Blueberries in Bloom

I love blueberries, plain, on yogurt, in a pie or straight from the bush…

Blueberries are magnificent in every way. And best of all, they’re easy to grow. Seriously. Sun, pine (acid), water, done. That’s it. That’s pine mulch around the base of the plant.

And they’re forgiving, too. I moved these blueberries (shown below) away from my house and out to the garden this winter.

I decided that my romantic notion of blueberry bushes sequestered in a shady mountainside in the North Carolina where an off-trail hiker discovers their wonder and devours the glorious fruit hidden from view was just that–a romantic notion. Blueberries like sun and lots of it. Similar to my Knockout roses, they can survive in part sun, but thrive in full sun. Don’t they look happy?

They are–so happy. Just look at the bunches of blueberries they’re yielding!

I love it! All I did was dig the hole, add water and pine bark mulch (acid), and they’re good to go. Oh, and twine. I’m not the only one who loves blueberries. Birds love blueberries and are usually out and about at the crack of dawn dive-bombing the plump ripe berries before I ever get a chance to stop them. Sheesh! So I run twine over the bushes and it’s problem solved. I used to use netting until I learned it keeps the bees out, too. No good. Blueberry blossoms need bees.

Bees work to make those white blossoms incredibly become fruit.

Quick fun facts about blueberries:

July is National Blueberry month.

Blueberry muffins are the most popular muffin in America.

Blueberry muffins are the state muffin of Minnesota. (Who knew muffins had state status?)

Maine produces more blueberries than any place in the world. (I’ve actually visited some blueberry orchards in Maine and was quite frankly, surprised to find them there!)

Blueberries are relatives to the rhododendron and azalea bushes.