Blueberry (lat. Vaccinium uliginosum)– perennial deciduous shrubs of small size, representing the Heather family. This variety of blueberry is also called swamp blueberry.

Description

Marsh blueberry is a highly branched deciduous shrub that grows in height from thirty centimeters to one meter. Its erect branches are cylindrical in shape, and the bark is colored in dark gray or brownish shades. As for the shoots, they are always green.

The hard alternate leaves of the plant are always very smooth and quite small - as a rule, their width does not exceed 2.4 cm and length - 3 cm. All leaves are located on very short petioles and are distinguished by a lanceolate shape. A little less often you can find plants with obovate-shaped leaves. The blunt tops of blueberry leaves are equipped with either solid or slightly downward-curving edges, as well as stalk-like, thin glands. On top, the leaf blades are painted in bluish-greenish shades and covered with a waxy coating that is clearly visible to the eye, and below they are slightly lighter and endowed with quite prominent veins.

Drooping flowers, the length of which in most cases reaches six centimeters, are distinguished by their characteristic pitcher-bell-shaped shape. The length of the pedicels usually exceeds the length of the flowers. Each peduncle is endowed with a pair of membranous, unequal greenish bracts, reaching a length of two to five millimeters. And all the flowers are located on the tops of last year’s branches. The calyxes of the flowers are formed by four to five miniature rounded sepals, and the whitish pitcher-shaped corollas have bends of short teeth bent outward. The ovaries of flowers are usually four- or five-lobed, the stamens are about eight to ten in each, and the styles are always much longer than the stamens. This berry crop blooms from May to July, and its flowering lasts only ten to twelve days.

Blueberries are an insect-pollinated crop - they are pollinated by butterflies, ants, and bees. And the first berries ripen approximately forty to fifty days after the blueberries bloom.

It is noteworthy that a fairly decent portion of the buds and ovaries of the marsh blueberry (from 30 to 70%) fall off, and there can be a great many reasons for this: some of them turn out to be underdeveloped, another part is eaten by harmful caterpillars, etc.

Blueberries can have a wide variety of shapes, but most often you can see oblong berries of a blue color with a characteristic bluish coating, reaching a length of about 1.2 cm. The skin of the berries is always very thin, and the flesh is watery and greenish. The average weight of each berry is about 0.8 g. Inside the blueberry you can find many light brown seeds with a bizarre crescent shape.

Growing

Despite the fact that bog blueberries produce a truly incredible amount of seeds, propagating them with their help can be quite problematic. The seeds of this crop can germinate only if a number of conditions are met (lack of direct sunlight, fairly high humidity, as well as disturbance of grass and moss cover).

Blueberries are a very frost-resistant plant, and the lifespan of its bushes can reach one hundred years. In nature, it begins to bear fruit when it reaches eleven to eighteen years of age, and a couple of hundred berries are almost always collected from each bush without much difficulty.

The above-ground parts of this crop are often affected by a variety of pathogenic fungi (about two dozen varieties can be found on blueberries), as well as harmful sawfly insects.

Blueberry bushes are considered especially valuable - they live a long time, are frost-resistant, however, they love moisture and high-quality soil. According to scientific information, a plant can bear fruit for the first time only in the 50th year of its development. Because of this, blueberries are not found very often in cultivation, but their natural thickets are very popular. The first fruiting and good harvest are often preceded by a cool and rainy summer.

The shrub grows in the cold and temperate climates of the tundra and forest-tundra zones throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The western borders of the range extend from Iceland to Great Britain, the eastern borders - from the Far East to Japan.

It is also widespread throughout the tundra zone of Russia: in Siberia, the Urals, in the alpine zones of the Caucasus Mountains, and the Murmansk region. It is found in rare coniferous and deciduous forests, on rocks, in gorges, and on peat bogs.

Blueberries grow near wild rosemary, which is why they have the characteristics of a stupefying and intoxicating plant. Scientists claim that the alkaloid compounds of wild rosemary can spread in the air during its flowering, settle and accumulate in the waxy coating covering blueberry fruits.

Botanical description

The common blueberry is a perennial, voluminous bush formed by the active division of young shoots. It reaches a height of 1.5 m. It is characterized by the following features.

• Roots. Long fibrous root system.
• Stems. Ascending, straight, branched. Young shoots are green. The branches are covered with dark gray or brownish bark.
• Leaves. They are located alternately on the branches. The blueberry leaf plate is dense and rigid, has an elliptical shape, and reaches a length of 3 cm. The whole edges of the leaf are slightly tucked down. The leaves are dark green on top and bluish-green on the bottom, due to a bluish waxy coating. Each leaf is attached to the branch by a short petiole. In autumn the leaves turn red and then fall off.
• Bloom. Starts in June-July. Presented with white-pink or white pitcher-bell-shaped flowers located in the axils of the leaves on last year's branches. Each flower is attached to the branch by a drooping peduncle. The aroma during flowering is subtle.
• Fruiting. Blueberries actively bear fruit in August. The fruits are up to 1.5 cm in diameter, spherical or oval in shape, covered with thin skin. A uniform wax coating gives the berries a bluish-blue color and serves to protect the berries. The pulp is pale green in color - juicy, with a sweet and sour taste and a faint aroma. The fruit contains numerous light brown seeds.

Blueberries are often confused with their close relative, the blueberry. However, the shrubs differ not only in morphological characteristics, but also in the size and taste of their fruits. Blueberries are larger, the shade of the waxy coating is clearly approaching blue, the berries themselves have a weak taste and aroma compared to blueberries.

Methods for procuring raw materials

Blueberries are prepared as a medicinal plant material in three stages. When the plant is actively blooming, they stock up on leaves and tips of young shoots.

