Blueberries are one of the most popular and delicious fruits available. Their unique flavor and the healthy advantages it offers are aplenty which is why these are often used for lip smacking sweet fruit pies and jams. Personally, I love to use the blueberries I grow in yogurt and muffins. These can be eaten fresh and are also low in calories.

Blueberries are related to the huckleberries, the azaleas and the rhododendrons. These shrubs grow at least 7 to 8 feet in height and flourish in those areas that have the specific soil required. Most of the time, they require around 3-4 years to start bearing fruit, however this is not always true. There are many advantages to growing blueberries instead of buying them off the shelf. Not only do they taste fresher, but because they are locally-grown, they are better for the environment. All it needs is proper attention and care.

How To Grow Blueberries

Before growing blueberries at your home, you should consider the composition of the soil and the climate in which you live. Also, you can grow 2 or more varieties for the pollination. I have listed a few steps below that you can follow in growing blueberries.

• You need to contact the local store to know the variety you may need to pick before growing blueberries. Planting the blueberries bushes is quite a similar task to planting most shrubs. The variety of the bush matters, as some are quite drought resistant. This would suit a climate that is on the dry side.
• Once you have decided on the kind of blueberry you wish to grow, you need to select the appropriate location in your garden. The bushes require ample sunlight.
• You also need to check the pH level of the soil. This is because the soil used should be suitable for growing blueberries. The most favorable level for the blueberries is 4.5. The soil mixture should at least have an organic mixture of 5%. You can add leaves and manure to the soil.
• The time of the year also matters when you are growing blueberries. This needs to be planted in the spring or during the fall. This is because the soil tends to be more workable during this period. When you plant blueberry bushes, you also need to keep in mind that they should stand at least 4 feet apart. The lowbush varieties can be planted 1-3 feet apart.
• You also need to keep the depth of the mulch at 4″. This will help to retain the moisture for the weeds of the blueberry bushes and also prevent the growth of weeds.
• Adding the fertilizers is also important for growing blueberries. You can fertilize it in the late winter season or the early spring season. You can try an ammonium sulfate fertilizer at least twice in a year.
• Pruning the blueberry bushes may not be required for the initial few years. You may have to cut the oldest shoots so that it promotes the growth of a new shoot. You have to also remove the stalks that have dried up. Also, sometimes, you may need to take care that the branches are not over laden with fruits. You will need to prune the shoots so that they have the right amount of buds on them. There are certain people who believe in removing the flowers in the first year. This is because; it is firmly believed that this would help in the total development of the plant.

There are various categories of blueberries available, and within each category are many types of blueberries. These categories are as follows:

• Highbush Blueberries: These are the ones that are usually available in the local grocery store.
• Lowbush Blueberries: These are also known as the wild blueberries and generally do not grow beyond 18-inches of height.
• Half-high Blueberries: These can withstand heavy snowfall and are a hybrid combination of the two mentioned above.
• Rabbiteye Blueberries: These can face the full sun and are the tallest of the various kinds of blueberries available.

Growing Blueberries in Containers

Blueberries can be grown in containers as well. Due to their shallow root systems, these are suitable for growing in raised bed gardens or flower pots. Of course, it would be wise to plan ahead and grow your blueberry plant in a large pot. The larger the pot, the better chance you have at your plant bearing fruit for years to come. Once you have followed the steps above, the blueberry bush will require minimal care.

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Article written by: K. Lad

With so many different sizes, styles, prices and systems available for garden compost bins how do you choose the bes one for your garden? There are a few simple things to keep in mind to ensure your new composter is right for you and your garden.

The choice of commercially available ready-made garden compost bins is endless. Plastic, wood, mesh, static, open, covered, spinning, rolling, wormery or fermenting system. How on earth do you know which garden composter to choose?

First things first, do not panic too much. If you are new to garden composting, rest assured that any bin your choose will make you great garden compost. Organic matter wants to decompose and break down. Even if you used no bin at all, and just piled it all up in the corner of the garden, you would end up with compost. The speed and efficiency at which humus is produced may vary considerably with different garden composting systems, but the end result will be the same eventually.

Price & Size

The primary considerations when choosing a garden compost bin should be price and size. Your budget will determine whether you can even consider the more flamboyant multi-chamber rotating composters, or if you will need to stick with basic static models. There is no point in dreaming of new super-fast systems if you do not have the budget for it.

Decide your price range and stick with it. The cheapest composters work, and often the more basic are the longest lasting so do not stress yourself with what you would have, just look at what you can have.

Does Size Matter?

The size of the bin is also key. There is absolutely no point in buying a huge container if you do not have huge amounts of organic debris to put in it. Be realistic. You want to be able to fill any bin within six months and ideally within three. Multiple bins are always preferable because once a container is full it will need to be left for at least a few months. So, you will need another bin to start filling.

The Speed of Composters

The speed at which you want to make compost may impact on your purchasing decision. The quickest way to produce garden compost outside is with a spinning compost barrel. Used correctly with regular mixing of the garden waste and kitchen scraps, these can make your compost within eight weeks. Speed does not really matter in the longer term, because once you start making your own garden compost you will always have some being made and some finished. But, in the early stages it is beneficial to get some made quickly for an immediate return on your investment.

How Important Are Looks?

Considering how ugly some bins are, probably the last thing people really consider are the looks of any system. If your garden is a large one, that’s fine as you can hide an ugly bin and not worry about it. But, most gardeners will find their bin is on view from some part of the garden.

For this reason what the bin looks like should be taken into account much more than seems to be the case. If you can afford a beautiful product brilliant. But, if like most gardeners you are faced with buying a cheap but effective plastic bin think about the color of it at least. Black disappears into the background, so an ugly black composter will be much less noticeable than a more stylish bright green one. Simple, but true.

Traditional Composting Systems vs. Worm Composting

Try not to be swayed too much towards worm composting or kitchen compost bins if you have the room and use for an ordinary garden composter. These should be chosen if a compost pile in the garden is not an option, or if you are looking for an additional composting system to use in conjunction with a traditional garden compost bin. Both those systems are great, because they recycle food scraps so effectively but they are much more effective when used in addition to a garden bin for the bulky waste.

I must reiterate, do not stress about the type of garden compost bin too much. They all work and the chances are you will want another one in a few years so you can try a different one then! Once you start garden composting there just never seems to be enough so most gardeners use several systems alongside each other.

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