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Whether you prefer the hard to find and highly coveted wild ones, or the bigger, juicier cultivated ones, Blueberries are a tasty healthy treat that deserve more attention than they get.
As a child, I can remember my Grandparents piling me in the car, suitably dressed in berry picking gear, and driving miles over heavily canopied dirt roads to their wild Blueberry patch. I was allowed to go only if I swore to keep the destination top secret. No problem there, I was too busy dreaming of all of the juicy, ripe fruit I would stuff into my mouth to pay any attention to where we were going. I regretted this later in life, when, after my Grandparents had passed away, Dad asked me where that patch of Blueberries of theirs was and I had no idea. Dad even drove me up and down the dirt roads in the area around where they lived in the hopes that something, anything, would jog my memory. It was not to be, we never could find that patch.
Once we reached our destination we would climb out of the car, gather the pails, buckets, insect repellent and picnic basket. Grampa would grab his cane, Grandma would adjust her hat. Then we set off on a mile long journey through the woods. At my young age I could almost hear the bears chuffing their displeasure at our foray into their territory. I didn't dare stray from my Grandparents side. After what seemed like forever, we arrived at a nice sized clearing just blue with berries. Berries as far as the eye could see!!
Native to only North America, the blueberry is a shrub. Lowbush or highbush refers to shrub size. The highbush, which is also the most common cultivated variety, are easier to pick standing up but the lowbush are more fun since you can park yourself comfortably right on the ground amongst them and pick as far as you can reach. Those were the ones we picked those summer days, my Grandparents and I. My "suitable attire" consisted of my oldest, torn pants and shirt, a bug hat and shoes. Everything on me would inevitably become stained a bright indigo. Be warned, Blueberry picking can become messy. The peak of Blueberry season is in July, so be sure to take along lots of bug spray.
Blueberries are classed as one of the "super fruits". They have in their makeup the needed ingredients to help reduce the risks of diseases, including some cancers. Research is showing Blueberries may reduce cholesterol, help prevent urinary tract infections. These are one healthy berry!!.
Blueberries are also a very tasty berry. Grandma would use them fresh, or frozen, in muffins, pies, jams, jellies and my personal favourite, the Blueberry pancake. Dripping with real Maple Syrup, butter and maybe even a scoop of ice cream...sigh...ok, maybe not so healthy, but definitely yummy!! Toss a handful on your cereal in the morning, on yoghurt, even a bowl of berries with cream.
My Grandparents left me with many Blueberry memories, and although their prized wild Blueberry patch was lost to us, Dad and I always stopped along the highway at one of the many Blueberry stands and bought a basket to nibble in the truck, each of us quietly nibbling away, lost in our own memories.
My thanks go out to claypa, Farmerdill and poppysue for their wonderful photos..
About Lee Anne Stark
I am an avid gardener who shares my gardens with 2 other equally avid gardeners. I garden for fun and relaxation, never paying attention to the rules!! During the long, cold winter months I occupy my time playing with over a hundred house plants, my six cats and two dogs.
Posted by cavertucc (from Herkimer, NY) on May 7, 2008 at 1:18 PM:
I have three types of blueberry plants just recently received from Stark Bros.
My plan is to plant them in containers. I have the soil, the amendments and the containers.
Here is my question: Do I plant them in a container that will be their permanent home or do I plant them in containers for their present size?
Thanks, Connie
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Posted by threegardeners (from North Augusta, ON) on May 8, 2008 at 12:04 PM:
I'm sure if they would survive the winter in a container to be honest with you.
You might need to bury the containers in the ground, if they are plastic, for the winter months. If that is the case, then putting them in their permanent homes would be the way to go.
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Subject: Fertilizing blueberries
Posted by Daisy142 (from Rome, GA) on April 28, 2008 at 11:03 PM:
When should I fertilize blueberry plants?
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Posted by threegardeners (from North Augusta, ON) on May 1, 2008 at 8:53 PM:
In the spring when the buds are opening and again in the fall after harvest. Be careful, fertilizer can harm Blueberries that are not well established.
I don't use a commercial fertilizer on mine, just compost twice a year.
Hope this helps.
Lee Anne
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Posted by Daisy142 (from Rome, GA) on May 6, 2008 at 10:36 PM:
Thanks so much for the helpful information. I think it is too late to fertilize now...I will have to wait until fall. I hope I have a lot of berries (if the birds don't get them).
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Subject: Blueberries are also found in Iceland.
Posted by kittysue (from Fairborn, OH) on March 20, 2008 at 10:46 AM:
I don't know if they are native or introduced to Iceland, but they are widespread. Most of the berry plants are low growing, including the blueberries. People don't go out to collect berries like they used to, even though newscasters often report on the best collection times and the expected quality and quantity which is based on the temperatures and rainfall for the year.
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Subject: Luv 'em!!
Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on March 11, 2008 at 6:40 AM:
I could almost taste the wild berries of your youth... yum!
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Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on March 11, 2008 at 7:36 AM:
I remember picking wild blueberries in my youth too. Nicely written.
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Posted by Bubba_MoCity (from Missouri City, TX) on March 11, 2008 at 10:02 AM:
It is one of my fondest memories, too. Grew up in N. MN. So many berries, so little time. Used old logging roads to find them - had a number of spots where we went. Lots of wintergreen growing among the blueberry plants, too.
Blueberry pancakes and waffles, hand-churned blueberry icecream, blueberry pies, and just blueberrys and fresh cream. Oh, Boy!
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Posted by DonShirer (from Westbrook, CT) on March 11, 2008 at 10:10 AM:
I planted a mixture of BB bushes in semishade (only place available). It took several years for the berries to appear, but the birds ate them. So last year I threw netting over the bushes and tied it underneath. The doggone birds got in somehow and left me nary a berry! I'm wondering what to do this year--get a cat? Naah, the cat would probably like blueberries too.
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Posted by MistyMeadows (from Payneville, KY) on March 11, 2008 at 11:22 AM:
We are hoping to grow some blueberries this year. Love them, love to freeze them and eat as a treat. But I remember berry picking in Western Massachusetts as a youngster and we'd have so much fun.....but the army ants...........ooh, we'd get eaten alive. It was worth it. We have a commercial blueberry farm near us now (about 25 miles away) and I go there in the summer and pick blueberries. They are all the cultivated varieties, but tasty. Last year was a very bad year for blueberres and almost any kind of fruit in our area. They were very limited on their production last year, so I didn't get any. :(
Am going to look at those recipes now......yum.
Thanks for this article. :)
Kathy
This message was edited Mar 11, 2008 12:00 PM
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on March 11, 2008 at 11:36 AM:
I can remember gorging myself - we'd all pile into the station wagon and go blueberry picking :) Wonderful article!
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Posted by pepper23 (from KC Metro area, MO) on March 11, 2008 at 7:02 PM:
I am gonna try growing blueberries this year. I just love them!!
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Posted by nanadee (from Mountain Home, AR) on March 11, 2008 at 9:08 PM:
Nice article. Bluberry picking is a major outing for my little grandaughter and I . It's her favorite fruit and it's someplace we can go together and be out in the sunshine and eat to our hearts content. I don't know if the best part is the berries we eat or the memories we are making.It's a toss up.
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Posted by CajuninKy (from Inez, KY) on March 12, 2008 at 9:25 AM:
I love blue berries. I like to take a drive to Red River Gorge and hike around in the woods snacking on them. Back home in La. We had lots of huckleberries growing wild. I was harder on them than the birds were.
didn't dare stray from my Grandparents side. After what seemed like forever, we arrived at a nice sized clearing just blue with berries. Berries as far as the eye could see!! 
