Overview
Vaccinium corymbosum 'Bluecrop'
This mid-season cultivar is considered one of the most reliable croppers, producing large, rich flavoured fruits.
Pick: Early August
Use: Eating & Cooking
Description
Bluecrop is a popular self-fertile, mid-season variety with its high yields of delicious, large blue berries about late July to August. The flavour of Bluecrop berries are rich and sweet and they can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. This fully hardy and compact shrub provides all year round interest. During the spring it has pretty white flowers and colourful green foliage for summer, and then in winter the stems become a beautiful red colour. This is practical choice of variety as it is disease resistant, withstands summer drought and is not suseptible to late spring frosts.
Planting Position
Blueberries are best planted in full sun or semi-shade. They prefer an acidic soil, therefore a soil with a low pH, that is moist and well-drained. Alternatively they can be planted into a pot using erericaceous compost. You do not need to prune in the first two years. Thereafter in late February to early March, remove a quarter of the branches every year so the plant continutes to be productive. Remember birds love these fruits, so keep them covered in nets if you want them for yourself. All blueberries are partially self-fertile, planting more than one variety helps improve yield.
Attributes
This popular blueberry is a vigorous upright grower that has good disease resistance, withstanding summer droughts and late Spring frosts. They are perfect eaten fresh or added to a pie or steamed pudding.
