Blueberry plants are an increasingly popular commercial crop. An number of Blueberry varieties (Vaccinium species) and cultivars are offered for sale by wholesale growers in Australia.
Being a long lived plant once established, and being much in demand as fresh fruit, for freezing as well as for juice commercial production is increasing in Australia.
Plants perform well in a range of climates with different varieties suited to cooler or warmer conditions.
Soil is an important factor with Blueberry production, a deep humus rich soil is best and a pH of around 5.5 is regarded as ideal.
Blueberry Varieties.
Although plants are similar they are produced for different purposes.
- Machine Harvesting
- Hand Harvest
- Home garden varieties.
Commercial varieties include.
- Northern Highbush
These are a high chill variety, long cropping and needing 800 to 1000 chill hours. - Southern Highbush
These are a low chill variety needing around 250 – 500 chill hours, depending on variety. - Rabbiteys
Generally low chill, however with larger seeds and are evergreen.
Within each group are numerous cultivars with different characteristics.
In Australia it is the Southern Highbush (Low Chill) and the Rabbiteye that are the most popular.
Low chill varieties include Legacy (evergreen), Biloxi and Magnolia. Legacy being a mid season variety and very high yielding. Magnolia being an early season type. Biloxi is early season and suited to warmer climates.
High chill varieties include Bluejoy and Michelle. Both are early season.
- Denise is a northern highbush variety with large fruit.
- Margaret is an early fruiting highbush variety best in cooler climates.
- Elliot – A self fertile variety, heavy yielding and good in cool climates.
Other varieties include : Powderblue, Bluecrop, Misty and Sunshine Blue.
Different varieties will suit different areas, for Perth try O’Neal, Sharpeblue and Misty as well as the Rabbiteye types. In Tasmania the best varieties are the Highbush types. However Blueberries are grown commercially from southern Queensland and Northern New south wales to Victoria as well as in the Adelaide Hills.
Blueberry Plants are available for sale from the following participating wholesalers.
365-367 Monbulk Rd, Silvan, Vic., 3795
"Bulb growers since 1951. Specialising in Tulips and Herbaceous Paeony Roses. Strictly wholesale only. Australia wide mail order service."
www.broersenbulbs.com.au
Screening plants, Blueberries, Flowering, Hedging and Climbing plants,