1. We find what we need. Good whole leaves, as well as the tops of green shoots, are carefully plucked or cut off with scissors.
2. Let's prepare. At home, they are laid out in the sun for half an hour to dry. Transfer to a shaded place, spread thinly on paper or fabric, dry until completely dry, stirring occasionally.
3. We store it. For storage, paper or cellophane bags are used; the raw materials are placed in a dry, dark place and stored for two to three years.

The berries are harvested using a comb. They “comb” the branches with it, collecting berries in a basket.

• We collect. After picking, the berries must be sorted and wilted, rotten, and unripe fruits removed.
• Mine. The prepared raw materials are washed with cold running water. It is very important not to mash the berries and try not to erase the waxy coating from them.
• We store it. To freeze blueberries, place them on paper towels and turn them periodically until the moisture has completely evaporated. The dried fruits are laid out in one layer on a baking sheet, frozen for three hours, and then poured into a container. To dry completely, place a thin layer of washed berries on a sieve. They are placed in the shade under a canopy, in warm attics with a metal roof or in dryers (keeping the temperature at 40°C). Turn over periodically until the fruits are completely dry. It is not advisable to store dry or frozen blueberries for longer than a year.

Dried fruits are packed in dry containers or bags and stored in a dry, dark place with good ventilation.

Compound

The healing properties of blueberries manifest themselves in different ways, depending on the part of the plant used, because the chemical composition of the fruits and leaves with shoots is different. The leaves are a source of flavonoids (quercetin and its derivatives, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties). Contain non-cyclic carbons and alcohols. The shoots and leaves are also rich in tannins, known as anti-inflammatory and astringent substances. The composition of the fruits is wider.

• Sugar compounds. Represented by mono- and disaccharides. They make blueberries a nutritious food and a source of quick energy.
• Plant fiber. Normalizes digestion, activator of intestinal motility, natural adsorbent.
• Acids. Lemon, apple, benzoin, oxalic. They affect metabolism, increase stomach acidity, and have antimicrobial properties.
• Phenol acids. Protocatechin, lilac. Activators of oxidative reactions. Metabolism stimulants.
• Catechins. Epicatechin, epigalocatechin. They have a lipid-lowering effect and increase the sensitivity of body cells to insulin produced. They are powerful antioxidants.
• Flavonoids. Quercetin, myricetin, rutin, isoquercetin. They have cardio- and vasoprotective properties, regulate metabolic processes, and gently eliminate high blood pressure.
• Atocyanins. Delphinidin, malvidin. Collagen production stimulators, antioxidants, free radical neutralizers.
• Pectins. They are characterized by adsorbing and enveloping properties. Removes toxins, salts of heavy metals, including cobalt and strontium.
• Minerals. Sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium. Necessary for maintaining electrolyte balance and normal bone tissue. They take part in humoral regulation and are involved in the mechanism of transmission of nerve impulses.
• Vitamins. Vitamin C, B1, P, PP, A. Metabolic participants, help improve the condition of skin, hair, nails, have antioxidant properties, ensure healthy capillaries, and the production of many hormones.
• Tannins. They have an astringent, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory effect on the mucous membranes.

Beneficial properties of blueberries

The benefits of blueberries include a huge list of therapeutic actions. The plant improves digestive processes, improves the functioning of the pancreas and liver. Used for insufficient acidity of gastric juice. Its ability to eliminate inflammation is useful for:

• gastritis;
• pancreatitis;
• colitis;
• intestinal dysbiosis.

The plant is actively used in folk medicine for the treatment of diarrhea and constipation. For example, leaves and shoots have an astringent and fixative effect, necessary for dysentery. Fresh fruits, according to reviews, have a mild laxative property. The positive effect of the plant is also noted in other disorders.

• In the treatment of atherosclerosis. The ability of berries to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol is used to prevent cholesterol deposits in blood vessels.
• For diabetes mellitus. The consumption of blueberry fruits is indicated not only because of the hypoglycemic abilities of the berries, but also in connection with the improvement in the susceptibility of body cells to the insulin it produces. This is especially important in type 2 diabetes, which is most often insulin resistant.
• For weight loss. The ability of blueberries to normalize lipid metabolism and prevent insulin surges is used, which prevents attacks of hunger. Also, against the background of stimulation of thyroid functions by blueberries, an acceleration of metabolism is noted.
• For ARVI and colds. Blueberry fruits, eaten fresh, will ensure the body's resistance during the off-season. The juice of the fruit has anti-fever properties and has a mild expectorant effect. The anti-inflammatory properties of the plant are appropriate for the treatment of bronchitis, pneumonia, and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.
• In the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. From the cardiovascular system, indications for the use of blueberries are: hypertension, heart failure, coronary heart disease, varicose veins, fragility of blood vessels and capillaries. The main effects in this area are exerted by phytoncides, which provide stabilization of arterial and venous pressure, vasoprotective, vasodilating and cardioprotective effects.
• In dermatology. They use the positive effects of plant tannins. Infusions and decoctions of leaves and young branches are recommended to eliminate sweating and treat weeping eczema.
• For women. The medicinal properties of blueberries are beneficial for heavy menstruation. The plant stimulates hematopoiesis and prevents the development of anemia. Vitamin K improves blood clotting and reduces bleeding. For the same reason, blueberries are recommended to be consumed during the recovery period after operations and injuries.
• For men. The anti-inflammatory properties of blueberry fruits will be useful in the fight against prostatitis. In addition, the plant normalizes blood circulation and has anti-edematous properties.

Doctors recommend regularly consuming blueberries for the eyes. The plant helps eliminate increased intraocular pressure, prevents the development of glaucoma and cataracts, and has a relaxing effect on the optic nerve, which is especially important during spasm of accommodation. The berry is popularly considered the main antiscorbutic remedy, and its juice is the first drug against helminthiasis.

