Thanks for your suggestions, bamboo and fruitnut. Given the accolades, I'm very, very anxious to try Sweetcrisp. I should have bought one last year, but better late than never. I've seen a lot of praise for Jewel's flavor, but, based on your description, fruitnut, I might be happier with another variety. I had my eye on Star and Windsor, so I might go with one or both of those. Have either of you (or anyone else) tried Palmetto? From what I can read, it gets very high marks for flavor. As for your question, rayrose, I do have a couple of potted SHB (O'Neal and Southmoon). The lower chill varieties like Sweetcrisp worry me a little bit because of early bloom times, but I can't resist trying them. I already have to protect some of my early bloomers (mostly rabbiteyes), though, so it shouldn't be too much trouble. I used a heavy weight frost blanket over a small greenhouse frame last winter, and that worked very well. This post was edited by shazaam on Tue, May 21, 13 at 21:26

Dawn, I have never heard anything specific about the growing conditions affecting the blueberry flavor, but I would have to guess yes based on this year's experiences. It is just a guess though. I fertilized once and watered a few times right during the middle of the Duke production, so I would lean towards that maybe causing the poor taste except that the Bluecrop that was overloaded got the same treatment as all others yet was the only bad tasting Bluecrop. About the pH of the water, would you believe I have never had my water tested. I have asked the rural water people, but the information they gave me did not include pH level. What I did to test my growing situation before planting many was that I bought 7 plants of 3 varieties the first year and replanted them in larger pots (1.3 cubic feet, but only 10 inches deep) for the growing season. The soil mix was half peat moss and half native soil. I watered them every day until the water stood on the surface. When late July and August arrived, they started putting out new shoots and leaves. I had decided that if the new growth showed no signs of pH issues even after being in a pot and getting so much tap water, then I would not have an issue in the ground for at least a few years. Everything looked good so I put them in the ground that fall and planted more the next spring. All the ones after that got 100% peat moss, but the first ones were half/half. Only 3 out of 40 total plants have been unhealthy for any reason so far. A couple of other things I should mention, though, are that my soil pH in a couple of home tests I did was a little under 6.5, and that some rabbiteyes that I put in pots 1.5 years ago are showing pH related issues this summer. Those rabbiteyes are in a half/half mix of potting soil and peat moss, and the pots are too small. I don't really have to fight the birds for the blackberries here much so this might not be applicable to your place, but thus far I have not ever noticed birds or any other animal or insect touching a blueberry with the exception of the over-ripe ones that ants started to get to a little bit. I don't do anything to protect them except let the dog roam at night to keep the deer away. One winter they ate some of the tops off of a few plants, but no problem since even though I have seen them during the night in the area multiple times this year and last. If you buy a couple of healthy two-yr old plants, they will be about 12 to 18 inches tall with a few good branches. If you pinch off any fruiting flowers the first year and the second year you have them, you might get 5 lbs per plant starting the third year. You will have to take really good care of them, though, and use a pot that is a couple feet across but not necessarily very deep. (If you can keep a loaded tomato plant healthy through harvest in a pot, you can easily do it with a blueberry plant.)

Tami, I can vouch for Ann T's blueberry muffins, I just love the darned things. I've never tried them with splenda, but I've subbed half whole wheat pastry flour with OK results. Not as good as the originals, of course, but still not bad. This is a nice tea bread, I got the recipe from Roselin on the recipe forum: Blueberry Tea Bread (Roselin) 1 beaten egg 2/3c sugar 1 1/2c sifted cake flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon 3/4 tsp salt 1/3c milk 3T melted butter 1 tsp vanilla 1c fresh or frozen blueberries 2T sugar Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Beat egg and gradually add 2/3c sugar. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to sugar mix alternately with milk. Beat well and add butter & vanilla. Fold in blueberries. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with 2T sugar. Bake 25 minutes or til tests done. I like these too, and I think they would translate nicely into something with Splenda and some whole grain flour: Farmgirl's Blueberry Breakfast Bars Makes 12 to 16 large bars Bottom Layer 2 cups old-fashioned oats 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 10 Tablespoons (1 stick + 2 Tbsp/5 ounces) butter, melted 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Top Layer 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1/2 cup butter or natural vegetable oil sticks Middle Layer 3-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 1 teaspoon pure almond extract 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (1/4 tsp. if freshly ground) For the Bottom Layer: Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 9" x 13" pan. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan with your fingers. (I also use the bottom of a stainless steel measuring cup to help make the crust flat and even.) For the Top Layer: Place the flour, brown sugar, and butter or vegetable oil sticks in a small bowl and use a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers to combine until the mixture resembles large crumbs (some pea-sized clumps are okay). Set aside. For the Middle Layer: Place the blueberries in the bowl you mixed the Bottom Layer in and toss them with the almond extract. Pour them evenly over the Bottom Layer in the pan. Combine the sugar and flour and sprinkle it evenly over the blueberries. (Even when wet or frozen, the sugar/flour mixture wouldn't stick to my big fat blueberries when I tried tossing it with them. If yours will, just toss the sugar/flour mixture with the blueberries and then pour the whole mixture over the Bottom Layer in the pan.) Sprinkle the Top Layer evenly over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden, and the edges are starting to brown. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Store in a cool place or refrigerate. Bars may also be frozen. Just Peachy Blueberry Breakfast Bars: Substitute 3 cups of small peach chunks (about 2 peaches, no need to peel them) and 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries for the 3-1/2 cups of blueberries. Toss the sugar and flour directly with the fruit before spreading it over the bottom layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350 degrees and bake until topping looks "dry" but edges aren't too brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Good luck, and stay healthy. Annie

Hi BahamaDan, I'm succesfully growing several varieties of blueberries in South Africa. I posted a long reply here that disappeared when I changed tabs :( I'll be brief now. My best performing variety is Brigitta which I believe was developed in Australia. Second best is Centurion. I use a mix of 1/3 each of perlite, acid compost and peat /coco peat in my pots. I top them with a mulch of big pine bark chips. My father-in-law bought some expensive German potting soil for azaleas, for the blueberry I gave him but his plant has been struggling for the past 2 years. I use only a half handful or so of Ammonium Sulfate per plant in the larger, half whiskey barrel sized terracotta pots. I do that in early spring and early summer. I almost killed one of the plants with a massive dose of the ammonium sulfate, so I'm very careful with it now. On a weekly basis or when I remember, I add a weak dose of either fish emulsion or an organic and water soluble fertiliser for acid loving plants. Below is my 2 year old Brigitta (one of two in the same style pot). In front of it are O'Neil and Gulf Coast recently bought for me by a friend, as they are said to taste really good and do well in warmer climates. The Brigittas were much smaller than the two in front when I first got them.