Vaccinium corymbosum "Denis Blue", +/- 1 m plant height

• Type: Highbush blueberry
• Latin name: Vaccinium corymbosum
• Cultivar: Denise Blue
• Mature height: 120–150 cm
• Width: 100–120 cm
• Height when sold: ≈ 1 m
• Light: sunny
• Winter hardiness: USDA 4–7

Planting Plant in spring (late April – May) in a sunny, sheltered spot with acidic (pH 4–5), moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; the best medium is high-moor peat mixed with sand and wood chips or pine bark. Do not plant in ordinary garden soil without acidifying it, and do not add lime or compost. Dig a 50×50 cm hole and fill it with an acidic substrate. Many cultivars crop better when another blueberry cultivar grows nearby. Space bushes 1–1.5 m apart.

Watering Blueberry roots are shallow and sensitive to drying – water regularly, especially during flowering and berry growth, preferably with rainwater. Mulch the soil 5–8 cm deep with pine bark, sawdust or wood chips.

Pruning In the first 2–3 years remove only flower buds and weak shoots. Later, prune in late winter – early spring: remove dead, old (over 5 years) and inward-growing branches so light reaches the centre of the bush.

Feeding and winter care Feed in spring and early June with a fertiliser for acid-loving plants (rhododendrons and blueberries); avoid fertilisers containing chlorine or lime and fresh manure. Cultivars are generally hardy in Estonia; protect a young bush in autumn with mulch at the base and spruce boughs if needed against frost and hares.