Swamp blueberry, description

Swamp blueberry, its description, cultivation and properties - you will learn all useful information from this article. Swamp blueberry is a shrub about one and a half meters tall with branched stems. The leaves are elliptical in shape, dark green and small in size. The plant has small white-pink flowers, and during the period of fruit ripening - round bluish berries. The fruits have almost no distinct odor, but have a pleasant sweetish taste.

Swamp blueberries are traditionally found along the edges of swamps and in moist forests of the northern hemisphere. It grows in mountainous areas, as well as in forest-tundra and loves moist, acidic soils.
Among the people, swamp blueberries were often called fools, because people felt headaches and ailments after eating the berries. In fact, the blueberry's proximity to the wild rosemary plant, which is considered poisonous, is to blame. It is its strong smell that can cause poor health, but this became known much later.

Swamp blueberry is highly valued as a berry crop due to its unpretentiousness to growing conditions and soil quality.

The bush blooms from May to July, and fruiting begins in August. Blueberries are used in the preparations. They themselves have a bluish color, but the flesh of the berries is green. And the juice from this berry will have a light shade.

Blueberries have good winter hardiness and protection from diseases and pests.

Swamp blueberry, cultivation

Growing bog blueberries is a fascinating activity that does not require special knowledge in this area. People call swamp blueberries: marsh blueberries or low-growing blueberries. This species has been used as breeding material to produce many plant varieties.

Swamp blueberries are well cultivated at summer cottages in the northern regions of Russia. To choose a suitable place for planting, you must keep in mind that blueberries prefer a lot of sun. Its bushes can hardly be imagined as decoration for a site, so planting it next to buildings is impractical. If the location is chosen poorly, the bush will develop poorly. This will affect its fruiting, which may not occur in the planned year, and the quality of the fruit will be low.

Blueberries do not like strong winds, so it is better to plant several bushes at once. The soil for planting must be acidic. Blueberries are suitable for soil pH from 3.5 to 5. If the acidity level is low, it is necessary to oxidize it artificially. To do this, you need to prepare a planting hole about 60 cm deep and loosen it.

Important: The planting pit must be clean, free of weeds and other unnecessary impurities.

The pit is filled with peat, sand and pine needles with the addition of 60 g of sulfur. Next, add a solution of citric or malic acid. Fertilizers are not necessary because they make the soil alkaline. As a result, blueberries suffer from iron deficiency and crop yields drop sharply. The soil acidity level will not immediately return to normal, so all necessary actions must be carried out at least 6 months before planting.

Tip: Aluminum should not be used to acidify the soil; it poisons blueberries.

Blueberries have a fibrous root system, so they often have tangled roots. The older the seedling, the more difficult it is to untangle the roots for planting. It is best to purchase seedlings that are no more than 2 years old with a closed root system. Before planting, they must be soaked in water, and then, straightened, placed in the prepared place. After planting, blueberries are watered and mulched with peat and sawdust.

Swamp blueberry, care

Caring for swamp blueberries involves loosening, watering and feeding the plant. It is necessary to loosen the soil several times a season. In this case, loosening should not be deep and frequent, since there is a risk of damaging the root system. If loosening is carried out more often than necessary, this will make the soil dry and moisture will not be retained in it. This will lead to damage and death of the roots. When loosening the soil, it is important to leave mulch, which retains moisture well.

The abundance of weeds will prevent the plant from receiving nutrients, so they must be removed in a timely manner.

It’s not for nothing that blueberries grow in swampy areas - they love water very much. The soil must remain moist at all times. Blueberries need to be watered twice a week, twice a day. At the same time, soil moisture should not be too strong. If water stagnates after irrigation for more than two days, then the amount of water poured must be reduced. Or the planting hole was made improperly and has poor drainage.

July and August are particularly important months when watering should not be skipped. At this time, fruiting begins and if there is insufficient watering, the harvest will be poor.
Despite the fact that blueberries love the sun, they need to be sprayed periodically to protect them from overheating.

Swamp blueberry grows well even in poor soils, but sometimes it can be fertilized with mineral fertilizer. Blueberries are suitable for fertilizers such as sulfates: potassium, magnesium, zinc. Organic fertilizers change the composition of the soil, and the plant feels uncomfortable.

Blueberries are pruned regularly to remove damaged and old branches. For a young seedling, it is best to form a good skeleton, which in the future will be able to support an impressive harvest. Pruning is carried out in the spring. Frozen and weak branches must be removed so that they do not interfere with a healthy plant.

You can harvest when the berries are already ripe and soft. They are easily separated from the bush and can be stored in a cool place for up to two weeks. The most benefits come from unprocessed berries, but they can also be used to make preparations for the winter.

Swamp blueberry, medicinal properties and contraindications

Swamp blueberry, its medicinal properties and contraindications are extremely important for those who grow this crop. The benefits of the plant are enormous, and the scope of its activities is so broad that it is successfully used in medicine for various diseases.

Blueberries contain organic acids, fructose, fiber, pectin and tannins, carotene, vitamin and mineral complex.
The fruits have anti-inflammatory, choleretic and diuretic effects. The berries are useful against scurvy, sclerosis, heart and vascular diseases. Blueberries have a positive effect on the digestive system, normalize the intestinal tract and lower blood sugar levels.

Berries have a positive effect on diseases of the stomach and intestines. They are used for gastritis, diarrhea and colitis. Their use is recommended to improve the condition of the liver and kidneys.

If there is a lack of vitamins or in the postoperative period, the berries will have a general strengthening effect.

Leaves and shoots are also used to improve metabolism and strengthen the heart and blood vessels.

Thanks to the complex of vitamins, berries can be used during colds. They relieve weakness and fever, and also contribute to a milder course of the disease.
Contraindications include allergic reactions that occur when consuming this berry.

Advice: At the first sign of redness or itching after eating a berry, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

If blueberries are eaten in reasonable quantities, they will bring many benefits. Otherwise, a large amount of berries eaten may cause digestive problems.

Blueberry – “Blue scattering”, description

When describing blueberries - “Blue Placer”, it should be noted that this shrub belongs to the swamp varieties. The variety emerged through the selection of the most suitable crops from the natural population. The variety is mid-season, tall - about 1 meter. The plant has good frost resistance and prefers the northern regions of Russia.

The berries are small, about 0.6 g, sweet and sour taste and round in shape. The color of the berries is bluish with a gray coating. The fruit has no aroma. This variety begins to bear fruit in the third year. The berries ripen simultaneously in early August. Due to its direct connection with wild blueberries, the variety is distinguished by healthy berries with a high content of antioxidants. Disease resistance is average.

If all favorable conditions for growth are created, bog blueberries will more than reward your efforts and provide tasty and valuable berries.