It’s patio season and I’m so excited about the new containers and blueberries the husband bought. He negotiated a discount on one of the containers which was damaged, thinking I would like to blog about repairing it. I love the idea of container gardening, but patio container blueberries? That’s brilliant!
Did you know blueberries can be grown in patio containers? It just so happens, that I mentioned this to the husband several years ago after reading an article about container gardening, in Southern Living. Of course he remembers nothing of the conversation…how convenient. The important thing, is that my idea was put into action, but I’ll let him think it was all his. 😉
We planted two varieties of blueberries, Pink Lemonade and Bountiful Blue.
Giving the husband a little credit he has grown blueberries before with great success. At our first house he grew three varieties in a raised bed. I remember how beautiful the foliage was in the summer and especially in the fall. The first year the blueberries were so abundant, we invited neighbors to pick as many as they wanted. I have high expectations for the new container blueberries as well.
Since blueberries are considered to be a “super fruit”, I will be incorporating these beauties into our summer diet as much as possible. Bring on the blueberry recipes.
Things to remember about growing blueberries.
- When planting blueberries in a container, choose a good quality potting soil. Miracle Grow brand is rich in organic material which encourages the soil to drain well. This is important for the roots and the fungi which grows on the roots.
- Choose more than one variety for cross-pollination. Even though some varieties claim to be self-fertile, they will produce more when planted in close proximity to another variety.
- Blueberries like acidic soil and will thrive with the addition of fertilizer specifically designed for azaleas and rhododendrons, which are acid loving plants.
- Plant blueberry plants in a large enough container so that, as the plant matures the roots will have plenty of room.
- Your local plant nursery should be able to suggest the best blueberry varieties for your zone.
The Pink Lemonade Blueberry plant may look lost in the large container, but should be about 5 feet tall at maturity. This variety is also self-fertile but will benefit from cross-pollination with the other two blueberry plants on the patio.
Notice the perfect star formation on the blueberry. Mother Nature is so amazing, I think this is my favorite photo.
Observing the blueberries as they ripen and turn pink will be fascinating, since I haven’t tried this variety before. I wonder how they will taste!
The second blueberry variety is Bountiful Blue. It’s a more compact plant and should be about three to four feet tall at maturity. We planted two of these, one on each side of the back door.
Applying black spray paint took care of covering the damaged areas on the discounted container. Such a fuss. Repairing the chipped container sounds a bit anticlimactic now, compared to the blueberry plants.
What ever your fancy may be, I hope you will try container gardening too. This is going to be a great summer.
Cheers!