How to manage blueberry trees in winter?

Blueberry is a very popular fruit in the market and is grown by many farmers. However, as the temperature drops, special attention needs to be paid to insulation and soil management when planting blueberry trees in winter to ensure that they can grow smoothly and survive the winter. So how do you manage blueberry trees in winter? Let’s take a look with the editor below.

1. Variety selection

Different varieties of blueberries have different tolerances to cold. Lowbush blueberries and semi-highbush blueberries are more cold-resistant, while highbush blueberries and rabbiteye blueberries are relatively less cold-resistant. The northern region is suitable for growing semi-highbush and northern highbush blueberries, such as Blueberry, Beilan, and Meiden. The southern region is suitable for growing southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberries, such as Lexi, Sharp Blue, and Brilliant.

2. Soil Cover

In fall and winter, cover the entire blueberry plant with moist soil to keep the branches hydrated. For taller plants, you can press them down and then cover them. You can also pile an arc-shaped mound of soil about 0.4 meters high 0.3 meters northwest of the plant to create a microclimate environment that is sheltered from the wind and facing the sun for the young tree, reduce the continuous freezing time of the soil, and help the roots absorb water and replenish water loss in the branches. The soil should be buried tightly to ensure that the branches are not exposed and are not airtight. Blueberry branches are hard and easy to break, so you should apply force gradually when operating to avoid breaking the branches. It is better to plant them at an angle.

3. Cover with cold-proof materials

Using straw mats, shade nets and plastic films for cold protection is suitable for blueberry orchards over 3 years old. Build a beam above the plant planting line, cover it with plastic film, and press soil on both sides. Cover it with straw mats or shade nets and secure it to prevent wind . The time for cold protection should be appropriate, not too early, and the temperature should be stable below 5℃. Water thoroughly before applying winter protection, and remove the winter protection materials in time the following spring.

4. Pile up snow to keep warm

In the snowy areas in the north, artificial snow can be piled up in winter to prevent cold and increase production. It is easy to obtain materials, saves labor and time, costs little, and can maintain soil moisture. The covering thickness should be 2/3 of the tree height, and the suitable thickness is 20-30 cm.

5. Lighting and ventilation

Making sure your blueberry trees receive adequate sunlight during the winter will help raise the tree's temperature and promote photosynthesis. While keeping warm, you should also be careful to avoid excessive airtightness that can lead to poor air circulation and cause blueberry tree diseases and pests.

6. Notes

After planting in winter, the growth of blueberry trees should be observed regularly. If any abnormal phenomenon is found, timely measures should be taken to deal with it.

The above is an introduction to how to manage blueberry trees in winter. Insulation measures should be taken immediately after planting blueberry trees. You can use plastic film, straw mats and other materials to cover the blueberry trees to prevent low temperatures from causing frost damage to the trees.