[Fairy Plotmother]

I would like to give blueberries a go this year. Any advice on varieties would be welcome. The easier to deal with the better.

[LotuSeed]

I have Blueray, Elliot, Patriot and Pink Lemonade. All highbush varieties (not sure how that type works for your area). I have yet to taste the pink lemonade as I didn't get a crop last season. Can't remember off the top of my head what Blueray tastes like. Elliot and Patriot are my favorite, one of the two produces bigger sweeter berries and the other smaller berries with a more complex blueberry flavor to them. Of course I can't remember which is which though lol. I'd recommend getting two different varieties to help with pollination.

[Fairy Plotmother]

Thanks. I hadn't thought of getting more than one variety

[LotuSeed]

The garden center I use usually has good sized bushes and depending on the time of the season, sometimes there's ripe fruit on them. It's a good way to sample before you commit to buying a particular variety. I'm not saying I picked the things clean or anything just one or two berries from varieties I was considering.

[ghost61]

Remember that they like acid soil, so if like me that's not whats available then you can grow them in tubs.  I had two last year and they did really well, lots of fruit.  Bought two more from Lidl that were cheap (about £3 each) and they have doubled in size since planting them.  Not idea what varieties they are, but the more you have the better!

[Agatha]

I have tried Bluecrop, Earliblue, Patriot, Ivanhoe, Goldtraube and another whose label I have lost, but I think is called Top Hat.  All tasted good although Ivanhoe wilted and died practically overnight in the 2nd year - no idea why as all the others were fine.

[moose]

It is usually advised to have more than one type to assist with pollination. They are self fertile but allegedly crop better if there are different types. Patriot is the one that has the larger berries. I grow in large pots as I have alkaline soil.
The birds love them so netting is needed.

[GrowinGrowinGone]

according to Which:

The following varieties are Best Buys from our last trial:

'Chandler' - big berries and joint heaviest crop
'Toro' - joint heaviest cropper and one of the best for autumn colour
'Spartan' one of the longest croppers with big tasty fruit
'Ozark Blue' had the third biggest crop[ of berries over a long period
'Nui' - respectable crop and a long cropping period
Worth considering...

‘Earliblue’was the winner in our members' taste test. Unfortunately the yield was low and it had the shortest cropping period.


Hope that's some help

[Fairy Plotmother]

Thanks All! I think I need to grow in containers to ensure acid growing conditions. I will investigate all the varieties you have mentioned. Spartan sounds good. Ah! Lidl.... I remember them selling plants very cheaply last year. Must keep my eyes open for their offers.

[LotuSeed]

When I picked my plants, I chose a range of varieties that matured at different times for a longer cropping season.

[Fairy Plotmother]

When I picked my plants, I chose a range of varieties that matured at different times for a longer cropping season.

Good idea.👍

[wasthiswise]

I've got several blueberries in large pots on the patio that have put on a lot of growth but so far not too many berries. Maybe I'm impatient. I also I constructed a blueberry 'bed' on my allotment. But the soil there is slightly alkaline clay so what I did was to dig a trench about 8ft x 3ft, and 2ft deep, lined it with builders damp proof membrane which was the thickest plastic sheet I could find, pierced a few holes in the bottom for drainage and then filled it with a mix of ericacious compost and rotted pine needles. Its now got 3 large blueberries and I recently added some lingonberry and cranberrys.

[Fairy Plotmother]

I've got several blueberries in large pots on the patio that have put on a lot of growth but so far not too many berries. Maybe I'm impatient. I also I constructed a blueberry 'bed' on my allotment. But the soil there is slightly alkaline clay so what I did was to dig a trench about 8ft x 3ft, and 2ft deep, lined it with builders damp proof membrane which was the thickest plastic sheet I could find, pierced a few holes in the bottom for drainage and then filled it with a mix of ericacious compost and rotted pine needles. Its now got 3 large blueberries and I recently added some lingonberry and cranberrys.

Another good idea. 👍Thanks. Much food for thought.

[Agatha]

I've got several blueberries in large pots on the patio that have put on a lot of growth but so far not too many berries.

How big are they?  If they are the standard size garden centre ones you should get a reasonable crop in the 2nd year I would have thought.  I bought a couple of tiddlers for £1 each last year, and won't expect much from them for a few years though.

[Grubbypaws]

‘Earliblue’was the winner in our members' taste test. Unfortunately the yield was low and it had the shortest cropping period.

I have settled on Earliblue, Spartan and Ozark Blue to have blueberries for as long as possible. Spartan and OB are recent additions and are great but nothing matches the flavour burst in your mouth of earliblue. My bush is thriving with enormous yields and a long cropping period. GGG, how are you growing yours? Mine is in a large container on a sunny patio. Are you protecting from the birds? If mine wasn’t under netting I too would think that the yield was low as my blackbirds love them!

Fairy plot mother you must include Earliblue