A sweet, native and nutritious snack from the garden? Look no further than blueberries

I’ve been growing dwarf blueberries for three years and my plants are covered in green berries now. Deliciously sweet and rich in fiber, manganese, potassium, vitamins C and K and antioxidants, berries are native to North America and can be grown across most of the continent.

There are several categories of blueberries to choose from:

• Lowbush has a low growth and spreading habit and is reputed to produce the tastiest fruit.

• Highbush grows upright up to 6 feet tall.

• Medium tall types grow to 3-4 feet tall.

• Rabbit eyes, most of which are hardy in zones 7-9are more heat and drought tolerant than others and can reach 8-15 feet tall.

• Dwarf varieties can be any type that has been bred to grow in small containers, such as window boxes or hanging baskets.

New plants can take up to five years to produce a good harvest, so I have been managing my expectations while providing them with the best care.

This meant allowing them to do their own thing without any fertilizer the first year and then giving each plant a single dose of 4 ounces of ammonium sulfate in the spring of the second year. This not only fed them, but also lowered the pH of the soil, which is essential for blueberries.

Along with cranberries and blueberries, blueberries have the lowest pH requirement of any edible plant, thriving only when the soil measures between 4.0 and 5.2. Therefore, applying a fertilizer labeled for acid-loving plants immediately after they bloom in all subsequent years is important to keep them healthy and productive.

I’m also letting my plants grow wild until after their fifth birthday, when I’ll begin annual pruning in early spring, removing old plants and thinning them out to allow more air to circulate and allow sunlight to reach their centers.

With the exception of rabbiteyes, which must be cross-pollinated with other varieties (three or more is best) to produce fruit, most varieties are self-pollinating. Still, planting two or three different varieties together will result in larger fruits and a larger harvest. That’s why I planted my Sapphire Cascade and Midnight Cascade plants in the same large pot on the back deck.

All blueberries can be grown in containers (for tall plants, use wide pots at least 18 inches deep).

Blueberries require a location that offers full sun, protection from strong winds and plenty of air circulation, so they shouldn’t be crowded. They also need a lot of water, and plants grown in containers require even more than those planted in the garden.

Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around plants after the soil warms each spring and again in late fall if you live in an area with frosts and freezes.

And if rabbits or deer visit your garden, surrounding the plants with a temporary barrier will help protect them during the winter.

After harvesting (or bringing any type of fruit home from the market), I quickly soak it in a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water, then drain it and store it in the refrigerator. The few minutes spent doing this add immensely to your life. Try!

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Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign here for weekly gardening tips and advice.

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