Blueberry River: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care, reviews with photos

Reka blueberry with its color, smooth ripening waves, large volumes of juicy berries in which there is water, really resembles a river. This is one of the modern varieties that quickly gains mass and has a high yield. Gardeners have already appreciated blueberries, and amateurs should pay close attention to them, as they are suitable for growing in the middle zone of our country.

Blue River variety history

The River variety began its history in New Zealand and was officially registered in 1989, becoming a self-sufficient culture. She has several "parents": Blueberry River obtained by crossing the varieties Bluecrop, Erliblu, Ashworth.

The best parental qualities are combined in the new variety:

• excellent yield;
• excellent quality and taste of fruits;
• rapid growth and green mass gain.

Reka blueberry is extremely popular in Canada and the USA, and our country is still developing a new variety. It is suitable for farms as it can be mechanically harvested. Private gardens are also expanding their berry collection with a new plant.

Note: Several New Zealand varieties (Nuru, Puru, Reka) have a license that prohibits their unauthorized reproduction. Growers can purchase them by contract, but distribution of the variety is prohibited.

All the advantages and disadvantages of blueberries

The Reka variety is positioned as an early one: in the southern regions it begins to bear fruit in June, and in the middle latitudes it can be classified as mid-ripening, since the first harvest occurs at the end of July. A cold spring can push back the harvest by another 2 weeks.

Undoubted advantages of the variety:

• sweet fruits with a slight sour note;
• high tasting taste score;
• large and medium size berries;
• their dense texture;
• strong immunity: adapts well and gets sick little;
• decorative appearance;
• high frost resistance (up to -35 C).

River is one of the fastest growing varieties that adapts well to any climate. It is ideal for Russia with its cold winters, continental climate and poor soil.

Disadvantages include:

• periodic cuts;
• long flowering period;
• extended fruiting period;
• high ground requirements;
• fear of drafts and cold winds.

Tip: To maintain the size of the berries, from the second year of fruiting, part of the fruit ovaries should be removed. Without this procedure, the harvest will be large, but the berries will be small.

Description and characteristics of varietal blueberries

The blueberry belongs to the branchy subshrubs, and the Reka variety is tall and reaches 2 m. The stem, as it grows, quickly becomes covered with wood and is resistant to lodging.

Shrub and variety of root system

The river blueberry bush has the following features:

• volumetric crown size;
• upright skeletal branches;
• branched, numerous shoots;
• rapid growth and formation;
• numerous oblong and shiny leaves up to 3 cm in diameter;
• fibrous root system without root hairs.

The total life expectancy of a bush is 100 years, in culture it can bear fruit up to 60 years.

Flowering and fruiting blueberries

Fruiting begins at 3-4 years, then bell-shaped, white-pink flowers appear on the plant. On the branches are formed racemose inflorescences with 5-toothed, drooping flowers. Up to 12-20 fruits are formed on one brush. Blueberries are cross-pollinating, so there should be shrubs nearby that bloom at the same time as "blue grapes".

The berries ripen in the second half of July and are characterized by:

• deep blue with a waxy finish;
• fruit size up to 1.5 cm and weight up to 2 g;
• dense and elastic consistency;
• sweet and sour with fruity notes;
• pleasant berry flavor;
• good keeping quality and transportability.

The largest harvest wave and the largest fruits are formed at 3-4 harvests per season. The berries hold well on the bushes and do not crumble even in the autumn, when the foliage turns red and flies around. The yield from one bush is 5-10 kg, which depends on climatic conditions and compliance with agricultural technology. At home, blueberries give up to 10 kg, and in our country - about 5 kg.

Note: The Reka variety is recommended for farms due to the possibility of mechanical harvesting, good keeping quality and the ability to transport berries over long distances.

Collection and use of berries

Human resources are needed for manual harvesting in large plantations. Berry picking is carried out in several stages and the workforce must be constantly involved. The modern approach is the use of combines.

Units of different brands are produced, but the principle of operation is the same for all: the shaker makes circular movements due to vibration, and the crumbled berries fall into a special hopper. In small garden plots, blueberries are harvested by hand in stages: several times a season, as the berries ripen gradually.

Blueberries are a vitamin and mineral cocktail, so they are best consumed fresh. All kinds of sweet preparations are no less tasty, but not so useful: jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades. The berries are used to make homemade wine. They are a decoration of confectionery, giving them an extra taste.

Resistant to low temperatures and drought

The plant endures frosty winters and does not need shelter. Young, non-lignified shoots may freeze slightly, but in the spring the bush quickly recovers and gains strength.

Blueberry The river is drought tolerant and needs regular watering. A bucket of acidified water is poured under one bush. Waterlogging is bad for the root system, which rots.

Insect and disease susceptibility

Reka Blueberry variety is most affected by fungal diseases in rainy, cool summers. The roots suffer from tracheomycosis wilt. The fungus spreads with planting material, spores persist in the soil and plant debris. Stems and leaves are also susceptible to fungal infections.

From pests the plant is visited:

• triangular leaflet;
• blueberry moth;
• yellow peat jaundice;
• heather shooter.

