Garden blueberry "Duke": variety description

Due to its characteristics, “Duke” blueberry can take its rightful place in the garden of any region of Russia, and the berries can be successfully grown not only for their own needs, but also for sale. The variety has excellent frost resistance, due to which it does not freeze even in the harsh climate of Siberia and the Urals. Blueberries are capable of producing bountiful harvests only with full adherence to agricultural technology, therefore, its growth should not be allowed to flow.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The Duke blueberry was included in the Russian state register quite recently (in 2018), although it was bred by US breeders several decades ago. The description of the variety, compiled by domestic agronomists, allows you to learn about all the features of its cultivation in the regions of our country.

The height of an adult shrub reaches 2 m, the diameter of the crown can be about the same size. The skeletal branches of blueberries are erect, weakly branching. If you grow a shrub in a harsh climate, this property will turn out to be an undoubted plus, since in this case the fruits get a lot of sun, the berries ripen well.

The thickening of the bush occurs gradually with age. Fruiting branches are thin, curved. The leaves are green in the summer, but turn red in the fall, making the shrub look very decorative. The surface of the leaves is smooth. The length of the leaf plate is 7 cm, the width reaches 4 cm.

Flowering features:

• buds are collected in bunches of 8–10 pieces;
• the color of the petals is white with a slight pink tint;
• small flowers - 1 cm in diameter.

Fruiting occurs in waves, the berries are harvested 2-3 times. Harvesting lasts from the last decade of July to mid-August. With full care, 6–8 kg of berries are obtained from 1 blueberry bush. "Duke" begins to bear fruit in the second year after planting.

Fruit characteristics:

• have a heterogeneous size;
• shape - rounded, slightly flattened;
• weight - from 1.8 to 2.5 g;
• skin color - blue with a light bloom;
• the pulp is green in color, with a lot of seeds, crispy.

Tasters highly appreciate the taste characteristics of the berries. Blueberries of this variety have a sweet and sour taste and a pronounced aroma. During storage, the taste of the fruit becomes even brighter.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The Duke blueberry has gained popularity due to its undeniable advantages over other varieties. Among them are:

• ability to withstand frosts down to -35 ° C;
• the shrub is insensitive to temperature extremes during the flowering period;
• self-fertility of blueberries (there is no need to plant specimens of another variety nearby)
• blueberries retain their productivity for many years, the berries do not shrink;
• stable yields can be obtained for 20 years;
• fruits have a universal purpose - they are eaten fresh, frozen, subjected to heat treatment;
• berries have a long fresh shelf life (up to 2 weeks);
• the crop tolerates transportation well;
• the variety is resistant to diseases and pest attacks.

The disadvantages of the variety include its exactingness to the composition of the soil and the need to maintain a constant level of moisture. For this blueberry, as well as for other representatives of the culture, it is important that the soil acidity level does not go beyond the 4-4.8 pH range.

Planting shrubs on the site

Blueberries can grow in one place for many decades, so it's important to plant them responsibly.It is necessary to choose the right time, a suitable site. The quality of the seedling also plays an important role. Before planting, you need to prepare the soil in advance.

Landing dates

Blueberries are planted in spring and autumn. Autumn planting is more suitable for southern regions, where frosts come later. In spring, you need to wait until the snow melts and the soil warms up to +5 ° C.

The timing of planting is influenced by the weather conditions of a particular region. Landing can be done:

• in the south of Russia - in March;
• in the middle lane - in April;
• in Siberia in the Urals - in May.

Spring may come earlier or later; the weather features of the current season should also be taken into account. It is advisable to have time to plant a seedling before the active movement of juices begins. In the summer months, blueberries are not planted; due to hot weather, the adaptation of the plant can be difficult.

Sapling selection

Blueberry seedlings can be sold with open and closed root systems (in plastic pots). The second option should be preferred. The root system of blueberries in the container is well preserved, the plant experiences less stress. When planting in the ground, such a seedling is placed together with a clod of earth, which excludes trauma to the roots.

