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Florida Gardening

Best way to transport blueberry/blackberry bushes

8 years ago

I'm giving up on these. In two years I've had a handful of blueberries off of six plants (emerals and sweet crisps) and zero blackberries off of four plants (triple crown thornless). I've followed all the guidelines but I guess there are just not enough chill hours here in central Florida. My question is how to package them for my son who lives in SW Ga. They are currently in 25 gal containers but that's a lot of weight to be horsing around and he will probably what to put them in that good rich Ga clay anyway. Can they just be yanked out of the pots and the roots wrapped? What's the drill for that? Can the roots be trimmed? What material works best? Try to incorporate the potting mix or bare root? Thanks for the help. Papa Jim

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Comments (4)

fawnridge (Ricky)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It's going to be difficult, but I would leave them in the pots until you get to Georgia. It's possible that they are root-bound, even in 25-gallon containers, which would explain the lack of fruit. Once you get them to their new home, take them out of the cans with the entire rootball intact. If the roots are circling the can, cut them before putting them in the ground. If you can't get them out with the rootball in one piece, break the containers.
whgille
8 years ago
Hi Papa Jim

You came to the same conclusion that I did years ago, blueberry and blackberry don't do that great in pots.

Judging from the abundance of the very successful blueberry farms in the area, they do well here in the soil, every season I go to the farms and pick the best tasting blueberries.

What Ricky told you in his last post is a good advice. I think you also have a choice to plant them bare root, at this time of the year that is how they are being shipped. When I ordered bare root plants, they send me wrapped with moist newspaper and as soon as I receive them I either plant them or put them in water if I am busy.

It will be best to plant them after the last frost date in spring, otherwise the plants will have to be protected from the freeze unless they are colder chilling varieties, the local farms usually run sprinkles on frosty nights.

Silvia
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apapjim
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks Silvia and Ricky. I've had the blueberries three years and the blackberries two. Most were tiny when I got them so hopefully they won't be root bound. I have a neighbor who has a blueberry farm in Clermont. He tells me they have a very narrow window of profitability. When the blueberries ripen in Georgia they can't even afford to pick them. Hence the "you pick" signs. Speaking of "you pick", Scott-Long farms in Zellwood does this with strawberries every year. I'll let you know when they start.
whgille
8 years ago
Papa Jim

I pick the early blueberries in Windermere and the last picking of the season in Clermont, I use them in everything and for my brothers that like blueberry jam. I keep 3 varieties in containers for my dog Nikki, she is always looking for ripe ones....and yes it will be good to know when the strawberries are ready to pick. This time of the year I miss a good just picked apple.

Silvia

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