Recently, in supermarkets and markets you can increasingly see blueberries, because this alternative to forest blueberries, originally from North America, is gladly grown in our latitudes. One of the popular varieties is Denise Blue. In this article, you can learn more about its characteristics and cultivation.

Blueberry Denis Blue: description and characteristics of the variety

On some sites, the authors read that this variety is of New Zealand origin, but in fact it was obtained in Australia.

• Its features are:
• it is a frost-resistant variety;
• self-pollinated;
• disease resistant;
• high productivity;
• good taste;
• cultivation for decorative purposes:
• ability to be stored for a long time.

In addition, Denis Blue blueberries are suitable for novice gardeners.

Geographic distribution

Denis Blue (Denis Blue) is grown in Australia, USA, Europe, it can be cultivated where the thermometer does not fall below -34 ° C.

Did you know? Blueberries are popularly called a drunkard and a drunkard, but people actually get the intoxicating effect from another shrub, usually growing nearby - wild rosemary.

Description

The variety is given the following description:

1. Tall bush, can grow up to 1.8 m in height.
2. Not sprawling, shoots grow compactly, semi-closed type.
3. It blooms in May, the flowers are painted in a light pink color, the inflorescences are drooping.
4. The variety is self-fertile, the presence of pollinators can increase productivity.

Root system

The root system of the plant consists of subordinate roots, the main root is absent, no hairs. It can deepen by 40 cm, does not grow. Root growth occurs in spring and autumn at temperatures above 5 ° C. Nutrition of the root system is carried out due to spores of fungi in the process of symbiosis with it.

Leaves

The foliage is thick, large, elongated, 4 × 8 cm in size. It is painted dark green with a glossy sheen, without lint, and changes to red in autumn. It grows on short petioles.

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Fetus

Ripening period is average, bears fruit in early August. From one bush you can get about 8 kg of intensely blue berries. On average, weighing 1.8 g each and measuring 1.9 × 1.4 cm. The shape of the fruits is round, slightly flattened at the poles, they grow with brushes.

On ripe berries there are dry remains of the stalk. The pulp is medium density, juicy, aromatic, sweet and sour taste. Fruits can be used fresh, frozen or for canning. The period of maximum fruiting occurs at the age of 6–10 years.

Landing

For planting, they dig holes that are twice the diameter of the root ball, 40 cm deep, at a distance of 1.5 m from each other. When planting in rows, observe a row spacing of at least 2 m. You do not need to fill fertilizers into the hole.

Important! Blueberry bushes are demanding of moisture, so groundwater should lie at a depth of 0.6 m, while high humidity should be avoided.

Before planting, it is recommended to soak the roots of the seedling in water for a couple of hours for better survival. Planting material of 2-3 years of age is considered to be the best. Roots of a seedling are dipped in a hole, covered with earth, compacted, watered with 1 bucket of water, sprinkled with mulch from peat or sawdust with a layer of 8 cm.

Recommended Dates

The best time for planting blueberries is March, however, in warm regions, you can also plant in October. During the planting period, the temperature of the earth should be at least + 10 ° C.

Choosing a place to land

Denis Blue requires light and humus soil with an acidity level of 3.8–4.8 pH, as well as sunlit, well-ventilated and warm places. Sandy or sandy loamy soil with good aeration is suitable.

Also, the variety can be successfully grown in pots with heather compost.

After landing care

Blueberry care includes watering, top dressing and pruning.

Watering and feeding schedule

Denis Bleu needs the soil around the bushes to be moderately moist, but not swampy. Therefore, 2 times a week under each bush you need to pour 1 bucket of water. If this amount is not enough to maintain the desired moisture level, then watering should be increased. Also, the soil around the blueberries must be treated with a special solution to maintain the desired level of acidity.

It could be:

• 1 teaspoon of citric or oxalic acid, diluted in 3 l of water;
• 100 ml of 9% vinegar, diluted in 1 bucket of water;
• 5 ml of electrolyte acidifier for batteries, diluted in 1 liter of water;
• 1 ml of colloidal sulfur, diluted in 1 liter of water.

A signal to the fact that the soil needs an increase in acidity is pale shrub leaves, yellowness or a pink tint on them.

Important! In order not to lower the acidity of the soil and not cause the death of the plant, you can not use organic fertilizers (manure, compost, chicken droppings) and potassium chloride to feed blueberries.

The plant is fed annually in the spring:

• when the buds begin to swell, with complex fertilizers for heathers - Bioecor, Nitroammofoska;
• 1.5 months after 1 feeding with ammonium sulfate.

The feeding mixture can be made independently; for this, mix 90 g of ammonium sulfate with 110 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium sulfate. The mixture is scattered around the bush in such quantity:

• for a plant 2 years of age - 1 tablespoon;
• 3 years - 2 tablespoons;
• 4 years - 4 tablespoons;
• 5 years - 8 tablespoons;
• 6 years and older - 16 tablespoons.

Immediately after this, Denis Blue is abundantly watered.

Pruning

To garden blueberries bloomed before and did not freeze in winter, it must be cut. Every year, before the buds swell or after the leaves fall, it is necessary to cut old, sick, dried, creeping along the ground, thickening and damaged branches.

Video: pruning blueberries

Every 3-4 years, the bushes need a 1/3 length of anti-aging pruning, and at 15 they need to be completely rejuvenated - remove the logs and leave only the growing branches up. After pruning, the bushes are sprayed with fungicides (Bordeaux liquid, Topsin, Euparen, Roval).

So, despite the recent appearance, Denis Blue blueberries have already managed to win the hearts of many gardeners with good productivity, excellent taste, frost resistance, and decorative appearance. Farmers do not have to make much effort to grow it, and this is especially important for beginners. However, we must not forget that these shrubs grow only on acidic soils, and monitor the maintenance of the required level of acidity.