Blueberry Patriot: variety description, planting, growing and care with photo

Patriot blueberry variety is widely grown commercially in America, Australia and Europe. A variety of berries has gained popularity in the CIS countries. Blueberry is a tall species, giving up to 10 kilograms from one bush. To get a decent harvest, before planting, it is important to familiarize yourself with all the nuances of seedling selection, care, fruit collection and storage.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Blueberry Patriot - mid-early ripening variety. The beginning of flowering falls at the end of May. From the second half of July, there is an active yield. The garden is adorned with blooming blueberry bushes, buds hanging from the branches in caps.

Description of blueberry variety Patriot:

1. The bush gives a harvest 5-6 years after planting, once a year.
2. Self-fertile variety, does not require pollinators. According to experienced summer residents, the presence of several trees of a different variety on the site, for example: Bluecrop, Toro, Elizabeth, can increase the level of fruiting by 40%.
3. The shrub is characterized as slightly sprawling, straight. Due to this, the density of planting plants per 1 square meter is slightly increased. Then it will be possible to harvest freely without bending the branches.
4. The average yield of Patriot blueberries is about 5 kilograms from 1 bush. Fruiting is observed from May to July.
5. The plant is resistant to pests and diseases.

Flowering lasts up to 55 days, the culture is classified as an ornamental fruit bush. About 90% of flowers become berries by the time they ripen.

Positive and negative aspects of the dove Patriot

The blueberry variety has a number of pros and cons. They will help you to make sure you choose.

High resistance to frost down to -35, moderate drought Prone to thickening Flowers often get frostbite due to early flowering Resistance to pests, diseasesBerries shrink after several fruitings Saving space in the plot as the bushes grow upwardsFruits are sweet, rich in taste

	Blueberries tolerate shipping well, keep for 2 weeks after picking
Pollination optional

Rules for growing berries

Patriot blueberry species prefers garden, sandy soil and loam.The bush grows best in acidic, aerated soil, easily warmed by sunlight and containing from 3% humus. Groundwater should not rise to 70 centimeters. It is advisable to take care in advance about the outflow of excess moisture from the bush.

The acidity of the soil should be 4.2-4.5 pH. A higher level entails an increased risk of fungal infection. In the bush, metabolic processes worsen, the digestibility of nitrogen decreases, and susceptibility to chlorosis increases. If the acidity of the soil drops to 6 pH, the Patriot blueberry dies.

When to plant?

The best period for planting seedlings is spring, until mid-April or autumn, in mid-October. In northern latitudes, it is advisable to give preference to spring landing. Autumn planting allows you to adapt to winter, new conditions, in the spring there is a more active growth of the bush. Patriot blueberry seedlings with a closed rhizome can be planted in open soil throughout the season.

Selection of seedlings

Planting material for blueberries Patriot should be bought from trusted sellers, on the market or in a special store. It is necessary to choose the right seedlings:

• do not buy seedlings with open roots, they dry out quickly;
• examine the appearance, the seedling must be intact, rich green hue.

If the seedlings are of poor quality, stale, the bush may not take root.

Date, place and stages of landing

Blueberry Patriot prefers places where the sun constantly shines, there are rarely drafts and winds. It is better to plant next to a fence or outbuildings, they protect from windy gusts. If the bush grows in partial shade, the yield decreases, the berries become smaller, their taste is less sweet. It is better to grow berries in elevated areas, dig trenches in advance for the outflow of liquid.If we are talking about predecessors, they should be perennial grasses. Do not plant after organic fertilized crops.

Patriot blueberry planting stages.

1. Dig a hole 45 centimeters deep and 1 meter in diameter.
2. Spread a strong film, tarpaulin on the ground, mix the substrate for filling. Pour high-moor peat, river sand, rotted needles on the prepared surface, stir.
3. Fill the hole with the prepared mixture, without tamping too much. Deepen young bushes up to 10 centimeters.
4. Before planting, dip the root system in water for 1 hour.
5. Straighten the roots, make a hole in the center of the hole corresponding to their size. Place them horizontally. Planting depth is 2-3 cm below the previous level.
6. Pour acidified water - 100 ml of 9% table vinegar per 10 liters of water.

