Today, April 26, is Arbor Day in NJ. Every year about 60,000 square kilometers (about 14, 826.3 acres) of forest are destroyed. So, arbor days are celebrated across the USA and even in other countries to raise awareness about conservation and reforestation. Over ten million trees are planted on every arbor day. I didn't have any trees to plant; but luck struck me and my order of five blueberry plants arrived today. Now, you might say that blueberry plants are not trees but I will beg to differ :-). First of all, blueberries are native plants. Secondly, they are excellent source of food for wildlife (I will be competing fiercely with infinite numbers of squirrels, birds, groundhogs, deer, rabbits, raccoon that exist here). Except one, all my five blueberry plants will grow to about six feet in height and will form bushes. So, they will provide a little shelter, places to play around, sit, sing and fly away for birds. Thus, I declare my blueberry plants as trees :-).
Here are the varieties that I received:
Blueray: very sweet, light blue fruits resist cracking. Ripen in July and the harvest goes on for weeks. Plant with at least two other blueberry varieties to ensure adequate cross-pollination. The 5-6' tall bushes become a blaze of crimson in the fall, so they are ideal arranged as an informal hedge.
Blueberry Top Hat: Hats off to a perfectly delectable and beauteous blueberry. Give this ornamental blueberry a prime spot on your patio. Come spring it produces beautiful white blossoms; in fall, the foliage turns a pretty glowing orange. Top Hat is a compact 2-ft plant that produces firm, dusky blue fruit that ripens in late season and is ideal for baking.
Herbert: Blueberries in abundance! Herbert produces a profusion of jumbo-sized fruits with a rich, sweet, slightly tart flavor; it's a late-season variety and very winter hardy.
Coville: Coville produces high yields of large, sweet berries and has good disease resistance. Blueberry plants require pollination from at least one other blueberry variety; plant several varieties for improved fruit set and long harvest. Blueberry is a native shrub that was utilized by Native Americans. Growing 5-6', their productive season is July-August, but they also enliven the garden with blazing crimson foliage in fall.
Bluejay: This native American variety ripens in July and yields heavily for weeks. Plant with at least two other blueberry varieties to ensure adequate cross-pollination. The 5-6' tall bushes become a blaze of crimson in the fall, so they are ideal arranged as an informal hedge. You'll have fresh blueberries for pies and preserves for many, many years.
Apparently, these are good blueberries to plant in NJ. But time will only tell that. I already had a blueberry plant in the garden. So, all total six blueberry plants. I am so fond of this fruit that if I am successful with these plants, then I hope to plant a hedge of blueberries in the front yard. Do you have blueberries in your garden? Do you do anything special on arbor day?
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Blueray: very sweet, light blue fruits resist cracking. Ripen in July and the harvest goes on for weeks. Plant with at least two other blueberry varieties to ensure adequate cross-pollination. The 5-6' tall bushes become a blaze of crimson in the fall, so they are ideal arranged as an informal hedge.
Blueberry Top Hat: Hats off to a perfectly delectable and beauteous blueberry. Give this ornamental blueberry a prime spot on your patio. Come spring it produces beautiful white blossoms; in fall, the foliage turns a pretty glowing orange. Top Hat is a compact 2-ft plant that produces firm, dusky blue fruit that ripens in late season and is ideal for baking.
Herbert: Blueberries in abundance! Herbert produces a profusion of jumbo-sized fruits with a rich, sweet, slightly tart flavor; it's a late-season variety and very winter hardy.
Coville: Coville produces high yields of large, sweet berries and has good disease resistance. Blueberry plants require pollination from at least one other blueberry variety; plant several varieties for improved fruit set and long harvest. Blueberry is a native shrub that was utilized by Native Americans. Growing 5-6', their productive season is July-August, but they also enliven the garden with blazing crimson foliage in fall.
Bluejay: This native American variety ripens in July and yields heavily for weeks. Plant with at least two other blueberry varieties to ensure adequate cross-pollination. The 5-6' tall bushes become a blaze of crimson in the fall, so they are ideal arranged as an informal hedge. You'll have fresh blueberries for pies and preserves for many, many years.
Apparently, these are good blueberries to plant in NJ. But time will only tell that. I already had a blueberry plant in the garden. So, all total six blueberry plants. I am so fond of this fruit that if I am successful with these plants, then I hope to plant a hedge of blueberries in the front yard. Do you have blueberries in your garden? Do you do anything special on arbor day?
Hi, I didn't know about Arbour Day, had to look it up, we don't have Arbour Day here in UK but we have a National Tree Week every year, I think it is in the beginning of November, when people are encouraged to plant trees.
ReplyDeleteI love blueberries, but being Norwegian I prefer the Scandinavian variety which is more fragrant and with much more concentrated flavour. The bushes are low growing, just 1’ and they are found wild all over Scandinavia. They variety is called Vaccinium myrtillus. I have not tried growing them in my own garden, don’t think it is cold enough here in London, but in any case I haven’t got room for enough to make it worthwhile. Good luck with yours, hope they bring you lots of blueberries :-)
Helene, my mouth is become watering on reading the Norwegian blueberry description. I hope to taste them one day. I don't think I will get them here; else, I would definitely buy another Norwegian blueberry plant; a 1-footer producing delicious fruit...yummmy :-).
DeleteOh, I like the idea of planting blueberries for arbor day! I just love blueberries, but I usually go to a pick-your-own place up the road to fill my blueberry needs. I hope your five blueberries are very prolific. And happy arbor day! One of the most interesting things about Arbor day is that it is a different day in each area. Of course, that makes sense as the weather for planting trees would be best at different times for different areas.
ReplyDeleteHi Holley, thank you :-). I know arbor day is on different day on different places; but more or less, April 26 is the most common one. I wonder if there are any people who don't love blueberries!
DeleteHope your blueberries thrive for you KL, and yes I think that Blueberries are appropriate for Arbor Day instead of a tree.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, thank you :-).
DeleteWe also plant a few new trees on Arbor Day. We don't cut any down, but the strong storms always get a few each year. This year it got one that my dad played under when he was little. It was a massive white oak, so we planted a few more.
ReplyDeleteHi Erin, what did you plant this year? It's sad to hear that the white oak fell under which your father used to play. One day you should perhaps an old picture of that tree. I love hearing and learning about such micro-culture -- it would be such nostalgic to learn more about that white oak.
DeleteNJ grows some of the best blueberries....I planted the 2 new trees in pots under we take down the current ash trees. Happy Arbor Day!
ReplyDeleteHi Donna, thanks :-). Is something wrong with the ash tree? I hope everything is fine.
DeleteGood luck with your blueberries! You are lucky to live in such good blueberry-growing country. Blueberries are generally not happy in the Chicago area, though we used to drive to southwest Michigan to take advantage of the bounteous blueberry U-Pick farms. I have several blueberries I grow in containers in order to provide them with adequate acidity. The varieties I use are Top Hat and Little Crisp.
ReplyDeleteHi Jason, thank you. One of my blueberry is also Top Hat. I am also growing it in container. Any advice to take care of it?
DeleteI wish your blueberries well! What a great thought - planting these native, wildlife friendly beauties in place of a tree is a reasonable compromise to make!
ReplyDeleteHi Angie,
DeleteThank You :-). I also hope that they thrive and grow beautiful.