Other uses

Juicy blueberries are actively used by chefs. They are used to make jam, preserves, fruit drinks, compotes, jelly, and jelly. Homemade drink lovers infuse the berries with vodka or leave them to ferment to make the liqueur - the result is an unusual blueberry wine.

Cosmetologists love blueberries very much. Fruits rich in antioxidants help improve tone, eliminate fatty deposits, tighten pores, reduce oily skin, and remove pustules and acne. Face masks are made from fruits ground into pulp. When blueberry juice is mixed with dairy products, moisturizing and rejuvenating agents are obtained. Blueberry extract is added to external weight loss products.

Who is it harmful to?

The composition of blueberries, rich in chemicals, can bring many benefits. However, consuming the berries and preparations of the plant requires some caution.

• For gastrointestinal diseases. The ability of the berry to increase acidity and stimulate the production of digestive juices is inappropriate for high acidity and gastric ulcers.
• For gallbladder diseases. The choleretic effect of blueberries is incompatible with bile duct dyskinesia.
• For blood diseases. The berry improves clotting, which is dangerous if you are prone to thrombosis.
• During pregnancy. Blueberries contain a lot of biologically active substances, so it is better for women expecting a baby to consume the fruit in moderation. During lactation you should avoid blueberries.

Contraindications for blueberries include a tendency to hypoglycemia, for example, in case of acute disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, since the berry can lower blood sugar levels even more. Blueberries are harmful when consumed excessively; chemicals have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes of the stomach, causing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and heartburn.

Recipes

It is extremely beneficial to eat fresh blueberries. For example, for diabetes mellitus, as a general tonic and to improve vision, it is recommended to eat 300-400 g of fresh berries daily. It is undesirable to combine the consumption of blueberries with dairy products, since milk interferes with the absorption of nutrients. For therapeutic purposes, you can use the recipes below.

Infusion of fruits

Peculiarities. Used to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the urinary system (cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis).

Preparation and use

1. Dried blueberries in the amount of 20 g, pour a cup of boiling water for an hour.
2. Drink a quarter glass at intervals of three hours until symptoms are alleviated or completely eliminated.

Leaf decoction

Peculiarities. Blueberries are used instead of a laxative for chronic and occasional constipation.

Preparation and use

1. Crushed dried blueberry leaves in the amount of 50 g are poured with a glass of boiling water.
2. The mixture is placed in a water bath and boiled for half an hour.
3. Drink a tablespoon up to six times a day before meals.

Decoction with young branches

Peculiarities. It is used to improve heart function, strengthen blood vessels, and normalize the functioning of the digestive tract.

Preparation and use

1. The crushed raw materials (50 g of blueberry branches and leaves) are boiled in a glass of water in a water bath for ten minutes.
2. Strain after two hours of infusion.
3. Take a tablespoon four times a day.

Berry tincture

Peculiarities. Blueberries are used to normalize vision, generally strengthen the body, and as a blood vessel cleanser. To prepare blueberry tincture, use fresh or thawed berries.

Preparation and use

1. Prepared, washed blueberries (one glass) are poured with half a liter of pure vodka.
2. To infuse, place in a dark place for eight days.
3. After the specified period, filter the tincture and take a dessert spoon three times a day.

Berry juice

Peculiarities. All medicinal properties of blueberries, except for the laxative effect, are preserved when juice is obtained from the berries. You can use fresh or defrosted fruits. Blueberry juice is used to eliminate diarrhea, treat cholecystitis, pancreatitis, colitis, with general weakness after illness, as well as to eliminate cold symptoms: body aches, fever.

Preparation and use

1. Pure blueberries are crushed, crushed in a blender and squeezed through cheesecloth or passed through a juicer several times.
2. Drink a quarter or half a glass three times a day.

The use of blueberries allows you to saturate the body with vitamins and minerals, improve the cardiovascular, genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems. Natural antioxidants and sorbents make blueberries an ideal product for maintaining beauty, youth, slimness, and health.

Common blueberry is a bushy, highly branched plant with a round, erect stem reaching a height of up to 1 meter. Straight leaves, lanceolate with prominent veins, bluish-greenish below. The flowers grow regular drooping, bell-shaped, with a pinkish corolla, sitting 1 or 2 in the axils of the leaves. Blueberries bloom in late May - early June.

Grows in moist marshy soils, peat bogs and wet pine forests. Distributed under natural conditions to mountain tundra areas. It grows in the Urals, Siberia, the Caucasus, and the Far East. Can survive at altitudes up to 2.5 m above sea level. This healing berry has long been cultivated in Poland, Germany, and North America.

The blueberry bush is frost-resistant and can live up to a hundred years. It begins to bear fruit in natural conditions from the age of 15-18, giving a bountiful harvest - from 100 to 160 berries per bush.

The berries, leaves and stems are used for medicinal purposes. The berries are collected as they ripen, the leaves in the fall.

Chemical composition

Blueberries contain carbohydrates (fructose), ascorbic acid, vitamin PP, carotene, a set of organic acids - citric, malic, benzoic, oxalic, tannins, pectins, anthocyads, compounds of manganese, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, copper, cobalt

Application

Blueberries are widely used as a general tonic, appetite enhancer, hematopoietic, hypoglycemic and anti-radiation agent. Preparations and fresh berries are used as antipyretic, vitamin, laxative, antiscorbutic, diuretic and choleretic agents, as well as as a means that can normalize the functioning of the entire digestive tract.

The berry is successfully used in the treatment of anemia, as a hemoglobin-increasing agent, with a low leukocyte count. The berry helps well with gallbladder diseases.

The presence of pectins and tannins allows blueberries to be used in the treatment of radiation exposure and general poisoning.

Methods of application

Decoction of leaves : pour 250.0 boiling water over a dessert spoon of dry leaves, boil in a water bath for 10 minutes, leave for 30 minutes, strain, take 1/3 cup 3 times a day.

