Blueberry Pink Lemonade

Blueberry Pink Lemonade

A compact rabbiteye blueberry that can reach up to five feet high.  The leaves are silver blue.  White flowers bloom in the spring.  It produces fruit mid to late summer through October.  Branches should be pruned if they are older than three years old.  These bushes are generally pest free.  Because they are hardy in zones 4-9 where they can grow in either full sun or part shade, we recommend planting them in part shade here in Los Angeles, as our city and the surrounding areas fall into and above their upper range, i.e. zone 9a-11a.  

We recommend applying LGM Cedar Bark a foot wide to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   The cedar bark will help insulate the roots and prevents root competition.  Cedar mulch has insect repellant qualities because it contains natural cedar oil which can deter termites and certain types of ants.  If mulch is applied all the way up to the trunk it can cause the trunk to rot, so make sure that there are a few inches of spacing between the base of the plant and the mulch.

We also recommend growing Yarrow under fruit trees/crops, as it is said to enhance fruit production.  The roots mine the subsoil for potassium, phosphorus, calcium, copper, and magnesium making it a nutrient rich mulch.  Yarrow also is considered a cover crop and assists building up the soil, mining for minerals, breaking up compacted soil, and attracting beneficial insects and pollinators.  You can plant Yarrow plants around the base of fruit trees, seed the soil before mulching, or chop up the leaves to create a mulch. 

If you are growing your blueberries in ground you will need to amend your soil in order to acidify it as our native soil is largely alkaline.  If you are growing in pots you will be able to tailor your potting soil to get a well draining, acidic blend with a pH of 4.5-5.5.