June seems to be a perfect month for blueberries. Honey has them every day in her hot cereal so we need to have a constant supply. On the weekends we have been riding the bikes to the local farmers markets. Portland has a large one on Saturdays. Milwaukie has a nice smaller one on Sundays, and there are a host of great farmers makets in the Portland metro area. When we can’t get to one, our next choices are the local fruit stands like “Justy’s Produce and Flowers” near Clackamas. Failing that, our third choice would be the grocery store. Safeway is the closest and they usually have a few kinds, but you have to look close to make sure you are getting a local Oregon farm blueberry and not an out of state, or imported berry.
We have planted our own bushes in order to get that enjoy the “just picked” freshness, but the first couple of years the crops have been a little up and down. My father, a much better gardener than I has given me a few hints on successful blueberry crops.

• Blueberry bushes like to have other blueberry bushes around them, never plant just one by itself, the more the better.
• The bushes like an acid soil. In the second through twelfth years, apply ammonium sulfate, or fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 16-16-16. If plant leaves become discolored, apply 2 to 3 ounces of ferrous sulfate or iron chelate around the base of the plants each year.
• Generous use of mulches like 4 inches of sawdust or peat moss will help control weeds, conserve moisture, and keep roots cool.
• You have to keep the birds out! I am all for bird feeding, but would rather they not eat all my berries. Two weeks ago we rode down the nursery to pick up some 5 foot bamboo stakes. The bamboo is straight, strong, durable, natural looking, long lasting, as well as an inexpensive,  renewable resource.  I used the stakes at the corners of the bushes. Then wrapped plastic netting around the bushes and stakes. I interlaced the netting into the stakes so I didn’t need to tie up the netting. Then one more roll of netting is draped over the top, that can easily be lifted off when we are ready to pick.

The berries should be ready in a week or so!