Berry infusion : a tablespoon of dry berries is poured with 250.0 boiling water, infused for 30-40 minutes, filtered.

Decoction of leaves and stems : pour 300.0 boiling water over a tablespoon of dry raw material, boil for 5 minutes, leave in a steam bath for an hour.

Video

The deciduous shrub blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum), also called bog blueberry, or swamp blueberry, or low-growing blueberry, is the type species of the genus Vaccinium of the heather family. In nature, it can be found in regions with cold and temperate climates throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, the range of the common blueberry begins in California and ends in Alaska, and in Eurasia it occupies an area from Mongolia and the Mediterranean to Iceland. This plant has a large number of popular names, for example: gonobobel (gonobol, gonoboy, gonobob), blue grapes, drunkard (drunkard, drunken berry, drunkard), durnik (foolish woman, durakha, fool) and sinica. Fool, gonobob, drunkard and other similar “negative” names were given to the plant erroneously; many people were sure that because of it a headache began to ache, as if from a hangover. However, people actually experience severe headaches due to wild rosemary, which prefers to grow next to blueberries. Blueberry fruits are considered very valuable, and therefore its popularity among gardeners is growing every year. In addition to the common blueberry, which grows in temperate and cool areas, there is another species called highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), which comes from America, where it has gained great popularity among gardeners. In the United States and Canada, blueberries are more popular than black currants. Canadian and American hybrids and varieties of this type of blueberry are gradually becoming more and more popular among gardeners in mid-latitudes, but they can only be grown in the southern regions of Russia or Ukraine.

The genus Vaccinium includes cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries and blueberries. Some scientists are confident that blueberries and blueberries are the same plant, while other botanists oppose this identification. The fibrous root system does not have root hairs. On the surface of the cylindrical, erect branches there is brown or dark gray bark, and the stems are painted green. The height of the common blueberry does not exceed 100 centimeters, while the highbush blueberry can reach up to 200 centimeters in height and even more. The short-petioled, alternately arranged leaf plates are small, solid, smooth and rigid, their length is about 30 mm, and their width is up to 25 mm. Their shape is lanceolate or obovate, there is a blunt apex, and the edges are slightly curved down. The front surface of the leaves has a waxy coating, which is why they have a greenish-blue color; the underside is paler in color and has strongly protruding veins. Small drooping five-toothed flowers have a pitcher-shaped corolla of white or pale pink color, which reaches a length of 60 mm, and there are also from 8 to 10 stamens. The flowers are located on the upper parts of last year's branches, and they sit in groups of several. The oblong blue fruits reach 1.2 cm in length and weigh approximately 1 gram. There is a bluish coating on their surface, the skin is thin, and the color of the flesh is pale green. The weight of tall blueberry fruits is 10–25 g, while in America, on average, about 10 kilograms are harvested from one bush. In warm areas of mid-latitudes, up to 7 kilograms of fruit can be harvested from one bush of this type of blueberry, but only if the weather conditions are favorable. When choosing a seedling, remember that not all foreign varieties can be cultivated in mid-latitudes, since there are late-ripening varieties, and their fruits have time to ripen only 30 percent. In this regard, in mid-latitudes it is recommended to cultivate common blueberries or those varieties of highbush blueberries that are mid- or early-ripening.

Blueberries can be planted in open soil in spring and autumn. It should be taken into account that experienced gardeners advise doing this in the spring, since during the summer the seedling will be able to take root well and gain strength, which will allow it not to suffer from frost in the winter. Growing blueberries is relatively easy; harvesting and storing them will be much more difficult.

To plant blueberries, you should choose a well-lit area, and the bush should be protected from gusts of wind. If it is planted in a shaded place, the harvest will be poor and the quality of the fruit will be low. This plant is very demanding on the soil; only acidic soil, the pH of which should be 3.5–4.5, is suitable for growing it. Also, experienced gardeners recommend choosing an area for planting blueberries that has been fallow for several years. The fact is that this plant reacts negatively to any predecessors. Remember that a quiet, well-lit place with peaty-loamy or peaty-sandy well-drained soil is ideal for planting. If there is no area in the garden that is ideal for growing such a shrub, you can do it yourself.

Planting in open soil in spring is done before the buds swell. When purchasing a blueberry seedling, you should carefully select the type and variety. It is necessary that the plant you choose is suitable for growing in your region. If the climate in the region is quite cold, then it is best to purchase a low-growing Canadian blueberry seedling. In warm regions with long hot summers, various varieties of garden blueberries can be grown. Also, when choosing a seedling, it is very important to take into account the timing of fruit ripening; they must be compared with the climatic characteristics of your region. The fact is that if you make the wrong choice, the berries simply will not have time to ripen before the onset of frost.

Experts advise purchasing seedlings with a closed root system (in a container or pot). However, when planting blueberries in open soil, it should be taken into account that their roots are so fragile that they simply cannot turn around in the ground on their own. In this regard, it cannot simply be transferred from the container to the planting hole. Before planting, the pot with the seedling will need to be immersed in a container of water for 15 minutes. Then the plant should be carefully removed from the pot. Using your hands, carefully and slowly knead the earthen lump and try to straighten the blueberry roots.

The size of the planting hole for common blueberries and garden blueberries is the same, namely 0.6x0.6 meters, while its depth should be 0.5 meters. If several tall seedlings are planted, then a distance of 1.2 meters is maintained between them; for medium-sized varieties it should be 1 meter, and for low-growing varieties it should be 0.5 meters. The row spacing should be 3–3.5 meters. After the hole is ready, it is recommended to loosen its bottom and walls, which will improve air access to the root system of the seedling. Next, you need to make sure that the soil in the hole is acidic. To do this, a mixture consisting of sawdust, sand, high peat and pine needles is placed on its bottom; 50 grams of sulfur must be poured into it to oxidize the resulting substrate. Mix the resulting substrate thoroughly and compact it. There is no need to add fertilizer to the soil. At the same time, it is not recommended to use organic matter to feed blueberries, as it contributes to alkalization of the soil. When the hole is ready, you need to place the plant in it, its roots are carefully straightened, and they need to be directed in different directions. Please note that after planting, the blueberry root collar should be buried 30 mm into the soil. Planted plants need watering. When the liquid is absorbed into the soil, its surface should be sprinkled with a layer of mulch (bark, peat, pine sawdust or straw), the thickness of which should be 12 centimeters.

