Blueberries in Idaho - it's work...and worth it!

 Craving fresh blueberries? It is possible to grow them here in Idaho.
 Here's how:

• Blueberries are compact flowering bushes that bear round bluish fruit.
• They require full sun and only like moist acidic soil. Soils in Southwestern Idaho are commonly alkaline, so you must  use an acidic planting mix. 
• They can be planted in a landscape with amended soil or also successfully grown in a container. 

Pruning, Maintenance and Fertilizer

Blueberries require little pruning; however, maintenance is required in terms of fertilization and sulfur. You’ll need to be patient.  For the first year you’ll need to strip off all the blossoms so the plant can use its energy to grow strong healthy canes for increased production. 

If planting in a container, you’ll need to monitor water closely because pots dry out quickly. Blueberries like moist well drained soil but not soggy conditions.  Mulching will help keep the soil moist and limit the growth of weeds.  After the first 2 springs, you’ll want to prune off older canes to encourage new growth and fertilize with an alkalizing fertilizer (21-0-0)

Which variety to choose?
There are many recommended cultivars which will grow in Idaho. Depending on bloom time,

hardiness and height, make your choice from two different cultivars to insure pollination.

Whether you chose to grow a Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush, Rabbiteye, Lowbush

or Half-High, your plant will produce more and larger berries when cross pollinated.

There is still time to get your blueberry plants from your favorite local nursery

Quick tips and things you'll need:

Acid Loving Potting Mix

Soil Sulfur

Ammonium Sulfate 

Acid Plant Fertilizer

Bird Netting (the birds like blueberries as much as humans)

Plant in full sun

Protect with bird netting
Choose two different cultivars for cross pollination
Replace native Idaho soil with acid loving planting mix
Fertilize with 21-0-0
Fertilize with soil sulfur
Remove blossoms 1st year and additional canes 1st two springs

Blueberry Syrup Recipe

2 cups fresh blueberries                            

¼ cup raw stevia or equivalent                                  

½ cup water                                             

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon creme de cassis (optional)

Place Blueberries in a sauce pan on the stove.  Mix water and cornstarch together until dissolved add to blueberries.  Cook over medium heat until berries start to pop.  Use the back of a spoon to mash the berries and boil 1 minute.  Add the stevia, lemon juice and Crème de Cassis.  Store unused portion in refrigerator for up to about a week.  This sauce can also be added to plain yogurt or ice cream. 

Growing Blueberries in Idaho? Yes You Can!

Beautiful blueberries ready to pick

Craving fresh blueberries? It is possible to grow them here in Idaho. Here's how:

• Blueberries are compact flowering bushes that bear round bluish fruit.
• They require full sun and only like moist acidic soil. Soils in Southwestern Idaho are commonly alkaline, so you must  use an acidic planting mix. 
• They can be planted in a landscape with amended soil or also successfully grown in a container. 
• This University of Idaho link has an easy to follow description of planting needs. 

Pruning, Maintenance and Fertilizer

Blueberries require little pruning; however, maintenance is required in terms of fertilization and sulfur. You’ll need to be patient.  
For the first year you’ll need to strip off all the blossoms so the plant can use its energy to grow strong healthy canes for increased production. 

If planting in a container, you’ll need to monitor water closely because pots dry out quickly. Blueberries like moist well drained soil but not soggy conditions.  
Mulching will help keep the soil moist and limit the growth of weeds.  
After the first 2 springs, you’ll want to prune off older canes to encourage new growth and fertilize with an alkalizing fertilizer (21-0-0)

Which variety to choose?
There are many recommended cultivars which will grow in Idaho. Colorado State has

an excellent description of every one. Depending on bloom time, hardiness and height,

make your choice from two different cultivars to insure pollination. Whether you chose

to grow a Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush, Rabbiteye, Lowbush or Half-High,

your plant will produce more and larger berries when cross pollinated.

There is still time to get your blueberry plants from your favorite local nursery

Quick tips and things you'll need:

Acid Loving Potting Mix

Soil Sulfur

Ammonium Sulfate 

Acid Plant Fertilizer

Bird Netting (the birds like blueberries as much as humans)

Plant in full sun

Protect with bird netting
Choose two different cultivars for cross pollination
Replace native Idaho soil with acid loving planting mix
Fertilize with 21-0-0
Fertilize with soil sulfur
Remove blossoms 1st year and additional canes 1st two springs

BlueBerry Syrup Recipe

2 cups fresh blueberries                            

¼ cup raw stevia or equivalent                                  

½ cup water                                             

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon creme de cassis (optional)

Place Blueberries in a sauce pan on the stove.  Mix water and cornstarch together until dissolved add to blueberries.  Cook over medium heat until berries start to pop.  Use the back of a spoon to mash the berries and boil 1 minute.  Add the stevia, lemon juice and Crème de Cassis.  Store unused portion in refrigerator for up to about a week.  This sauce can also be added to plain yogurt or ice cream. 

Invest In Your Health By Growing Blueberries!

Blueberries are one of the healthiest garden planting options. Not only are they highly nutritious, they rank #1 in antioxidant activity (neutralizing harmful metabolic by-products that can lead to cancer and age-related diseases), slow loss of mental capacity with age, reduce cholesterol build-up, prevent infections, improve eyesight, and provide numerous other health and even cosmetic benefits.

Growing this superfood successfully in Idaho does however require a fair amount of effort in planning, preparation, and maintenance

• Select a site with full sun exposure to develop good fruit flavor and high yields. 

• Cool, moist, well-drained sandy loam or silt loam soils with about 3% organic matter and an acidic pH between 4.5 and 5.2 are best. Since alkaline soils are common in southern Idaho, soil acidification with sulfur 1 to 2 years before planting may be necessary. A soil test will tell what you’ll need to do or not do – add limestone to increase the pH or elemental sulfur to decrease the pH and if you need to increase magnesium concentration with potassium magnesium or magnesium sulfate. 

• Highbush varieties can grow 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide and should be spaced 4 to 5 feet apart. Select early, mid, and late season cultivars for optimal yields throughout the growing season. Yields for different cultivars vary from 2 to 20+ pounds per bush so determining how many bushes you’ll need is an important part of planning. On average, 1 pound of frozen blueberries yields 1 pint. I eat ½ pint/day 5 days/week – that math works out to 130 pounds annually for just my breakfast.

• Blueberries are intolerant of standing water and drought conditions so irrigation needs to be installed and operational before planting. 

• For the first two springs after planting, strip off all blossoms to establish healthy canes and increase long-term yields. Afterwards, yearly, moderate pruning in late winter or early spring will maintain health and productivity. Older, dead, or diseased wood should be removed. 

• Organic mulch should be applied to control weeds with any that thrive under the mulch removed by hand or eradicated with glyphosate herbicide. 

• Blueberries are heavy feeders and prefer ammonium sulfate (21% N) fertilization because it not only adds nitrogen but acidifies the soil. Alkaline irrigation water makes regular fertilization even more critical.
  

  

After the planning, preparation, and maintenance effort, it will take 2 to 3 years to get harvestable fruit and 6 to 8 years to reach maximum production, so patience is also required.

Once your bushes are established and productive, preserve your health and harvest off-season by individually quick freezing your blueberry bounty. This and other easy preservation techniques will keep you supplied with superfood all year long. Here's a great jam recipe to try.

No matter how you like to prepare or eat them, invest in your health by making the effort to grow blueberries.