Blueberries

It sure is hard to beat fresh picked blueberries right from your garden. Blueberry plants are bushy and attractive in the garden. Many varieties have a wonderful display of fall color as well. In addition, there has been a lot of discussion on the health benefits of blueberries. Why not plant a blueberry in your yard?

Below are some things to consider when planting blueberries. For more detailed information on how to plant and maintain your blueberries, please visit our Blueberry Care Page.

Where to Plant Blueberries

Blueberries like a sunny to part sun area. They prefer more sun than shade. We keep them in full sun here in American Canyon. In hotter areas, like Vacaville, they would benefit from a little shade during the hottest part of the afternoon. Since they are bushy, they can be planted relatively close to one another.

When to Plant Blueberries

Blueberries can be planted just about anytime of the year. They are available in December through early February as bareroot plants. Certain varieties are only available during this time of year. During the rest of the year, blueberries are available in 2gallon containers and 1gallon containers. Follow this link to see instructions on how to plant blueberries.

Things to Consider

Blueberries are relatively easy plants to grow. Blueberry plants are generally self-fertile, but they will produce better if you have more than one variety in your garden. Also, they do like acidic soil, so applications of soil sulfur a couple of times a year may be required. Blueberries grow best with regular watering. Keep them moist but not soggy. They are not often bothered by insects.

Below are a few varieties of blueberries that are sometimes available. Blueberries are generally classified as Northern Highbush or Southern Highbush. The Northern Highbush require colder winters for best production while Southern Highbush require less winter chill. In Napa and Solano County, our winters are cold enough to enjoy both the Northern and the Southern Highbush varieties.

Northern High Bush

Blueberry

Berkeley
Introduced in 1949. Northern Highbush; midseason. Large, open loose clusters of large, firm, powder blue fruit. No cracking. Berkeley has a mild pleasing flavor with high dessert quality. Also a good variety for freezing. Vigorous and productive spreading bush with heavy yellow canes. Not recommended for machine picking due to the brittle canes and spreading habit. Berkeley is a popular variety of the home garden.

Bluecrop
Introduced in 1952. Northern Highbush; midseason. Bluecrop is a leading commercial variety. Medium to large, open clusters of large, firm, crack resistant, light blue fruit. High quality fruit with good subacid flavor. Bluecrop is good for fresh eating, preserves, baking and freezing. Vigorous, upright growth, will reach 4-6 feet at maturity. Slender light red canes. Tends to overbear unless properly pruned. Bluecrop will grow well in most areas.

Bluejay
Northern Highbush; Early midseason. This vigorous variety features ample crops of medium size, mild flavored berries that will stay on the bush for long periods without loss of fruit quality. Bluejay is a large bush, growing 6-7 feet tall with light green summer foliage, yellow-orange leaves in the fall, and bright yellow winter wood color.

Blueray
Introduced from the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station in 1955. Northern Highbush; early midseason. This variety is an old favorite. Small, tight clusters of large, medium blue fruit. Soft, firm skin of Blueray resist cracking. Excellent quality berries with a sweet, slightly tart, aromatic flavor. Vigorous and very productive, this bush will grow 4-6 feet tall at maturity. Bright red wood in the winter. Tight clusters may discourage machine picking.

Chandler
Northern Highbush. Mid to late season. Bigger is better when it comes to Chandler. With fruit the size of cherries and surprisingly delicious flavor, Chandler may be the world’s largest blueberry. Chandler has a long ripening season! The bush is vigorous with large, dark green foliage and a slightly spreading habit to 5-6 feet.

Darrow
Northern Highbush. Late season. Darrow is one of the largest blueberries with some fruit actually reaching half-dollar size! The fruit is slightly flat, light blue, with a delightful tart flavor. The bush is quite vigorous, reaching 5-6 feet at maturity. Darrow does not produce as heavily in the colder zones as it does in milder areas but the "blue ribbon" sized berries are worth the reduced yields.

Duke
Northern Highbush; early season. Medium to large light blue berries. Mildly tart flavor. The Duke berry is very firm and retains its fresh quality longer than most other varietries. Blooms late but ripens early, protecting blossoms from late frosts. Heavy, consistent producer. Upright growth but branches will droop to the ground when laden with fruit. Yellow-orange foliage in the fall.

Ivanhoe
Introduced from North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station in 1952. Northern Highbush; midseason. Medium size, loose clusters of large, medium blue, firm and crisp fruit. Fruit is resistant to cracking. Very good, highly aromatic, sweet-tart flavor. High dessert quality. Vigorous, productive, erect bush.

Legacy
This interesting new release from the USDA Blueberry Research Station keeps its leaves through the winter, offering a very different look for blueberries in the landscape. Legacy plants are vigorous, upright to 6 feet, and slightly spreading. The berries are medium large, light blue with a robust blueberry flavor. Rated as one of the best flavored varieties in USDA trials.

Southern High Bush

Blueberry

Bountiful Blue
Southern Highbush. New introduction from Monrovia. 'Bountiful Blue' has a prolific fruit set of large, super sweet berries and the bluest foliage on any Blueberry we have ever seen. Will set fruit alone, but the berries will be more prolific if it is planted near another blueberry. A standout in the landscape or in a container.

Jubilee
Southern Highbush. Early to Midseason. Outstanding flavor for this early season blueberry. Fruit is medium to large, light blue. Consistently productive bush, even in less than optimum blueberry sites. Upright bush.

Misty
Southern Highbush. Early season. Large berries with excellent flavor. This excellent flavored fruit does will in areas with hot summers as well as on the coast. Bears heavily.

O'Neal
Southern Highbush. Very Early season. Large, attractive, firm, very sweet fruit. Outstanding variety introduced from North Carolina State University and USDA breeding program. Good heat tolerance. Upright bush habit.

Sharpblue
Southern Highbush. Early to midseason. Excellent flavor. Nearly evergreen in mild winter climates. Bares for a long period. Light blue, medium sized berries with good flavor.

Southmoon
Southern Highbush. Midseason. Large, sky blue berries with outstanding flavor. These berries are some of the prettiest blueberries. Performs well in California, both inland and coastal.

Sunshine Blue
Southern Highbush. Midseason. Compact, evergreen variety. Makes an attractive landscape plant. Large, light blue berries with a tangy flavor. Handles a higher pH than most blueberries.