Planting blueberries in autumn

Blueberries are planted in the autumn in exactly the same way as in the spring. However, if a seedling of the first year of life was used for planting, then after planting, using pruners, all weak branches will need to be removed from it, and it is recommended to shorten the remaining ones by ½ part. If the seedling is older than 2 years, it should not be pruned.

During the season, it will be necessary to loosen the surface of the tree trunk several times, and their depth should be within 8 centimeters. However, remember that you should not often loosen the soil, as this may cause the plant to dry out. You should also take into account that the root system of blueberries is located horizontally and very close to the soil surface (about 15 centimeters), so try not to injure it during loosening. Due to the fact that the plant's roots are located close to the surface of the soil, it is very important to cover it with mulch. Loosening the soil can be done without first removing the mulch, but it must be replenished 2 or 3 times per season. Timely control of weeds is also important; they are pulled out immediately after they appear on the site.

For normal growth and development of the bush, it still needs to be watered, fed and pruned on time.

Blueberries should be watered correctly. In this case, the gardener must develop a special scheme for watering blueberries. So, the soil should always be damp, but it should be taken into account that water after watering should not linger in the soil for more than two days, otherwise this may cause the death of the bush. As a rule, watering is carried out twice a week, 2 times a day (in the morning and evening), while 10 liters of water are poured under 1 bush at a time. Particular attention should be paid to watering in July and August, when fruiting is observed, because it is at this time that flower buds are laid for the next year. If blueberries do not receive the required amount of water at this time, this will negatively affect the amount of harvest for both this and next year. If it is very hot outside, the bushes will need not only watering, but also spraying, this will help avoid overheating. Plants should be sprayed early in the morning or after 4 pm.

Blueberries do not have any special requirements for soil nutrition, but they respond well to mineral fertilizers. It is recommended to fertilize in early spring, when sap flow begins and the buds swell. In this case, organic feeding should be completely eliminated. To feed such a shrub, it is recommended to use the following fertilizers: potassium sulfate, superphosphate, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate and zinc sulfate. The fact is that they are absorbed by the plant very well. The application of nitrogen-containing fertilizers (ammonium sulfate) occurs in 3 stages. So, 40 percent of the nitrogen fertilizers needed by blueberries should be applied when sap flow begins, 35 percent in the first days of May, and 25 percent in the first days of July. Just one shrub needs from 70 to 90 grams of this fertilizer per season. From July until next spring, the plant will no longer need nitrogen. The application of phosphorus-containing fertilizers (superphosphate) should be done in summer and autumn, with 100 grams of the substance taken per bush. Zinc sulfate and potassium sulfate are applied once per season and taken at 2 grams per bush. Magnesium sulfate is also applied once a season, with 15 grams of the substance taken per bush.

Blueberry propagation

Blueberries can be propagated by seeds or by one of the vegetative methods. Choose a completely healthy bush and collect full fruits from it. You need to remove the seeds from them and dry them a little. In the autumn, they are sown in training beds; first, the soil on them should be dug up with the addition of acidic peat. If sowing is planned in the spring, the seeds will require stratification. To do this, they need to be placed on the refrigerator shelf for 12 weeks. Sowing is done in pre-made grooves, the seeds are buried 10 mm, and they are sprinkled on top with sand mixed with peat (3:1). In order for seedlings to appear as quickly as possible, the crops need to be properly cared for. They will need warmth (from 23 to 25 degrees) and not very high air humidity (about 40 percent), and they also need to be watered, weeded and loosened the soil surface on time. Emerging plants should be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizer in the spring, but this should be started from the second year of life. After 2 years, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent location.

If you need a way to more quickly and reliably propagate blueberries, then it is best to resort to cuttings. In the spring, before sap flow begins, or in the fall, after the end of leaf fall, you should start preparing rhizome cuttings. Try to keep the length of the cutting from 8 to 15 centimeters; the thicker the shoot, the better. The fact is that if the shoot is thick, then the appearance of roots will occur relatively quickly, and growth will also begin earlier. To enhance survival, harvested cuttings must be placed in a place with a temperature of 1 to 5 degrees for 4 weeks. The cuttings are planted obliquely in peat mixed with sand (1:3). Then everything is covered with a five-centimeter thick layer of the same soil mixture. With proper care, after 2 years the cuttings will become developed and strong seedlings that can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Blueberries are propagated by dividing the bush

To propagate such a plant, some gardeners resort to dividing the bush. To do this, a part of the bush is dug up and divided into divisions, and each of them should have a rhizome, reaching a length of 50 to 70 mm. Immediately after dividing the bush, the divisions are planted in a new place. Plants grown from seeds produce their first fruits when they are 7 or 8 years old. Blueberries grown using the vegetative propagation method begin to bear fruit in the fourth year.

In order for the shrub to bear fruit regularly, it will need timely pruning. It is carried out in the spring before the buds swell. If in the summer or autumn you find injured or disease-damaged branches and stems on the bush, they will need to be pruned and destroyed; there is no need to wait until spring. During the first year, it is imperative to remove all flowers from newly planted seedlings, which will allow blueberries to grow and develop properly. The formation of a powerful plant skeleton should be done from the second to the fourth year of life, this will allow the bush to avoid injury if there is a rich harvest. To do this, you need to cut out all branches that are diseased, weak, damaged by frost, or lying on the surface of the soil. Don't forget to cut out all the root shoots. After the plant is 4 years old, in addition to diseased and weak branches, all stems that are more than 5 years old should be cut out, while 3 to 5 of the most powerful shoots should be left from annual ones. If the bush is spreading, then all drooping lower branches will need to be removed. And if the plant is an upright variety, it will be necessary to thin it in the middle of the bush. Make sure that there is no closure of branches between neighboring bushes, as this will have an extremely negative impact on the quality and time of ripening of the berries.

