Growing Greenup: Summer Blueberries

Growing Greenup: Summer Blueberries

Lora Pullin

For The Ashland Beacon

Summer months are the harvest season for blueberries and blackberries, both of which have the potential to grow very well in Kentucky. Harvest time for blueberries, which are native to North America, is from early June through early August. Blackberry harvest is from mid-June to early October. These delicious fruits offer several health benefits, and they capture the essence of summer in their sweetness.

Blueberries are an excellent choice for both home and commercial growing. They are long-lived as fruit trees, with few pests or diseases. They also have a late blossom time, so frost rarely causes damage on well-chosen sites. Blackberries also have a long fruit-bearing life and will produce for a decade or longer in Kentucky.

Blueberries require an acidic soil, which means you’ll need to amend most Kentucky soils to properly suit their needs. They also require a high organic material content, so you should mix peat moss (do not substitute other materials) with the soil at the time of planting. You’ll need to irrigate during the summer, because blueberries have a shallow, limited root system. Insufficient irrigation can compromise both this year’s and next year’s crop.

Gardeners need to prune, fertilize and irrigate blackberries for best results. Pruning technique varies, depending on the type of bramble.

Blueberries in a cluster do not ripen at the same time, and only fully ripe berries should be picked. Fruit need at least one to two days after turning blue to develop full flavor and can be left on the bush for up to 10 days without a loss in size. Flavor does not improve once the fruit is picked; consequently, you should leave blueberries on the bush for as long as possible to develop sweetness and flavor.

For best results at harvest, pick carefully, rolling blueberries from the cluster with the thumb into the palm of the hand. Handle as little as possible to avoid rubbing off the bloom (the light waxy finish on the skin) and reduce bruising. Harvest only when berries are dry. Refrigerate promptly to slow ripening and decay.

Blackberries for commercial sale are picked “firm ripe,” but home growers have the luxury of picking soft, fully ripe and juicy fruit. Pick fruit twice a week, and during hot rainy weeks, every other day. Harvest after the morning dew has dried. Pick carefully to avoid bruising the fruit, and as with blueberries, refrigerate quickly to limit fruit rot. The sweetest, best tasting fruit is produced during dry sunny weather when nights are cooler.

Try this great KY Proud recipe using fresh blueberries and blackberries!

Triple Berry Crisp

Cooking spray

1¾ cup fresh blackberries                                     ½ cup flour

1¾ cup fresh blueberries                                       ½ cup oats

1¾ cup fresh strawberries                                     ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons white sugar                                   ½ teaspoon nutmeg

¾ cup brown sugar                                                 1/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Wash berries. Do not let berries soak in water. Hull strawberries by removing the stems and green tops. Place blueberries, blackberries and strawberries in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle berries with white sugar and stir. Set aside. In a separate, large bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Pour berry mixture into baking pan. Sprinkle crumbly mixture over the berries. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Yield: 12, ½ cup servings

Like us on Facebook at FCS Greenup County Cooperative Extension.

Contact Lora Pullin, Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Greenup County at 606.836.0201 or lora.pullin@uky.edu.  (Source John Stang)  Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.