Blueberry "Denis Blue": description and characteristics of the variety

Denis Blue blueberries are not a frequent guest in Russian gardens. The variety was bred in North America, and then began its march around the world. In Russia, it began to be grown about 4 decades ago. This blueberry has an average ripening period - the harvest has time to mature in the conditions of the Moscow region and northern regions. Summer residents appreciate Denis Blue for its ability to produce bountiful harvests and undemanding growing conditions.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The shrub of this variety is tall: individual specimens can reach 3 meters in height. Such a bush looks like a real giant, but usually the plant is smaller - 1.5–1.7 m. According to the purpose of the fruit, Denis Blue blueberries are classified as dessert varieties - they have large and tasty berries. The fruits can be frozen and processed. From the point of view of cultivation, the variety is versatile, it is cultivated in personal subsidiary plots and in an industrial way.

Description of the variety:

• Escapes - Thin, but strong, forming a spreading crown. The plant needs regular thinning and formative pruning.
• Root system - fibrous type, lying in the surface layer of the soil, without sucking hairs. Blueberries get their nutrition due to their symbiotic relationship with mycorrhiza.
• Leaves - with a smooth surface, glossy, rich green shade, 3–3.5 cm in size, oval. They sit on long petioles.
• Flowers - about 1 cm in diameter, collected in brushes, 6-10 pcs. The petals of the buds are pale pink in color.

The bush is finally formed by the age of 6. Denis Blue tolerates frost down to -40 ° C and is resistant to return frost during flowering. Blueberries can be a great decoration for the site, especially in the fall. At first, the foliage turns yellow, and then becomes crimson. Leaf fall occurs late, with the arrival of the first frost.

This variety is sometimes compared to the North Blue variety (often spelled as "Northblue" or "North Blue"). Both plants are similar in taste and fruit size: the berries are large, sweet, universal. At the same time, the North Blue variety has a more compact size of the bush (60–90 cm in height) and early flowering dates.

Flowering and fruiting

The shrub blooms in mid-June, the crop can be harvested in August. The berries ripen at the same time, and their arrangement makes the picking process easy. "Denis Blue" begins to bear fruit in the third year of the growing season, a full harvest can be obtained at the age of 5-6 years.

It is better to cut off the first single flowers on the plant so that the shrub does not lose strength.

With proper agricultural technology, up to 8 kg of berries can be harvested from one adult bush. Blueberries can bear fruit without pollinators, but yield higher yields when cross-pollinated. Experts recommend planting a number of varieties with the same flowering periods, for example: "Northland", "Bluecrop".

Berries of garden blueberry "Denis Blue" are distinguished by uniform size, rounded-flattened shape.

Fruit characteristics:

• diameter - 18–20 mm;
• average weight - 1.9 g;
• the surface is smooth, with a serrated receptacle;
• the skin is thin, but strong and elastic;
• color - dark blue with a light waxy bloom;
• the pulp is dense, juicy, purple in color.

The taste of blueberry is dominated by sweetness, the aroma is weak. Berries can be eaten fresh, frozen and cooked. The fruits tolerate transportation well and can be stored for up to 7 days in cool conditions without losing marketability.

Strengths and weaknesses of the variety

Denis Blue has more advantages than disadvantages. Among the advantages of the variety, summer residents distinguish:

• the ability to withstand severe frosts;
• high yield rate;
• excellent taste of berries;
• long fruiting period;
• undemanding care;
• versatility of crop use.

There are few weak points of this blueberry variety, but they still exist:

• The shrub does not resist disease very well.
• The plant is sensitive to drought, which forces you to be careful about watering.
• Because of its tendency to branching, blueberries require more frequent pruning than other varieties.

Preparing for landing

In the wild, blueberries are found in swamps, forest edges, in highlands. The peculiarity of the plant is that its roots are able to assimilate nutrients only through symbiosis with a special fungus (mycorrhiza). This relationship is vital for blueberries.

Mycorrhiza can exist only in an acidic environment, so it is necessary to plant shrubs in soil with an acidity level of 3.5–4.5 pH. You can check the indicator using litmus paper. In alkaline earth, blueberries cannot grow and develop normally. Therefore, it is important to properly prepare the soil for the planting pit.

