Southern_Living_June_2017

STYLING: CAROLINE M. CUNNINGHAM

SOUTHERNLIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

29

HOME & GARDEN

HOMEGROWN

Ripe for Easy Picking

Try growing blueberries in containers

BY PATRICIA S. YORK | PHOTOGRAPH BY LAUREY W. GLENN

SMALL-SPACE GARDENERS, here’s

a treat: You don’t need acres of land to

plant your own blueberries. Container

gardens make it easy to enjoy these

sweet summer gems at home. Follow

these guidelines for growing your own.

PICK THE RIGHT SIZE CONTAINER

Blueberry bushes thrive in pots

because their shallow root systems

are well suited for small spaces. After

buying a blueberry bush, plant it in

a 12-inch-diameter container for the

first two to three years. When the

bush outgrows the smaller pot, move

it to a 20- to 24-inch container.

Plant Like a Pro

Two selections to

try in your next

container are ‘Pink

Icing’ and ‘Perpetua’

from Bushel and Berry

(bushelandberry.com).

BLUEBERRIES

NEED LOTS OF

SUN AND MOIST,

WELL-DRAINED,

ACID SOIL.

PLANT MORE THAN ONE

Some selections are self-pollinating,

but others rely heavily on bees to help

with the process. You can get away

with growing just one bush, but for

larger berries and bigger yields per

plant, grow at least two selections for

better pollination and choose types

that flower at the same time. To learn

the best ones for your area, consult

your local Cooperative Extension

office. Depending on the size of the

bush, it may take two to three years

to produce fruit. Then you can expect

1 to 2 pints of blueberries per bush

each season. Â

WHAT IF

FOR ADULT DOGS AGE 7+

Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind®

Adult 7+ contains enhanced botanical

oils shown to promote alertness and

mental sharpness in dogs age 7+.

BRIGHTMINDEFFECT.COM

Available exclusively at

Pet Specialty Retailers.

YOUR

OLDER DOG

COULD THINK

MORE LIKE HIS

YOUNGER SELF?