What to plant to cross pollinate Bluecrop blueberries?

10 years ago

On Mother's Day, I went out and bought some blueberry bushes for fun. I got a Bountiful Blue and Bluecrop (having been told to get different varieties for cross pollination). Genius that I am, I did not realize until after I planted them that Bountiful Blue blooms much earlier that Bluecrop.

Bountiful already had fruit when I bought it, while Bluecrop was in midst of flowering, and didn't flower in earnest until after I planted it.

I have just enough room for two more plants. I figured I'll get a Sunshine to go with the Bountiful Blue, but can you all recommend what to plant to go along with Bluecrop? Thanks!

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Comments (12)

Bradybb WA-Zone8
10 years ago
Hi sandpapertongue,
About any Northern Highbush will work with the Bluecrop.
Just be aware that some of them can get over six feet and almost as wide. Brady
2ajsmama
10 years ago
I bought 2 each Patriot, Legacy and Bluecrop last year - 2 gal pots. Lots of berries on the Patriot, very few (4-6 berries each plant) on the Bluecrop, and the Legacy hasn't flowered (yet?) this year. Lots of wild (high and low) bush around, they're all fruiting now. Any idea what's up with the Blucrop and Legacy? They look healthy (though all vertical growth, not getting bushy).
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Some of the confusion comes from the mis-use of terms such as pollination rather than cross-pollination. While pollination is required for most all fruiting vegetables (as opposed to all the leafy greens and root veggies), cross-pollination is not only not required but in most cases is undesirable if you plan to save seeds and/or insure varietal purity. The second distinction is within the class of vegetables requiring pollination: (1) self-fertile - as in able to pollinate itself as the bloom contains both male and female equipment(tomatoes, eggplants, peas and beans) or (2) insect, hand, or wind pollinated when the male or female equipment is on a different part of the plant (corn, squash, pumpkins, most cukes and melons). Dave
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You will also want to make sure that the soil you are planting them in has a PH of about 4-5 and keep it maintained by adding agricultural sulpher because it will try to stablize. Also in the summer or on hot days they require about a gallon of water per day. I have mine planted in pure peat and then mulched in about 4 inches of pine bark (the little pieces not big chunks)And you wont want to fertilize at all the first year or it will burn the roots. you will also want to pick all of the flowers off the first year or else it will send all of its energy into fruit instead of root and foliar growth which will make it harder for your plant to survive the hot texas days.
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Ashie: Most people seem to have pretty good luck with any type blueberry in pots. Mine are southern highbush. They set every berry whether there are bees or not. Another might be nice, more to spread the harvest than for pollination. Mine are in 15 gal pots. I'd guess they produce 4-5 lbs per plant, plenty for me. Be sure to use a well drained mix with plenty of acidic organic matter and little soil. The Fruitnut
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Brigitta is late however, as we're talking early. I gotta say, after picking 7 lbs of duke, the flave is variable from bush to bush. I think that the blander ones are smaller, and on overloaded bushes, and the just ripe, bigger ones are a lot better. I skimmed through my Bluecrops and some blue Jays and put together 9lbs in 1 hr. The birds have arrived, as well as my mylar bird scaring strips. Blue Jay has been around for some 50 yrs. Although the fruiting so far is sparse, the bushes are nice growers and I hope they load up next year. They berries are rounder, sweet, and have an excellent essence with a little acid. No muskiness undertones like duke. They were the only ones that produced anything last year. I'm also trialing Draper. Finicky plant. doesn't like my soul so much, but this year are loades. Where are the leaves?I might have to trim some lower fruit, but may be to late to avoid over bearing. I need to baby them as to not lose any momentum.
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abz5b
10 years ago
All the half highs will also pollinate the Bluecrop. I have 3 Polaris a Chippewa and a Bluecrop. all have significant amount of Berrries. The tag i got with purchase of the bluecrop listed something like 30 different varieties of pollinators. With a little google search MSU lists Bluecrop as self fruitful. Just means can be pollinated by the same variety of blueberry.