The fertile layer is separated and mixed with the necessary additives:

• burnt sawdust;
• high-moor peat;
• river sand.

The soil mixture should be breathable and acidic. The pit is prepared a week before planting. Its dimensions:

• depth - 50 cm;
• diameter - 60-70 cm.

The planting scheme for tall blueberries provides for a plant spacing of 1.5 m and a row spacing of 2–2.5 m.

In order for the berries to have a sufficient amount of sugars, they select an area located in a sunny place. Blueberries can grow in partial shade, but in this case the berries will be smaller and sour. Shrubs cannot be planted after vegetable crops. Wild grasses are most suitable as predecessors. The plant absolutely does not tolerate fresh organic fertilizers.

Planting work

It is customary to plant seedlings in central Russia, in Siberia and the Urals in the spring. Autumn planting is associated with certain risks, the plant will not have time to take root normally before the arrival of frost. Planting blueberries in autumn is possible only in the southern regions. In summer, it is better to refrain from planting because of the possible heat and drought associated with it.

Suitable for planting seedlings that are 2 or 3 years old, with a closed root system. Before buying, you need to inspect the plant to make sure it is healthy. You can determine the condition of the root system by carefully pulling the seedling out of the container. The roots should be branched and light in color. If the roots are bent up, immediately before planting, they are soaked for 1 hour in water, and then gently straightened.

Landing Algorithm:

1. Drainage from large pieces of bark or wood chips is laid at the bottom of the pit. Traditionally used for these purposes, crushed stone is not used because of its ability to alkalize the soil.
2. The drainage layer is covered with a small amount of prepared soil. The earth must be covered with a mound.
3. A seedling is placed in the center so that the root collar after planting is 4–5 cm below the soil level.
4. The hole is completely covered with earth, then the soil is lightly tamped.

After finishing planting, water the seedlings, spending 10 liters of water per plant. Pour out the water gradually so that it has time to be absorbed. Then the ground in the near-trunk circle is mulched with rotted sawdust, needles, dry peat. The mulch will inhibit the rapid evaporation of moisture and the growth of weeds.

Blueberry care rules

Care for all varieties of this culture is approximately the same. Blueberries need the following activities:

• Regular watering. Water the bush every other day, consuming 5 liters of water at a time.The soil in the near-stem circle should always remain slightly moist, but waterlogging is unacceptable. During fruiting, the dose of water for irrigation is increased. In the heat, it is better to water the plant by sprinkling, this will provide protection against overheating.
• Top dressing. Fertilizers begin to be applied from the second year of planting. For this purpose, potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate are used. You can buy ready-made complex fertilizers for wild berries. All mixtures are added in the dosage recommended by the manufacturer.
• Maintaining the correct level of acidity. When the required pH is lowered, blueberries stop growing and show signs of nutrient deficiencies, and the color of the leaves becomes pale or yellow. To prevent this from happening, the acidity of the soil is regularly measured and maintained in the desired range by watering with acidified water (2 tsp citric acid or 100 ml of 9% vinegar per 10 l of water).
• Bush pruning. The crown density is monitored from the very beginning, cutting out twisted and unnecessary shoots. At the same time, diseased and broken branches are removed. Starting from the age of 3, cardinal pruning is carried out. Lack of timely procedures will negatively affect the quality of the crop. A good time for pruning is early spring and late autumn.
• Treatments for diseases and pests. For the purpose of prevention, the shrub is treated with 2% Bordeaux liquid or a solution of copper sulfate. When pests appear (most often it is a flower beetle, leafworm, beetle), the shrub is treated with Iskra, Inta-Vir.

For the winter, only young seedlings planted in cold regions are sheltered. For this purpose, use non-woven material, spruce branches, burlap. Later, the snow is raked up to the bush. After 5 years, the shrub becomes quite resistant to severe frosts.

Those who want to enjoy the taste and benefits of wild berries can safely plant Denis Blue blueberries on their land. The variety gives a good harvest, does not need careful maintenance. The berries can be transported over long distances and have a universal purpose. The view of the shrub in the autumn will give the site a unique flavor.