Blueberry Denis Blue: variety description and characteristics, planting and care, reviews with photos

Denis Blue Blueberry was first developed in North America. Since the 20th century, the bush has been cultivated by summer residents. A variety of berry plants is unpretentious in care, easily takes root in open areas. The variety is suitable for cultivation for personal consumption or on an industrial scale. In order to properly plant a bush, take care of it in accordance with the norms, you need to familiarize yourself with the information below.

History of occurrence

Garden blueberries, originally from America, used to grow in the wild.Due to the selection activities, varieties were created that were distinguished by high productivity, resistance to low temperatures. The blueberry bush is tall, capable of growing up to 3 meters high. Berries are tasty, sweet, without sourness. Varietal shrubs have taken root in the gardens of Moscow, the Moscow region and the CIS countries since the late 1990s.

Pros and cons of blueberries Denis Blue

The blueberry variety has a number of positives and negatives that you should be familiar with.

Pros	Cons
The berries are delicious, long shelf life	Less yield compared to other varieties of blueberries
Shrubs can serve as a decorative element	Demanding soil acidity
Easy maintenance
High resistance to frost

Description and varietal characteristics

The blueberry variety belongs to the group of New Zealand varieties. Berries are widely valued in Europe, USA, Australia. The fruits are one of the largest among their counterparts, the taste is unusually pleasant. The plant is stocky, tolerates various weather conditions well. The bush reaches a height of 1.5 meters. The species ripens 2 weeks later than Bluecrop, but ripening is friendly.

Harvest by mid-July or early August. Productivity is regularly high, adult shrubs bring up to 7 kg of blueberries. The culture bears fruit in the 3rd year after planting. In the first year of a bush's life, it is better to cut off all the flowers so that it does not waste energy on pollen. Maximum results are observed in the 5th year after planting. The variety needs periodic pruning, thin out the central part.

The blueberry variety Denis Blue is famous for the following characteristics:

• leaves narrowed towards the bottom, spiky, bright green color with a glossy sheen;
• pink flowers;
• fruits are bright blue, rich in color, with a whitish coating, weight reaches 1.8 grams, good transportability;
• brush multi-berry, medium density, easy to harvest;
• good winter hardiness.

The last item is not suitable for northern latitudes. Blueberry bushes need to be warmed, because they will not survive frosts below -35.

Crop planting technology

Blueberry Denis does not require any special technology when planting. A crop should be planted in places where there is no excess moisture, since this factor contributes to the death of the plant. The bush prefers to grow in conditions of moderate humidity. It is advisable to plant blueberries in open areas where there are no horticultural crops. The area where the berry will grow should be bright and quiet, protected from drafts by other trees. It is advisable to give preference to a sunny place on the plot.These conditions will contribute to a good harvest.

Optimal timing

Denis Blue blueberries are planted preferably in March or October. The earth should warm up, the air temperature should be kept within at least 10 degrees Celsius. In the South, you can start planting in the fall, the seedlings will not freeze. In the northern and middle latitudes, move planting work to March, before sap flow.

Preparing seedlings and soil for planting

Planting material must be at least 2 years old. Prepare it in this way:

• so that the rhizome develops normally, lower it into a clay mash for 15 minutes;
• dense clod of earth around the root system stretch;
• straighten the rhizome, lay it horizontally for quick engraftment of the shrub.

In the prepared plot, from which the cut trees and weeds have been removed, it is necessary to dig holes for planting.

1. Depending on what kind of land is on the site, dig a hole 4060 cm, or make a recess 10 cm inward in clay soil.
2. The hole is filled to the top with the finished mixture, and on clay soil, a mound is made.
3. Mix all components, compact.
4. When preparing holes, keep a distance of 1 meter between the bushes.

Weed the soil so that it is saturated with oxygen. You can not plant blueberries in a place where there are accumulations of water. This is fraught with necrosis of the roots. The earth should be light, acidic, well-drained. The acidity reaction is normally pH 3.4-4.8.

The process of landing operations

Plant blueberries according to the following steps:

• they place the seedling in a hole, straighten the root system, cover it with earth;
• during planting, take into account that they don’t make water for the rhizome, they press the blueberries later;
• watering bushes.

