Bilberry plant

How to grow Bilberry plant growing and care:

Acid soil, iron, chilling hours, mulch (better pine mulch), rich soil, moist soil

How to care:
Fertilizer at least once a year spring, put pine mulch, prune once a year

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed (Care explanation bellow) / Vegetative Reproduction by cutting

How to propagate by cutting:
Propagating by cutting require high humidity, moist soil, better sterile water, peat soil (acidic soil), temperature need to be above 10-25C (50-77F), might take at least two month and if started in the autumn it will takes until the spring, need to take

Is it necessary to use vegetative reproduction?
Yes, ensure the cultivar, the quality of the fruit: size, taste more sweet or sour and quantity

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Some virus attack a lot of verity

Planting season – when to plant:
Winter, spring and in hardiness zone 2-8 possible in the summer

How to plant:
When start in bare root important to cut part of the roots and the plant, put organic matter, humus, dead leaves and mix it with the soil (acid soil), when planting need to increase the amount of water

Pests and diseases:
Virus, aphids

Pruning season:
End of the autumn to beginning of the winter, but if there isn’t a lot of fruits better after the fruits season

How to prune:
Prune the week branches and dead, crossing branch, in order to get bigger fruits better to reduce the buds in order to get bigger fruits, old stems, reduce the amount of branches and need to take care that all the fruits will get enough light

Size of the plant:
10-40cm, 4-16 inches

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half Shade (in hardiness zone 9 better to grow in half shade)

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
No

Growing is also possible in a pots, planter, flowerpot, containers:
Yes, start with pot that will be 40-60% more than the root ball, every time that the plant arrive to full capacity need to switch to bigger until arrives to desirable size (but better to grow the plant in pot that will fit will bear more fruits) size of the pot can be 7-12L (1.8-3 gallons), switch the soil in mid of the winter, soil lose the viability over time and it’s efficient of care for the roots of the plant, drainage it’s important and need to make holes and to use peat soil and maybe some lava grit in the bottom or something like that, put a bottom for the container and when water the plant let it fill the bottom but also need to dry in the same day, it’s important to fertilize once a year, mulch of pine it’s important.

Blooming information

Bloom season:
Spring

General information about the flower
Red or red green flowers in bell shape grow in cluster

Pollination is done by:
Bees

Edible fruit

Fruit harvest season:
Spring / Summer

Fruits pests or diseases:
Birds

What can be done with big quantities of Bilberry plant fruits?
Eaten raw, jams, juice, beverage

Work requirements on the fruit:
Nothing special

How long does it take to bear fruit?
1-2 years

Edible leaves

Leaves harvesting season:
Spring / Summer

How to harvest the leaves?
Not next to fruit or flowers

Information about leaves:
Oval leaves, red when young or in the autumn

Uses of Bilberry plant leaves:
Beverage for medical

How to grow Bilberry plant from seeds

Sowing requirement:
High humidity, moist soil, full sun to half shade 10-20C (50-68F)

Saving seeds and care until sowing:
Dry and dark place better in refrigerator

Sowing season:
End of the winter to spring

Planting spacing:
3*4cm (1.2*1.8 inches) when transplant it better to sow them in different pots it’s easier to follow in control and care for the seedling

Depth of Sowing:
Better not to cover just to put on the soil

Conditions for seeds germinate:
High humidity, moist soil, full sun, consider when grow in pots to cover with plastic wrap

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water

Germination time:
2-4 months

Condition of seedling:
Full sun, protect the seedling from pests, winds and heavy snow

Do the seeds require burying?
Yes

Chilling hour’s requirements:
2-5 Month

Scientific name:

Vaccinium myrtillus