How to care for autumn

After fruiting begins, experts advise collecting blueberry fruits once every 7 days. It is best to start picking berries in the morning, but only after the dew has evaporated. After the fruit turns the required color, it should ripen on the bush for several more days. After the dense berries become soft, they can be collected. During this time, there is an increase in the weight of the fruit, as well as an increase in the amount of sugar in them. After picking, the berries should be immediately put on the refrigerator shelf; they should be stored at a temperature of 0 to 2 degrees for 14 days. It should be taken into account that fruits can absorb foreign odors, so they must be isolated from other products. Berries can be frozen, then they will be stored much longer. To do this, they are thoroughly washed and poured in 1 layer into the freezer. After the berries are completely frozen, they are placed in one container and put back into the freezer for storage. If desired, the fruits can be dried; in this form they are suitable for preparing delicious compotes, as well as healing infusions and decoctions.

In regions with frosty winters, blueberries will need good shelter, since if the air temperature drops below minus 25 degrees, the bush may freeze, especially if there is little snow. After the bush is freed from fruits, it should be prepared for wintering. Throw a loop of wire or twine over the branches of the plant and slowly pull them to the surface of the area. After this, the bush must be fixed in this position and covered with burlap (it is not recommended to use plastic film, because the blueberries will not breathe under it), and spruce branches should be placed on top. After snow falls outside, the spruce branches will need to be thrown on top. The winter shelter should be removed from the plant in the spring. If the winters in your region are quite warm and snowy, then blueberries will be able to survive them without shelter, especially for winter-hardy varieties.

Blueberry pests

You need to plant and care for blueberries following agrotechnical rules, in this case the plant will be healthy and strong. But even such bushes need preventive treatments against pests and diseases. Birds cause great harm to blueberries, or rather, to their harvest; they peck the berries ripening on the branches. To avoid this, you can resort to the following trick: a metal mesh with small cells is carefully stretched over the bush. Harmful insects cannot cause significant damage to the bush, with the exception of rare years, when in the spring the bushes are literally covered with beetles and chafers. They eat flowers and eat foliage, this has an extremely negative effect on the yield of the bush. In addition, the root system of the plant may be damaged, as beetle larvae eat up its roots. Leaf rollers, aphids, pine silkworm caterpillars and scale insects can also settle on the bush. It is necessary to carry out timely collection of beetles and their larvae by hand, which are recommended to be drowned in a container filled with salt water. The easiest way to get rid of other pests is to treat the bush with Karbofos or Actellik. It is recommended to spray blueberries with the same preparations for preventive purposes in early spring and after all the fruits have been harvested.

Most often, the plant is affected by fungal diseases such as: stem cancer, drying of branches (Phomopsis), gray rot (Botrytis), fruit monoliosis, physalsporosis, white spot (Septoria) and double spot. It must be remembered that almost all such diseases arise due to stagnation of fluid in the root system of the bush, and this occurs, as a rule, due to poor water permeability of the soil or due to improper irrigation regime. At the first signs of a disease, all necessary measures should be taken to eliminate the causes of its occurrence, otherwise the plant may die. Preventative treatments are carried out at the beginning of the spring period and after the crop is harvested, and Bordeaux mixture is used for this. The affected bush should be sprayed with Topaz 2 or 3 times, and the interval between procedures should be 7 days. You can replace Topaz with drugs such as Topsin, Bordeaux mixture or Fundazol.

This plant is also susceptible to mycoplasma and viral diseases such as dwarfism, filamentous branches, mosaic, necrotic and red ring spot. These diseases cannot be treated, and therefore affected specimens must be dug up and destroyed as soon as possible.

If the rules of agricultural technology are violated, this will negatively affect the condition and health of the plant. For example, it happens that the foliage of a plant begins to turn yellow. At first it turns pale green and then turns yellow. As a rule, the problem lies in the fact that the soil on the site is not acidic. To correct the situation, peat should be added to the soil; after some time, the color of the foliage will become normal, or rather, the young leaf blades will be colored green. Yellowing of foliage is also observed when the plant lacks nitrogen. At the same time, along with the yellowing of the foliage, the growth of the stems stops, and the fruits become smaller. Plants need nitrogen-containing fertilizers and must be applied at the beginning of each season in 3 stages (described in more detail above). If the foliage changes its color to red, then this is the first symptom of drying of the stems or cancer of the branches.

Blueberry varieties with descriptions

At the moment, all blueberry varieties are divided into 5 groups:

1. Low growing varieties. At the heart of this group is the species angustifolia blueberry, which is crossed with the genetic material of northern and myrtle-leaved blueberries.
2. Northern tall varieties. They are highly resistant to frost and late fruiting. They were obtained on the basis of North American species, namely, highbush blueberry using genetic material from the common blueberry.
3. Southern tall varieties. They are complex hybrids created using northern highbush blueberries and several blueberry species native to the south. The resulting varieties are resistant to drought. In addition, these varieties are less demanding on soil pH.
4. Semi-tall varieties. These varieties were obtained as a result of the fact that tall blueberry varieties continued to be saturated with common blueberry genes. The resulting varieties are very frost-resistant; they can withstand even extreme cold (down to minus 40 degrees).
5. Rabbit eye. In this group, the basis of the varieties is considered to be the twig blueberry. The resulting hybrids can quickly adapt to hot climates and poor soil. These varieties have a fairly long growing season; therefore, they are not recommended for growing in regions with temperate and cool climates. The fact is that before the onset of winter frosts, most of the crop does not have time to ripen.