Mulching is carried out using sawdust, wood chips, which are poured in a layer of at least 10 cm thick.

Caring for tall blueberries

Caring for blueberries Denis Blue is easy, even an inexperienced gardener can handle this task.

1. Regular watering.
2. Mulching.
3. Fertilizer.
4. Crop.
5. Maintaining the required level of soil acidity.

The last point involves watering the land under the bushes with diluted water with citric acid in the proportion of 1 tsp. per 3 liters, 9% vinegar 100 ml per 10 liters. They also use an electrolyte acidifier for batteries. Take 5 milliliters per 1 liter of water.

Spruce irrigation frequency

Water blueberries 2 times a week, 1 bucket per adult bush. This is important to do in July-August, when the berries ripen, the next year's harvest is laid. In the heat, you can spray the plants with water from a spray bottle.

What and how to feed the variety

Fertilize blueberries with complex dressings 3 times during the growing season. The procedure is carried out in March, during pollen and until July 10. The volume of introduced substances should not be more than 1 tbsp. on a 2-year-old shrub for the entire season. For each year of life, plants increase the amount of feeding by 2 times. You can use heather fertilizers, universal combinations, Azofoska. Blueberries do not like manure.

If the culture "feels" bad, this will manifest itself in a change in the color of the leaves. The lack of mineral components, the acidity of the earth has changed - everything will be reflected in the leaves.

1. When blueberries lack nitrogen, the leaves turn yellowish green, then reddish.
2. Phosphorus deficiency is manifested by purple leaves.
3. Iron deficiency, or chlorosis - young lemon-colored leaves with a green mesh of veins.
4. Magnesium deficiency is caused by the red edges of older leaves.
5. Sulfur deficiency is characterized by yellowish-white or white-pinkish foliage. The lack of this substance is fraught with a change in acidity, not feeding the culture.

It is necessary to carefully monitor the lack of specific elements so that the plant gives a bountiful harvest and does not fade.

Shaping blueberry pruning

Due to pruning, there is an increase in yield, the fruits will be tastier, larger, presentable, the bush will be protected from diseases and beetles. The plant should be formed before sap flow.

Work is carried out in this way:

• young bushes form a bush from 2 years old, shorten the branches by 1/3, remove all small branches at the base, remove the buds that are about to bear fruit;
• mature bushes are pruned to increase fertility, removing spreading branches, leaving only upward-growing specimens.

Blueberries are famous for their good winter hardiness, they are covered only in the northern regions, where the temperature is low for a long time.

Disease and pest prevention

Rarely the bush is attacked by beetles, diseases. To prevent this from happening, preventive measures are taken. In March, before the start of sap flow, the bush is sprayed with Bordeaux liquid. After the foliage blooms, repeat the manipulation with Topsin M 0.2%, Euparen, Roval. In November, when the leaves fall, once again treat with fungicides.

Frost protection

Blueberry Denis Blue will withstand temperature drops to -30, but if the cyclone is short, the bush is covered with snow. To protect the berries from freezing, drying out, it is necessary to tie the culture with spruce branches. The needles will contribute to the retention of snow, protection from hares who want to feast on branches. You can build a frame, pull burlap on top. Usually unripened branches freeze, therefore, conditions must be created to ensure the completion of the growth and maturation of the wood. After July 10, the bush is no longer fertilized.

Blueberry reviews

Reviews from gardeners about blueberries Denis Blue are mostly positive.

Tamara Viktorovna, 43 years old, Kislovodsk:

The Denis Blue blueberry bush is easy to grow, bears juicy fruits, survives winters well. The variety is worthy of breeding, from the berries I prepare my preservation for the winter, children also eat fresh berries.

Olga Petrovna 50 years old Mr. Bragin:

This blueberry variety Denis Blue conquered me with its size and, above all, the taste of the fruit. On the site we work mainly with my husband, compared to our other pets, blueberry bushes are easy to care for and do not require excessive attention. The harvest is enough to eat fresh and preserve something, my husband even wants to try making liqueur from blueberries.

Recommended