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Richard A. Dale Small Fruits Specialist Highland Valley Farm Bayfield, WI, USA

Richard A. Dale Small Fruits Specialist Highland Valley Farm Bayfield, WI, USA. Producing Berries for the Fresh Market An Introduction for Kosovo. North American Highbush Blueberry. A New Crop for Europe. Blueberry plant types in USA. Lowbush (V. Angustifolium) native

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Richard A. Dale Small Fruits Specialist Highland Valley Farm Bayfield, WI, USA

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  1. Richard A. DaleSmall Fruits SpecialistHighland Valley FarmBayfield, WI, USA Producing Berries for the Fresh Market An Introduction for Kosovo

  2. North American Highbush Blueberry A New Crop for Europe

  3. Blueberry plant types in USA • Lowbush(V. Angustifolium) native • Half-Highbushhybrid • HIGHBUSH(V. Corymbosum) native • Southern Improved Highbush hybrid • Rabbiteye (V. Ashei) native

  4. Blueberry Cultivars for Kosovo • Half-Highbush hybrid ? • Possibly for high altitude cooler sites • Patriot is a half-highbush hybrid • HIGHBUSH(V. Corymbosum) native • Bluecrop is proven • Duke, Spartan, Reka and Nui look promising • Southern Improved Highbushhybrid ? • Climate of Serbia in the most promising regions may be more similar to Arkansas than to Michigan • Ozarkblue is being trialed

  5. Additional Cultivars that should be trialed for Kosovo • Elliot • Late season favorite of Michigan growers • To extend season and for domestic markets • Chandler • Extremely large fancy berry • Early-midseason • Bluetta • A proven excellent early season fruit • Earliblue • Another proven early season berry • O'Neal • Considered the earliest fruiting southern highbush • Misty • Another excellent early season southern highbush Elliot Earliblue

  6. Site Selection • Appropriate climate • Accessible • Well drained surface & soil • Humus >3% • Low pH: 4.5 – 5.2 • At least 1/2 day full sun • Irrigation available

  7. Site Preparation • Begin at least one year before planting • Control perennial weeds with non-residual herbicides and repeated cultivation • Soil test • Adjust pH per soil test • Add P & K fertilizer as per soil test • Add organic matter if necessary • Improve drainage • Prepare irrigation

  8. 2-year old container grown plants Loosen roots Remove blossom and green fruit at planting

  9. Planting System • Spacing • Plants: 1 – 1.2 m spacing in the row • Rows: 3m between rows • Raised Beds • For improved drainage on heavier soils • Mulch • Irrigation • Drip irrigation is best

  10. 1.2m between bushes x 3m between rows 3m 3m 3m 3m 1.2m 1.2m 1.2m 1.2m 1.2m

  11. Mulch • Mulches are desirable for: • Retaining moisture • Keeping soil surface cool • Protecting roots • Reducing weeds • Increasing organic matter • Sawdust, shavings, bark, or clean straw • Plant sod between rows • Non-creeping grasses • Maintain with mowing. Do not allow to seed

  12. Irrigation • Supplemental irrigation critical • Drip irrigation recommended • Water source • Flow rate and recharge • pH • Quality • Schedule 2.5 - 4 cm / week

  13. When berries are ready to pick… Harvest should be • Timely • Dry • Clean • Gentle

  14. Highbush Blueberries are usually picked by hand for fresh markets a pail on a neck-strapor beltis often used

  15. Pre-cool Harvested Berries • Field heat can activate fruit disease organisms within 12 hours • Harvested fruit respires after being picked causing a rise in temperature of as much as 7C… unless checked by cooling • Blueberries at 27C respire 20X faster than berries at 4C • Pre-cool within four hours of harvest using a convection cold-air tunnel system

  16. Box filler alternative Cold storage @ 1C Lazy susan to packing table cooling Clamshell filler Inspection belt Tilt belt sorter Air blast cleaner

  17. Maintain the Cold Chain • From the time berries are pre-cooled until they are purchased by the consumer • Refrigerated transport is essential • