Self-Pollinating Blueberries

Varieties

• Several varieties of blueberries fare better than others when it comes to self-pollination.
  Several blueberry varieties fare better than others do when it comes to self-pollination. Among them, Southern and Northern Highbush not only self-pollinate, but are also hardy in hot summers. Northern Highbush grows in U.S. Department of plant hardiness zones 5 to 7a. Cultivars include Bluecrop, which produces large, sweet berries early in the season. Blueray ripens in midseason, with high yields. Jersey blueberries make excellent cooking fruit, being medium sized and very sweet, while Liberty berries are firm, so they store better. Southern Highbush grows in zones 7 to 10. Cultivars in this group include O’Neal and Star, both early-ripening, high-quality berries.

Location and Spacing

• Self-pollinating blueberries need a sunny spot with well-draining soil. A raised bed with at least 1 foot of soil mixed with peat moss is an excellent option. Put the bushes as close as 2 feet apart. In this type of close configuration, they’ll create a hedge. A spot with adjacent bee-attracting plants helps improve yields because blueberry pollen is very heavy and not easily carried in the wind.

Ongoing Care

• Once established, annually prune your self-pollinating blueberry bushes. This limits yield but improves the fruit quality. Begin with low growth at the bush’s base. Trim anything dead and thin out small, lateral branches for best results. Blueberries also benefit from a 10-20-10 fertilizer in the early and late spring, which facilitates flowering. Water the bush regularly but don’t soak the soil. Pooling water hurts the blueberry’s root systems.

Pests and Problems

• Self-pollinating blueberries are hardy, are sometimes infested with insects or become infected with fungus or disease. Two pests that frequent blueberries are the blueberry maggot and the blueberry stemborer. Control these using commercial sprays or traps. Birds also love snacking on blueberries. Avoid this by covering your bushes with light netting. The most common fungal infection is the blueberry mummy. This resembles a small cup filled with spores. When those spores spread, they infect the berries, which turn creamy white and fall to the ground. Treat the infection with fungicidal oil. Remove any diseased berries, discarding them away from the garden.

Harvesting

• When ripe berries first appear on your bush, picking is tempting. However, wait until at least one-third of the yield is ripe. During this time, the berries continue growing and sweetening. A ripe berry stays fresh on the bush for 10 days. When you pick the berries, gently roll them off the cluster. Squeezing bruises them. If it recently rained, wait until the fruit dries before harvesting. This improves shelf life.