It is advisable to choose for planting two- and three-year-old seedlings with strong branches and a healthy appearance. The shoots should not have dark spots and mechanical damage. The seedlings in the container must have a developed root system, this can be determined by the roots peeking out of the drainage hole.

Site selection and preparation

It is better to place the shrub in a sunny area, protected from drafts. In the shade, the berries will be of inferior quality. A site located in a lowland and a place where groundwater is high or an underground river flows is not suitable for planting seedlings. Excess moisture is detrimental to the plant.

Recommendations:

• When the groundwater is close to the ground, blueberries are planted on an artificial hill.
• Garden soil is not suitable for culture - the planting hole is filled with loose, light and acidic soil. The base of the soil should be high-moor peat and coarse sand.
• The pit should be made 50x50 cm in size and 60 cm deep, drainage from large pieces of bark or wood should be placed on the bottom (rubble cannot be used, it will lower the acidity of the soil).
• When planting in dense soil, a larger planting pit is prepared (up to 90x90 cm), since the root system of the bush is superficial and grows in breadth.
• The increased acidity of the soil is necessary for the life of the mycorrhiza, which lives on the roots of the plant and helps it to absorb nutrients from the soil. If the pH is significantly higher than 4–4.5 units, 2 parts of rotted needles and 1 part of pine bark and sawdust of coniferous wood are mixed into the ground.

Garden blueberries will not grow after vegetable crops. For planting, it is better to choose an area with wild-growing herbs. There should be no fresh organic matter (compost, humus) in the ground.

It is unacceptable that there are bushes of raspberries, currants, gooseberries nearby. These plants are not suitable for the crop as neighbors. The proximity of blueberries with representatives of the heather family - rhododendrons, hydrangeas, azaleas will be favorable.

Step-by-step planting procedure

If several seedlings are to be planted at once, you can dig one common trench for them. Blueberry bushes should be located at a distance of at least 1.5 m from each other, the row spacing is made 2 m wide.

Planting stages:

1. Before planting, the seedling in the container is thoroughly spilled with water. If the plant has an open root system, it is soaked in water for several hours.
2. During planting, a mound of prepared soil is poured onto the drainage layer and the seedling is placed vertically on it, straightening the roots if they are bent. This step is optional for container plants.
3. You need to plant blueberries so that the root collar is 5 cm below the soil level.
4. Then the seedling is covered with soil.

After planting, the soil is slightly compacted and watered. The surface of the soil is mulched with a mixture of pine bark, coniferous needles, rotted sawdust, peat. The branches of the bush are pruned a little.

Blueberry care

Caring for Duke blueberries can be called standard for the culture. Watering should be regular, but without waterlogging. In warm weather, 2 times a week, 10 liters of water are poured under each bush. In the heat, the plants are watered more often, in the rainy period, watering is suspended. From time to time, the soil needs to be loosened, you need to act carefully so as not to catch the roots.

Mineral preparations are used as top dressing 2-3 times per season:

• ammonium nitrate (20 g per 10 l of water);
• potassium sulfate (15–20 g per 10 l of water);
• superphosphate (30-40 g per 10 liters of water).

Periodically, with the help of litmus, the acidity of the soil is checked, if necessary, this indicator is brought back to normal by watering the bush with acidified water. If the mulch layer becomes unusable, it is replaced. Usually mulching is carried out 2 times per season - in spring and autumn.

Starting from the 4th year of life, the shrub is pruned annually. It is better to carry out the procedure in early spring. During pruning, the lowest branches adjacent to the ground are removed, damaged and diseased shoots are cut out.

In an area with a harsh climate, before the arrival of frost, it is better to cover blueberries with agrofibre and cover with snow. Then it will be possible to protect even weak shoots from freezing.

Receiving full care, "Duke" blueberries give good yields, successfully resist pests and diseases, and withstand severe frosts. The fruits of this variety are distinguished by excellent taste, good transportability, and long shelf life. The shrub is suitable for planting and growing in any climatic zone.