Mulch with peat, dust, needles and a mixture of these components. The height of the shelter should be 10 centimeters.

Subtleties of crop care

Patriot blueberry variety is practically no different in terms of care from other varieties of berries.

1. Timely water, irrigate the leaves in hot weather.
2. Fertilize in due time with suitable top dressings.
3. Cut, form a bush.
4. Cover shrubs for the winter, protecting them from freezing.
5. Treat from pests and diseases.
6. As the shrub grows, you should expand the hole, digging in a circle, adding acidic soil. It is important not to damage the root system. An adult bush occupies 1.5 meters of the plot, the same as its roots.
7. Near blueberries, remove all weeds with a chopper, loosen the soil no deeper than 3 centimeters. Weeds inhibit the growth of the bush, taking useful elements from the soil.
8. As the soil subsides, add mulch, hill up shrubs.

The following tips will help you grow prolific bushes that produce ripe, juicy and sweet berries.

Irrigation

If the groundwater in the plot goes deeper than 60 centimeters from the surface, you need to water the berries often - 2 times a week, 2 buckets each. Pour under the root plentifully. Divide the daily dose into 2 doses, morning and evening. If it is not possible to visit the cottage so often, you can install drip irrigation. In the heat, irrigate Patriot blueberry leaves after 4pm

Feeding

Fertilize blueberries Patriot follows an acidifying form of nitrogen, a mineral complex: 50% in March, 25% before flowering, 25% during the formation of the ovary. Experienced gardeners feed the plant 2 times a year: before pollen and at harvest. You can buy special fertilizer for azaleas. The dosage of liquid dressings depends on the degree of soil moisture.Usually used 5-10 liters per 1 adult bush.

Beginner summer residents are advised to buy ready-made fertilizer immediately, dilute it strictly in accordance with the annotation.

Shaping and pruning the bush

To start circumcision in the 3rd year of the life of the shrub.

1. Carry out lightening in the center, gradually moving to other parts.
2. Growth is cut at the base - up to 40 centimeters.
3. You need to leave 5-7 shoots.
4. Bushy, small growths, weakened and diseased branches to excise.
5. After 5 years from planting, pruning is made more difficult by removing old branches.
6. After 10-15 years of blueberry life, its fertility will decrease, the berries will become smaller. To restore the previous productivity, you should cut off the entire bush near the ground, leaving only the root system. Due to anti-aging pruning, shoot growth is activated.

In 2-3 years, Patriot blueberries will again produce a lot of crops, large fruits.

If you prune your blueberry bushes in a timely manner, they will live for about 100 years. All manipulations should be carried out in March, before the beginning of pollen.

Wintering

Patriot blueberry is frost-resistant, but to prevent freezing, it is better to mulch the bush before the first frost. It is used for covering spunbond, spruce branches on top. Wrap young, low bushes with air-permeable material completely. Press branches from a height of 1 meter to the ground, insulate in the same way.

Pathologies and pests

Patriot blueberry is famous for its stable immunity to pathologies and pests, especially late blight and root rot. If the plant is affected by necrotic blotch, dwarfism, mosaic or netting of branches, it must be removed and burned.You can protect the blueberry bush from birds with the help of a net, a scarecrow. Fungicides, insecticides get rid of pests.

Cultivar Breeding

There are 3 main breeding methods for blueberry Patriot:

• seeds - a long and laborious process, usually used to obtain new varieties;
• cuttings - the most convenient option, harvest them in the fall;
• layering - gives a small amount of planting material, but there are no difficulties in rooting the resulting bushes.

For inexperienced gardeners, it is better to propagate Patriot blueberries by cuttings.

Harvesting: how to store, what to cook

Harvesting has been done since mid-July.

1. The fruits ripen unevenly, they are cut off in several steps.
2. The first berries will be large, and by the end of the harvest, they will become smaller. The dense peel makes storage and transportation safe.
3. In the refrigerator, in hermetic dishes, the Patriot variety is preserved in its original form for about 2 weeks, and in the freezer for a whole year.
4. It is advisable to consume the first berries fresh, and from small blueberries - make jam, compotes, jams, candied fruits, use in baking.

If the collection of fruits is delayed for some reason, they will not quickly fall off. Blueberries must be harvested within 2 weeks.

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