Organic Blueberry Farm? & chill hour requirement

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much, Roger, for this helpful info! I live in Sarasota, south of

Tampa on the gulf coast, and it gets pretty hot here in the summer. I have a

place where I can put the wild blueberry tree in the shade in the winter,

except that often " winter " temperatures are in the 60s and sometimes reach the

70s, so I don't know if it will all add up. But I did buy the tree in a

native plant sale in my area, so theoretically it ought to bloom. (Right now

I'm

more troubled by the ants.)

 

Judy

_www.RawFoodsNewsMagazine.com_ (http://www.RawFoodsNewsMagazine.com)

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy,

Here is a chill hour chart to give you an idea of what you have to work with.

http://raintreenursery.com/chill_hours.htm

Here is their definition of chill hours:

" Chill hours are roughly the number of hours between the temperatures of 32-45

degrees Fahrenheit. Winter hours above 60 degrees are subtracted from the

totals. "

 

All temperate zone fruit has a chill hour requirement. This is how the plant

knows that winter has past, and its okay to flower when it gets warm again. They

only flower after the chill requirements are fulfilled.

 

There is a southern blueberry variety with a 150 chill hour requirement that

might work where you live. Raintree is an amazing nursery for the home growing

of edible perennial food, and they ship all over the US.

 

There is a lot of lore about how people get subtropical fruit plants to survive

and produce in the northern coastal areas like Puget Sound. Likely there is

similar lore for the flip side - getting northern fruit to flower in the

subtropics.

 

If you are in a cool part of northern Florida, you might have a chance, with a

very low chill requirement blueberry. I would keep it in a container, and put

the container in a cool place that is on constant shade for the whole winter,

and move it into the sun for the rest of the year.

 

Since blueberries are very wet tolerant, especially in winter, you could try the

shade and running a mister over them anytime the temperature gets over 55.

 

May your day be filled with clarity, grace, progress, and warm laughter,

Roger

 

-

<vegwriter

<RawSeattle >

Thursday, June 09, 2005 3:09 PM

Re: [RawSeattle] Organic Blueberry Farm?

 

 

>

> In a message dated 6/9/2005 5:54:38 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

> wolfmother1 writes:

>

> Can anyone recommend an Blueberry farm in the area that is organic? I

> soooooo want to go blueberry picking!!!!!

>

> THANKS! Paula

>

>

> When it is dark enough you can see the stars

>

>

> I don't blame you, I would love to also (except I seem to be in the wrong

> area for it--Florida).

> One summer I lived in the Catskills, in New York. I went for a hike one day

> and came upon a patch of wild blueberries growing along the ground. They

> were the sweetest blueberries I ever had in my life. I have a wild blueberry

> tree growing on my apartment terrace now, but so far, no blueberries, and the

> ants keep crawling on the tree, much to my dismay.

>

> Judy Pokras

> _vegwriter_ (vegwriter)

> editor/founder

> www.RawFoodsNewsMagazine.com

>

> Providing breaking news, authoritative info & fun features

> to the raw foods community since March 2001. Free newsletter.

> Check out our blogs:_ http://sketchgrrl.blogpot.com_

> (http://sketchgrrl.blogpot.com/) _ http://RawStyle.blogspot.com_

(http://rawstyle.blogspot.com/)

>

>

>