Of these groups, only northern tall varieties are recommended for cultivation in mid-latitudes. The most popular northern tall varieties:

1. Blugold. This mid-season variety is medium-growing. The shape of the bush is semi-spreading, and the medium-sized fruits have a sour-sweet taste. It is highly resistant to frost. Bushes need to be thinned out frequently, and they also require intensive pruning.
2. Patriot. This is a mid-season and tall variety. The height of the spreading plant does not exceed 150 centimeters. The large, pale blue fruits are covered with thick skin. Ripening is observed in July and August. The yields are consistently high, so up to 7 kilograms of fruit are harvested from 1 plant. It is frost-resistant and also resistant to diseases characteristic of blueberries.
3. Chippewa. This variety is early-ripening and medium-growing. The height of the bush is about 100 centimeters. The pale blue fruits are large and medium in size and have a very sweet taste. The plant is highly resistant to frost; it can withstand temperatures down to minus 30 degrees. This variety can be cultivated both in containers and in the countryside.
4. Duke. The variety is tall, late flowering, but early ripening. The height of the bush is about 200 centimeters. The bushes bloom after the end of spring frosts. Thanks to early ripening, this variety is characterized by stable high yields, while large and medium-sized fruits do not become smaller over the years. It has very high resistance to frost, but the plant requires increased pruning.
5. Sunrise. Medium high grade. The bush is spreading, it has relatively weak shoot formation. As a result, such a plant does not need to be pruned often. Dense large fruits of a slightly flattened shape, have high taste and become ripe in mid-July. With proper care, up to 4 kilograms of berries can be harvested from one plant. This shrub often suffers from recurrent frosts in the spring.
6. Chanticleer. Medium-sized variety. The bush has ascending branches. Flowering begins after the end of spring frosts. The pale blue, medium-sized fruits have a sweet-sour taste and ripen in the last days of June. About 4 kg of berries are harvested from 1 plant. The plant has high frost resistance.
7. Northland. Low growing variety. The spreading bush reaches no more than 100 centimeters in height. It is characterized by stable high yield. Up to 5–8 kg of berries are harvested from 1 bush; they are dense, medium in size and blue in color. The fruits have high taste qualities. This plant is highly resistant to frost and has a short growing season. Before the onset of winter, all the fruits have time to ripen. This shrub is also used in decorative floriculture, as it is compact and low-growing.
8. Elizabeth. Tall, late variety. The bush is spreading. Erect stems and shoots have a pale red tint; this is considered a characteristic feature of varieties characterized by very high resistance to frost. 4–6 kg of fruits are collected from one plant. This shrub is one of the varieties whose fruits have the highest taste. The fruits are large (diameter about 2.2 cm), fragrant and very sweet in taste; they begin to ripen in the first days of August. Before the onset of winter, all the fruits do not have time to ripen.

Properties of blueberries: benefits and harms

Beneficial properties of blueberries

After blueberries were carefully studied by scientists, it became clear that they have unique qualities. It helps improve the activity of the pancreas and intestines, protect the body from radiation, strengthen vascular walls, and slow down the aging of nerve cells. It has anti-scorbutic, anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, choleretic, anti-sclerotic, and also cardiotonic effects. Blueberries contain provitamin A, vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, which is responsible for the elasticity of the capillaries of the epidermis and reduces the risk of varicose veins, there are also 6 amino acids, phosphorus, calcium and iron, and it is found in the fruits of this plant in a form in which it is relatively easily absorbed by the human body. Blueberries have proven their effectiveness in the treatment of atherosclerosis, capillary toxicosis, rheumatism, hypertension, sore throat and other diseases.

The juice from the fruits of this plant is recommended for use in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diabetes and fever. The fruits themselves help eliminate eye spasms and restore vision. They also contain pectins, which help bind radioactive metals and cleanse the body of them. The fruits also contain highly active antioxidants that prevent the formation of cancer cells in the body.

The fruits of this shrub are used fresh in alternative medicine, and infusions, decoctions and tinctures are also prepared from them. It will be useful to eat them both for absolutely healthy and sick people, because fresh fruits help strengthen the body’s immune forces and saturate it with vitamins. But the fruits, stems, and leaf plates of such a plant also have healing properties.

Blueberry decoction is recommended for use for heart diseases. To prepare it, you need to pour 2 large spoons of crushed leaves and young branches into an enamel pan, and pour in 200 ml of just boiled water. Cover the container tightly with a lid and keep in a water bath for 30 minutes. The cooled broth must be strained, and be sure to squeeze out the remainder. The resulting decoction is brought to 200 ml with boiled water. Drink it 1 large spoon 4 times a day.

Blueberry fruit infusion is very effective for diarrhea and dysentery. To prepare it, you need to combine 1 large spoon of dried blueberries with 200 ml of just boiled water. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. over low heat, and then 15 minutes. under the lid. Drink 1 large spoon 4 times a day.

Blueberry decoction is also indicated for diabetes. To prepare it, you need to combine 1 large spoon of chopped dried blueberry leaves and branches with 400 ml of just boiled water. Mix 5 min. keep on low heat. After the drink has infused under the lid for 60 minutes, it needs to be strained. Drink half a glass of the decoction three times a day before meals.

Contraindications

Blueberries can be consumed by absolutely everyone, as they have no contraindications. But you should still know when to stop, because if you eat large quantities of blueberries uncontrollably, they can harm the body. When overeating, a person experiences vomiting, nausea or an allergic reaction. A large amount of antioxidants in the body reduces the amount of oxygen supplied to the muscles, which leads to disruption of the body's muscle functions. With moderate consumption of blueberry fruits in the summer, and with regular use of compotes, jams, infusions and decoctions from it in the winter, it is quite possible to become a long-liver, which is the shrub itself, which can live 100 years with proper care.

