Blueberries
- Potted blueberries that arrive with foliage require hardening off, then planted after threat of frost has passed.
- The planting site should be a full sun location free from heavy wind.
- Avoid low lying areas where standing water can accumulate.
- Lose, organically rich, well-drained acidic soil is best. Blueberries do not thrive in heavy clay soils.
- Blueberries require acidic soil with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5.
- Soil pH should be tested, and soil sulfur should be added to properly lower the pH to this acceptable range for blueberries to thrive.
- Different soil types and moisture levels will dictate how much sulfur to add.
- Altering soil pH is a long process. Soil sulfur should be added one year prior to planting. If you have not done this yet, do not panic.
- For this season, at planting time, mix soil amendments like peat moss, leaf compost and aged manure. Plan to add appropriate soil sulfur in the early spring of the 2nd year in the ground.
Cranberries
Cranberries require similar growing conditions as blueberries.- Well-drained, deep humus soil with acidic pH.
- Although they can adapt to full sun locations, locations in part sun, dappled shade or morning sun with afternoon shade is best.
- Soil should be in a pH range of 5.0 to 5.5.
- For a long-term soil acidifier, we recommend Hi-Yield Soil Sulfur.
- Use ½ to 1 cup per plant every 3-4 years.
- Mix with fresh compost or aged manure to ensure high microbial populations encourage acidification.
- Plant lingonberries in a well-drained location, using soil mixed with ½ peat moss or humus, ¼ topsoil, and ¼ sand.
- Water new plants thoroughly.
- After planting, mulch with about 4 to 6 inches of compost, leaf mulch, or shredded cedar to help suppress weeds and help retain soil moisture.
- During the growing season, apply at least 1 inch of water per week.
Lemon
- In zones 4-8, lemons are grown in containers. Choose a 5-to-10-gallon pot.
- Use potting soil in the container, not soil from the garden. Make sure the pot has drainage holes.
- Keep the soil moist, but not wet. Plants should be watered when the top couple of inches of soil feel dry.
- As fall arrives, bring the trees indoors when overnight lows begin dropping below 50°F consistently. Trees should not be exposed to freezing temperatures.
- Monitor for signs of insect pests throughout the year, especially in winter.
- The tree can be placed outside in spring when temperatures remain over 50°F each night.
Strawberries
Proper planting depth is critical for establishment. Do not plant too deep, and not too shallow. Pinch off any old dry leaves, or runners and plant individual crowns with roots straight and properly spread out in the soil with just the base of the crown and roots covered.
When they are properly planted, the crown should not be covered with soil, nor should the top of the roots be exposed. If they are not quite right, simply lift them and try again until they are at the right depth. Strawberry crops should be watered through the growing season using the 1 inch per week rule as you would with other vegetable crops. Strawberries prefer loose, sandy, or well-drained but organically rich soils.
- Junebearing types are typically planted using the Matted Row system, which means plants are spaced in rows 15-24 inches apart in rows limited to 12-15 inches wide, and 36 inches spacing between each row. Some runners can grow between individual plants within the row, but always remove runners that want to grow in the space between the rows in the mat system.
- Everbearing/Day-neutral types are planted in a Hill system, which has nothing to do with mounding them, this simply means plants are placed in 3 staggered rows with 12 inches between each plant and each row of 3 is then separated with 36 inches spacing between those rows. In this system, remove all the runners, all the time. Strawberry plants that form too many runners will prevent the mother plants from producing good healthy crops. Runners or baby plants rob the mother plant's energy to flower, set and hold fruit.
