acid.   I have never put fertilizer to them.   We grow rabbit eye types.  Tiff Blue is a great producer.   The wife charges $10 a gallon for pick your own ( u pick).   Just leave the money on the porch.   
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 06, 2012, 02:10:08 pm
"Also with newly planted blueberries, I always tell people to pull off the blossoms from the first year plants that way they grow roots not berries."

Then I guess I better get to work picking blooms. They are covered with them. Thanks Allen.

Mmmmm, Mmmmm blueberries.  

How well do they grow in the south?  I thought they were more of a northern plant?  I know you have the low PH down there, but can they take the heat?  

They grow tons of blueberries along the west coast of Michigan.


Most of the plants are growing in my neighbors front yard. He doesn't use very many of them. We fertilize them and pick most of them.
We pick a couple of gallons of blueberrys each weekend during the season for about 6 weeks. What we don't eat, my wife makes blueberry preserves out of. We also freeze a lot of them for making blueberry muffins. we also make sure to give my neighbor preserves and muffins.
Jim
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: Bee Busters on February 06, 2012, 11:32:49 pm
a friend of mine has a blueberry farm in south Mississippi.  he was needing to know how many hives per acre are needed for blueberry pollination?
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 07, 2012, 01:07:43 pm
a friend of mine has a blueberry farm in south Mississippi.  he was needing to know how many hives per acre are needed for blueberry pollination?

Last year I moved my hives to the farm just after the blueberries started to bloom. I kept checking to see if the bees were pollinating them. I never did see a honey bee on the BB bushes but I did see a lot of carpenter bees on them and a few blue bees. I suspect because it is so hard for the bees to get the nectar they probable preferred the plants in the area, mainly gall berry. I would be willing to bet if you could get them to work it, one hive could handle 2-3 acres. Maybe someone else here knows for sure.
Jim
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: hardwood on February 07, 2012, 06:16:49 pm
We pollinate several fields every year and use 2 hives per acre.

Scott
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: beekeeperookie on February 29, 2012, 01:10:31 pm
I bought three blueberry bushes last year and I can't get them to do anything any suggestions?  I know they like acid type soil
Title: Re: Blueberrys in bloom
Post by: AllenF on February 29, 2012, 09:17:20 pm
Give them a few years.   I always tell people to pull off the blooms the first year or two so they can grow roots, not fruit.