Blueberry bushes?

[silkieboxerluv]

Does anyone know where to get some-less than 15 dollars a plant though? I found were to buy roots but they go by 2 3 or 4 year plants whats going to be the difference? Any help would be great.

 

[Buff Shallots]

Do you have a local agricultural cooperative extension? Our local one has periodic plant sales where you can get things like blueberry shrubs and native shrubs at a more reasonable price than straight from a retailer.

Good luck. Blueberry bushes are so pretty and practical.

 

[Cassandra]

I have a couple that I got last year (for $7 or $8)

They don't seem to be growing very fast. Is that normal? How long does it take them to get big? The full grown ones I saw at a friends house last year were 7-8 feet tall!!

Mine are only a couple of feet tall and maybe have a handfull of berries on the bigger one. I want some blueberries!

Cassandra
(p.s. sorry to hijack your thread)

 

[patandchickens]

They do grow slowly.

I know this is not what people want to hear, but with slow-growing woody plants (and fruit-bearing ones in particular), unless you stumble on a rare bargain -- and you gotta have enough experience to tell rare bargains apart from common ripoffs, based on the condition of the plant's roots, how it's growing, etc -- you pretty much get what you pay for, at least with shrubs/trees up to about 3-5' tall.

I would suggest that it is much better to pay, say, $15-20 per bush for GOOD QUALITY ones that will transplant well, grow vigorously and bear soon and well, than to get two or three times as many bushes at one-half or one-third the price and have them just sit there sulking for years and years and years. The first way, you may not get as many blueberries (etc) as you might wish but at least you GET them

Blueberries you're best off buying potted plants (not bareroot, which it's too late for this year anyhow). Deciding how much you want to pay for how big a plant theoretically only matters in how soon they begin to bear well. In reality, the different ages are almost never equally well grown. I would suggest buying the healthiest best-grown ones, whatever the age.

JME,

Pat

 

[Southern Gardener]

I bought two different variety of blueberry bushes in 5 gallon pots for $1 each (I work for the company that sells them) They looked healthy and had berries - I've never grown them, hopefully they will do ok.

silkie, I don't know where to tell you to buy them - I'm lucky - I get my plants from the company I work for for next to nothing...

 

[bunch-a-chickens]

www.eburgess.com

 

[silkieboxerluv]

They have them in card board boxs with one little twig sticking out. They were like 12 and some change for those. I dont mind waiting for the berrys I guess I need to look into this better before I buy. Whats the difference between 2 3 and 4 year roots?

 

[patandchickens]

They have them in card board boxs with one little twig sticking out. They were like 12 and some change for those. I dont mind waiting for the berrys I guess I need to look into this better before I buy. Whats the difference between 2 3 and 4 year roots?

I know the ones you're talking about, and I *really* would not buy them. It is not an issue of waiting longer -- it is an issue of probably waiting forever, as the bushes are unlikely to survive and if they do, technically, survive they generally just limp along and never really get their act together.

At least buy something growing in a pot, especially this time of year

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Tink]

I also heard that it is best to have 2-3 different types so they cross pollenate eachother.
Tink

 

[Cassandra]

They do grow slowly.


JME,

Pat

Pat, you always give the best advice. But sometimes---(sigh)---you can be such a buzz kill.



I know you speak the truth. I can wait indefintely, though. Any idea how many years it takes them to get... umm... bigger? (I know that is pretty vague, not to mention relative.)

I want to train mine to be smaller than the ones I picked from before. Maybe 4 feet tall would be plenty. Do they prune alright?

Cassandra