I think I'm in the same zone as the original poster. I bought a pre-packaged Northern Highbush variety pack as bareroot 2 years ago (this will be their 3rd year in the ground). I want to say it was Jersey, Duke, and Patriot -but I'm not certain. They produce berries, but not enough for us and the birds, and the birds have been faster. We did try netting, but that isn't very attractive for edible landscape. I took down the netting because the birds and a rabbit got trapped and died, and I didn't want the berries bad enough to kill off the pests. I lost one bush last year (not sure which variety), the remaining two are still a bit scraggly, but I think that is at least partly due to my inexperience and errors. In my area they do lose all their leaves, but the stems are an attractive red in winter. Right now they still aren't much to look at because they are rather sparse, not dense. I'm hoping they fill out with maturity. Mine are planted on a hillside, slightly downhill of my vegetable garden so I can keep the soil more acidic. The hillside gets great sun, and drainage is pretty good, but it is also exposed to wind. I'm not sure if our excessively wet year last year hindered or helped them, it was on the cooler side too - but the bushes don't seem to like the excessive heat and humidity we usually get here either. I did order three new bareroot plants to fill in my blueberry row: Berkley, Blueray, and Brigitta - not quite sure what to expect. One day I hope to have more berries than the birds will eat, but I suspect more birds will just migrate to my yard. I guess after reading the other responses, I hope the plant I lost was the Jersey.

Drew, IâÂÂve read your take on AlâÂÂs advice on potting mix hydraulics quite a few times, and I am left to wonder if you have really digested what Al has said. I for one have seen Al say over and over that there is no âÂÂone size fits allâ as you suggest he advocates. He has posted over and over that what he is presenting is an attempt to explain the principles of potting mix hydraulics so that one can understand and chose for themselves how to make a proper mix for their circumstance. He then goes on to say âÂÂthis is what works for meâÂÂ, but in no way advocates âÂÂone size fits allâ in relation to mechanical properties. In relation to fertilization, it does lean more towards âÂÂone size fits allâÂÂ. While I havenâÂÂt vouched his claims to the literature he cites, he does present such ratios of NPK based on what seems to be a sound basis. I still wouldnâÂÂt characterize it as âÂÂone size fits allâÂÂ. While it is a commonly held misbelief that sand is used to improve drainage, the opposite is actually true when used in conjunction with other dissimilar sized particles. ItâÂÂs like the pine needles and oak leaves acidifying soil. Such a wifeâÂÂs tale that has been told so many times, it is almost gospel, but it is not true. Just because the forest floor under oaks and pine trees is acidic does not mean those products are adequate to lower pH when applied as a mulch. Just because sand drains well does not mean that adding it to other media creates drainage. The opposite is true when the sand is mixed with other particle sizes. It slows down passage of water, allowing for more retention, and holds water in the micropores between the sand and the other media products. This is clearly quantified in peer reviewed studies measuring the retention and drainage of various mixes. It reminds me of people in UT who often repeat that sand should be added to our clay soils to improve drainage. Wrong! What they actually end up doing is making low grade cement by the addition of sand! Just because it seems logical, and is oft repeated, does not mean it is true. Regarding FruitnutâÂÂs âÂÂcompostâÂÂ. I have raised many thousands of rodents. I have composted more cubic yards of the wastes than I would ever care to count. I used to commercially raise rodents. Even when thoroughly hot composted a couple times, the result is nothing like peat or other traditional potting mixes or compost. It is far more like composted pine bark fines. It is a good draining product. Nothing like the maverick potting mix linked to.

The Lowes here had the best looking plants for sale, They were well established (looks-wise) multiple branches, looked about 4 times bigger than the bare root plants I ordered from a local blueberry grower here. If memory serves, they were $10 each. And if I had not purchased so many other plants already (most of what I bought I bought for resale), they would have seemed very worth trying. Again, just the size difference from what you normally see for sale and these (normally you see ones that look like one smaller than a pencil branch maybe with a few lateral branches, but very puny) was pretty significant.

Ant colonies do indeed kill various plantings at times, such as, blueberries and tomatoes for me. It is quite likely that roots would take up all kinds of things from the soil and go systemic throughout the plant, including several ingredients from your Raid can. So far there is no known mechanism whereby living creatures such as e-coli can go systemic through root absorbtion, but there aren't many safe guards against chemicals.