This weeks featured plant: Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Zone 2-8

This weeks featured plant is the Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Zone 2-8. This is a native plant with high yield. There are 5 types of blueberries: lowbush, northern highbush, southern highbush, rabbiteye and half-high. I will be focusing in on the lowbush and the northern highbush as they are for my zone. The lowbush is the true wild blueberry. Found all though Minnesota they are a native wild blueberry. They are low growing to the ground growing from 6 to 12 inches in height and like all blueberries love acidic soil. They don't need to be pruned and can be left to grow naturally. The next blueberry that can be grown in zone2/3 is the highbush blueberry. These are taller blueberry bushes that can grow 4-8 feet in height. Because of this they should be pruned often. In Minnesota blueberry flower around May and produce berries late July. They require an acidic soil preferring a soil pH of 4.5-5. Sometimes this pH can be accomplished by using pine needles as much. However the pine needles do not drastically lower soil pH. Peat moss is another way of lowering soil pH. You could use peat moss and mix it with pine needles, and rotted leaves. If your blueberry leaves begin to turn red and it is not fall that means the pH of the soil is to high and you need to amend it. This is easiest done with Sulfur (you can buy this at the store). I highly recommend that if you plant blueberries you buy a soil pH tester. This way you can keep your blueberry healthy and happy.