Q. I have 13 Japanese blueberry that have been planted
for quite a few years. They have grown tall but only one filled out from the
bottom to top because of some shading. This shading is now gone. What can I do
and when to stimulate the growth and hopefully have them fill out all over?
for quite a few years. They have grown tall but only one filled out from the
bottom to top because of some shading. This shading is now gone. What can I do
and when to stimulate the growth and hopefully have them fill out all over?
I have railed against this plant before in other posts here:
Why nurseries are selling it for desert landscapes is beyond comprehension.
A. You cant just plant Japanese Blueberry anywhere you want in a desert landscape. They are not desert plants. Japanese Blueberry became popular in the Las Vegas
Valley and used inappropriately in my opinion as a visual screen between
properties because the plant is evergreen.
Valley and used inappropriately in my opinion as a visual screen between
properties because the plant is evergreen.
Hopefully most people have steered clear of
this tree for this purpose because it’s not suited for desert climates. Using
it as a screen in the desert is questionable because it uses a lot of water
(probably as much as a mulberry tree) and requires quite a bit of future
maintenance (think pruning and leaf cleanup).
this tree for this purpose because it’s not suited for desert climates. Using
it as a screen in the desert is questionable because it uses a lot of water
(probably as much as a mulberry tree) and requires quite a bit of future
maintenance (think pruning and leaf cleanup).
Japanese
Blueberry will grow to heights of 35 – 40 feet. The planting spaces between
them should be 15 to 20 feet wide. If planted as a screen it would be a tall
one at somewhere around 15 to 20 feet. Planting distances to walls or
foundation should not be closer than perhaps 8 to 10 feet.
Blueberry will grow to heights of 35 – 40 feet. The planting spaces between
them should be 15 to 20 feet wide. If planted as a screen it would be a tall
one at somewhere around 15 to 20 feet. Planting distances to walls or
foundation should not be closer than perhaps 8 to 10 feet.
As these
trees get bigger they will naturally shade each other. Parts of the tree that
receive light will sucker and grow new branches when they get some. If planted
closer than 15 feet apart consider removing every other tree as they start
growing together. This will provide more light to the bottom of the canopy and
help them fill in down there.
trees get bigger they will naturally shade each other. Parts of the tree that
receive light will sucker and grow new branches when they get some. If planted
closer than 15 feet apart consider removing every other tree as they start
growing together. This will provide more light to the bottom of the canopy and
help them fill in down there.
Pruning to reduce its height through a method
called “drop crotching” should help keep it around the 15-foot-tall in height
and encourage them to fill the spaces between them and grow wider.
called “drop crotching” should help keep it around the 15-foot-tall in height
and encourage them to fill the spaces between them and grow wider.
This is
a tree that should be used as a medium-sized specimen tree in a cool part of a
landscape if used in our climate at all. The soil should be heavily amended at the time
of planting and the tree grown in an area where woodchips 3 to 4 inches deep
improve the soil surface.
a tree that should be used as a medium-sized specimen tree in a cool part of a
landscape if used in our climate at all. The soil should be heavily amended at the time
of planting and the tree grown in an area where woodchips 3 to 4 inches deep
improve the soil surface.