Blueberry (common)

Common blueberry, or marsh blueberry, has been known to people since time immemorial. According to researchers, residents of Northern Europe consumed blueberries 3–4 thousand years BC. Currently, the harvest of marsh blueberries has been brought to an industrial level, and its fruits successfully compete with blueberries.

Taxonomy and names

Blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) goes by several names, which can be used equally, since they are all synonymous:
g. ordinary;
g. swamp;
city ​​bush;
d. undersized.

Blueberries belong to the genus Vaccinium from the Ericaceae family, which is part of the Dicotyledonous class of the Flowering Plants division. In some sources you can find a mention that blueberries belong to the Cowberry family, which was recently separated into a separate taxon from the Heathers. But most botanists adhere to the traditional classification.

If everything is easy and clear with the scientific names of bog blueberry, then it has a huge number of popular “names”, and often these names are not similar to one another: cabbage roll, gonobobel, drunken berry, blueberry, durnika, foolish berry, water drinker, fool, blue grapes, gonobol, drunkard, buoy, fool, gonoboy, dove, drunkard.

Natural habitat and place in biocenoses

The species is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and occupies a wide range, covering zones with temperate and cold climates. On the territory of Eurasia, blueberry grows from the countries of Scandinavia (in the north) to Spain, Turkey (in the south) and Mongolia, Japan and the Far East (east and southeast). In North America, the species is found in Canada and the USA, up to California (in the south).

Marsh blueberries can grow in small groups or clumps located at a certain distance from each other. Or it can form huge thickets, occupying tens of square kilometers.

The species prefers to grow in places with high moisture content in the soil: in wetlands and swamps, pigweeds, peat bogs, in forests, along the banks of rivers, streams and lakes. It can grow in mountainous areas - in coniferous mountain forests and in the highlands (shrub zone).

Morphology of blueberry

The life form of bog blueberry is a shrub or subshrub (in the northern regions and swamps), with a standard height of 30–60 cm. Sometimes, there are populations where the plant height exceeds 80 cm. The shoots always become woody along almost the entire length. Blueberries often form underground shoots (rhizomes), through which they spread vegetatively.

The leaves are simple, entire, small, obovate, on very short petioles, with a smooth or slightly serrated edge.
The root system is fibrous, highly branched, but does not penetrate into the deep layers of the soil. Many additional roots form mycorrhiza - a symbiosis with soil microscopic fungi. Without this, blueberry cannot obtain nutrients from the soil, since it lacks root hairs.

Small flowers with a double perianth and fused bell-shaped corolla, have a white or white-pink color. Pollinated by insects. The fruit is a dark blue berry with a bluish or blue bloom. Fruit distributors are birds and mammals.

Blueberry is one of the most frost-resistant shrubs in the world. Its lifespan is about a century.

The main differences between marsh blueberries and blueberries and garden blueberries

In its structure, appearance and composition, blueberry occupies an intermediate position between its closest relatives - HIGH GROWING BLUEBERRY and blueberries. The common blueberry differs from the garden (high-growing) blueberry primarily in its size and the fact that it never grows like a tree. Another important difference is the shape of the leaves: in the marsh blueberry they are small, round, obovate, while in the garden blueberry the leaves are 2–3 times larger, and their ends are often pointed. These two species also differ in their habitats - the common blueberry naturally grows in both the Old and New Worlds, and the garden blueberry is a typical North American species.

The following characteristics distinguish blueberries from blueberries:
The height of blueberries is about half a meter, sometimes higher, in contrast to blueberries (its height is 5 – 30 cm);
bog blueberry is a pronounced shrub - that is, its shoots become woody, unlike blueberries, the life form of which is a shrub, it has almost no secondary thickening;
the receptacle of the blueberry is uneven, and, accordingly, its fruits are more elongated, slightly asymmetrical, and the blueberries have an almost regular round shape;
blueberries almost do not form creeping shoots (rhizomes);
blueberry juice is almost colorless and does not leave stains on the skin, and blueberry juice contains a larger amount of anthocyanins, and therefore leaves pronounced dark spots;
Blueberries and blueberries have very different tastes.

About growing bog blueberries

Swamp blueberries are very healthy and are considered a dietary product. They improve metabolism, the condition of blood vessels, heart function, digestion, and help reduce blood sugar. They are eaten fresh or processed into juice, jam and homemade wine are made from them, and used in baking. To enhance the taste, blueberries are combined in cooking with berries from other crops with a distinct taste.

Marsh blueberries are grown in personal gardens and industrially, although in recent years they have been actively replaced by highbush blueberries, which are more productive and convenient to cultivate. Common blueberry varieties of domestic selection deserve attention.

The most delicious and tender berries are the “Iksinskaya” and “Nektarnaya” blueberries; they were given a tasting score of 5 points. “Taiga Beauty” and “Divnaya” blueberries have excellent frost resistance; they can withstand temperatures down to -42.9°. The most productive varieties are “Blue Placer”, “Divnaya”, “Izyashnaya”, “Taiga Beauty”, “Shchegarskaya”, “Yurkovskaya”; they yield from 30 to 43 c/ha; these varieties are also very frost-resistant.

Marsh blueberries are given a sunny or semi-shaded place on the site. For planting, moist, breathable, acidic soils with a pH of 4 to 5 are required; peat or peat-sand soils are the best. Heavy clay soils are not suitable. Since the main roots of blueberries are located at least 15 cm in depth, they are suitable for places with high groundwater levels - up to half a meter. The soil under the bush should not dry out, so it is mulched, and watering is carried out from above the bush by sprinkling. Marsh blueberry rarely suffers from diseases and pests, and is sometimes slightly affected by the leaf roller.