This post was edited by ABz5b on Thu, Jun 6, 13 at 0:17
Bradybb WA-Zone8
10 years ago
ajsmama,
Are they still in pots?
I have a Bluecrop in the ground that is fairly slow growing and a Legacy in a container that is doing really well. Brady
2ajsmama
10 years ago
No, they're all in the ground. They did get off to a bad start last year - 2" of rain in 1 day a couple days after I bought them (they were right up against house under eaves but still got flooded), I took them out of pots and tried to let roots dry out before planting them, but then had 3 freezes so they went back in garage and didn't get planted for a week. Then they had a "paprika-sprinkled" look to leaves last summer but seemed to get through the winter OK. Those 2 varieties just didn't seem to flower this spring, but the other is loaded with berries.

Does Bluecrop need more sun, less sun? It's in the sunniest spot (higher on the hill) right now, the middle 2 plants in the row of 3 are the ones that are fruiting. Planted near the lowbush,some shade but the lowbush always fruit. pH is very low (have to find report - 4.3?) but again native berries do well so I didn't lime.
Bradybb WA-Zone8
10 years ago
Yes Blueberries like sun and ones in the ground shouldn't have any problems with over heated roots.
Is there Peat moss mixed in the planting hole.They like the organic matter.I also mulch with Pine and or Fir bark.
pH sounds just about right.
What are they getting fertilized with? Brady
2ajsmama
10 years ago
Mixed compost in planting hole with our native sandy loam when planted. Mulched with decomposed bark mulch, covered with hay and pine branches over the winter and then removed branches, left some hay right around them and now have fresh wood chips in area but not close to planting hole. All 6 are the same and only 2 have fruit (well, Bluecrop has a few berries), and those 2 are loaded.

Haven't fertilized - I don't fertilize the wild ones so figured I didn't have to with these (I only fertilize plants in containers, I just use compost and composted manure or leaf mold on all my veggies, 1st year with strawberries so I guess I'm supposed to fertilize those when I mow them down in July).
Bradybb WA-Zone8
10 years ago
Blueberries respond well to an acid type fertilizer for Rhododendrons and Azaleas about once a month in the Spring and early Summer.
Just don't use a fertilizer with Muriate of Potash on them. Brady
2ajsmama
10 years ago
Soil tests from last year (before adding compost), native soil in that area was 4.2 pH, Low in nitrate nitrogen, High in ammonium nitrogen, Medium Low in phosphorus, Low in potassium, Low in calcium Medium in Mg.

Are cultivated blueberries different from wild, need more fertilizer, or just to get them established? I guess I can ask my uncle - he's been growing them for PYO for about 75 yrs but I don't know that anybody fertilizes his (any more). Of course he doesn't remember varieties, they might not even sell those cultivars any more.
Ernie
10 years ago
Are cultivated blueberries different from wild, need more fertilizer, or just to get them established?

I think I recall that lowbush blueberries will tolerate drought and low organic matter soils better than highbush blueberries, but I don't know that the latter necessarily need more fertilizer. In fact, blueberries are adapted to low fertility soils and can do just fine without supplemental fertilization if other conditions are right. Research has demonstrated, though, that they do respond favorably to fertilization (particularly nitrogen), so you have the potential to boost yields if you do choose to fertilize. Then again, since your native soil is high in ammonium nitrogen, it's hard to say whether you'd see a significant benefit. Since blueberries have shallow roots and burn easily, you definitely don't want to overdo it. If you do choose to fertilize, an organic fertilizer would be the safest option, especially since you don't need a fast source of nitrogen. Cottonseed meal, for example, might be a good choice.
2ajsmama
10 years ago
Since the leaves don't look as red as last year and those other 4 bushes are growing, maybe they just need another year to get established? Don't think they need more N, but to get them to flower (and fruit) next year maybe put on some rock phosphate now, and anything for potassium? Since Brady said not to use potash?

Thanks
Bradybb WA-Zone8
10 years ago
Sulfate of Potash,(Potassium Sulfate) is okay for them.
I think its Chloride in Muriate of Potash that is harmful to them and some other fruits and vegetables. Brady

What to plant to cross pollinate Bluecrop blueberries?

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Bradybb WA-Zone8

2ajsmama

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