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+--- Thread: Blueberries? (/showthread.php?tid=4177)
Blueberries? - Spider Tim - 06-29-2008
Hey all wondering if blueberries are doable on the big island? anyone have any or seen any growing?
RE: Blueberries? - james weatherford - 06-30-2008
Have not yet seen 'em.
Have heard of a few -- Waimea, Volcano, and upcountry Maui.
In the past I've assisted in blueberry research and production in a professional context (Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana), and helped my father with growing a few.
When we owned land in Mountain View (1600' elev, S Kopua Rd) did a good bit of background reading to consider how they would do.
Reckon it is possible in some places with the right varieties. [we sold that land in 2005 for an obnoxious 3 times what we gave for it in 2001 -- and used that money to fund our three 20-something children's college education).
Should we invest in good land up high again, will definitely proceed to see what we can do.
If I may take the liberty of a couple of suggestions:
1. Definitely look for some 'low-chill' varieties -- Florida and Mississippi have some that looked promising to me (Google and read up on 'low-chill').
2. Keep to the higher elevations to try to get a few days of temperature below 50 degrees F.
3. Real soil, not rocks, is essential -- blueberries have extra-fine roots and suffer badly if those tiny hair-like roots are restricted in anyway.
4. The roots also require water at easy disposal -- they won't go far to find water.
Finally: should you grow any, I MUST be the first taste tester!
James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park
RE: Blueberries? - Hotzcatz - 06-30-2008
http://www.davewilson.com/br40/br40_trees/vine_blueberry.html
That's a link to Dave Wilson Nursery's webpage listing of blueberry cultivars. They list how many chilling hours each variety requires. There is also a link on their webpage which shows whom to get their trees from if you want to mail order them. We've ordered Dave Wilson trees from Bay Laurel Nursery before with good results. I think Pang's Nursery which supplies plants to WalMart also imports Dave Wilson stock.