The listed pests include butterflies that damage the plant at the caterpillar stage. Blueberries of the Reka variety rarely get sick and quickly recover from pest damage.

How to plant blueberries in the area

The right choice of site, planting dates, soil cultivation plays a decisive role in the survival and further growth of blueberries. Since the shrub grows in one place for a long time, the cultivation features are associated not only with the climate, but also with the fertility of the soil.

Appropriate timing

In the southern regions, the best option would be planting in the fall. In colder, middle latitudes, it is better to plant bushes in the spring, when the soil warms up. Autumn planting can lead to freezing if the plant does not have time to take root and adapt to new conditions.

Preparing the planting pit and seedling

Planting pits are prepared in advance. Their volume is 60 × 50 cm. For good survival and growth, a soil mixture of high-moor peat, sand, sawdust, needles with the addition of sulfur (50 g) is used. Blueberry Reka loves loose, fertile, slightly acidic soils.

It is advisable to purchase a seedling in a specialized nursery. The plant is checked for safety and absence of diseases. A closed root system is preferred. The age of the seedling is 2-3 years.

Planting technology

Landing is carried out according to the scheme:

• since the bushes are large, the distance between them is 1 m, and a distance of 3 m is kept between the rows;
• the roots of a seedling without an earthen clod are neatly straightened;
• deep root neck by 3 cm;
• the soil around the plant is compacted, watered abundantly, mulched.

Tip: In order for blueberry bushes to grow evenly and form erect skeletal branches, they are tied together to create orderly rows of bushes.

Rules for crop care

Growing blueberries of the Reka variety does not require a special approach and includes traditional agrotechnical measures. But there are nuances that need to be taken into account when caring for a particular horticultural crop.

How often to water and feed the River

Blueberries are watered twice a week, during dry periods - twice a day. Under each bush spend a bucket of water. Moisture is especially needed during flowering and fruiting, but its excess causes root rot.

The plant responds well to mineral supplements. In the spring, nitrogen supplements are added for the growth of green mass, in the summer - phosphorus-potassium mixtures for better fruiting. One good complex spring top dressing is enough to increase the yield. In autumn, the bushes are not fed, otherwise they winter poorly.

Tip: Blueberries do not bear fruit in alkaline or neutral soils. When planting and in August, the soil should be shed with a 9% solution of acetic acid, add sulfur, mulch with needles to increase the level of acidity.

Loosening and mulching beds

After watering, when moisture is absorbed into the soil, loosening is carried out to breathe and feed the roots. The soil is loosened superficially so as not to hurt the root system. During processing, the previous layer of mulch is left, updating its composition and quantity. Use as mulch:

• chopped straw,
• sawdust;
• needles and shredded conifer bark;
• peat.

A layer of mulch protects the soil from weeds and moisture loss, and the roots from overheating or hypothermia.

Cutting and shaping

Reka's blueberry bushes need constant pruning. Without it, the branches grow strongly and intertwine, the plant loses part of the crop and a well-groomed appearance. Pruning is carried out in the spring before the start of sap flow and before bud break. The bush is thinned out by removing part of the skeletal branches. Cut off shoots growing from the roots and creeping along the ground. Of the young shoots, the strongest and most erect ones are left.

Sanitary pruning is carried out in any growing season. Cut out damaged, twisted, diseased branches. Thin out the bushes so that the fruiting branches have access to light and air. So plants are less susceptible to infections.

Preventive treatment

The best way to fight fungal infections is preventive measures: spraying the bushes before the leaves bloom with Bordeaux mixture, watering the soil under the bush with phytosporin.

If single caterpillar larvae attacked the bushes, they are harvested by hand. In case of massive damage, blueberries are treated with drugs: Fufanon, Aktellik, Iskra, Inta-Vir. With the same means, but in a lower concentration, spring preventive treatment is carried out before flowering begins.

Wintering plants

Reka blueberry is resistant to frost and does not require shelter. If in this particular region there are little snowy winters, then supports are created along the bushes, rods are pulled through each bush and the skeletal branches are covered with spruce branches and lutrasil.

Shelter is necessary for bushes planted in autumn, which are poorly rooted and not adapted enough. They are also wrapped with spruce branches, lutrasil, and snow is thrown on top.

Reviews about the variety

Growers express conflicting opinions about the variety, although the number of positive reviews is increasing:

Olga, 32, experienced gardener

Reka variety bears fruit well. The bushes are large, so it is convenient to pick the berries by hand. The disadvantages include the small size of the berries.

Alina, 45 years old, experienced gardener

The variety has an excellent taste of berries, from which I cook jam and preserves. Berries are stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, so you can eat fresh. Bushes winter well without shelter.

Andrey, 47, amateur

Only mastering such a horticultural crop as blueberries. Variety Reka was recommended by a neighbor. The crop is small, but the soil on the site is not fertile enough. The berries make excellent, fragrant wine.

River blueberry has recently appeared on the Russian market and many gardeners liked it. Long-term fruiting allows you to eat berries until autumn, and a steady yield makes it possible to make winter preparations and please your family with tasty and he althy delicacies.

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