Fruit Gardening Articles

Growing Blueberries

Growing Blueberries in the Rogue Valley

One of the biggest perks when gardening in the Rogue Valley is the sheer variety of choices that we gardeners have. Included in this myriad of options is one of our most beloved berries; the blueberry. While getting a healthy batch of blueberries can be a very rewarding and tasty treat, there are some important things to pay attention to when growing these in your Rogue Valley garden.

1) Soil:

First off, if you were hoping to slap some blueberry plants in the ground tomorrow, you might be disappointed. Preparing the soil 6 months to 1 year ahead of time gives the soil time to acidify. Throwing in some broken down leaves or similar materials to improve drainage and soil breathability is recommended. Blueberries grow best in light, well drained, high organic matter soils. Also, when testing your soil, you’re looking for a PH between 4.5 and 5.5 – anything out of that range may not be optimal and you might consider a different location or working with your soil to get that PH adjusted.

2) Location:

The major consideration here is good air movement. You don’t want your flowers and buds freezing, so make sure you’ve got your blueberries planted in an open, mid to higher ground area. Avoid the valleys of your landscape.

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How To Grow Apples

Growing apples is a rewarding endeavor, but a long-term commitment. It will take up to ten years from the time you plant those little trees until they reach maximum apple production capacity.

Growing Basics

Apple trees need a cold season and do not do well in climates that are warm year round, so Southern Oregon fits the bill.

appletree
Don't expect fruit-laden branches like these for a few years. Photo: sxc.hu/oeildenuit

To grow apples you will need an area large enough for at least two trees planted about eight to 15 feet apart, because you'll need two trees of different varieties to ensure pollination. If you don't have space for two trees, consider buying a grafted tree that bears multiple varieties of apples. This type of tree will be "self-pollinating" because it will pollinate using its different varieties.

Planting and pruning your apple trees

It is best to start with young trees from a nursery. If you choose to plant apple seeds, it will take the seeds two to three years to grow into saplings.

Apple trees grow best in sunny locations with loose, well-drained soil. The best time to plant your trees is from December to March, though around here, you'll see bare-root fruit trees cropping up in nurseries and other stores (Bimart and Costco usually have some choices) around the end of January. About a month before planting the tree, dig a two-foot-deep hole and add as much organic matter as possible to ensure the soil is rich and crumbly when the tree is planted. You may add some fertilizer, but do not over-fertilize.

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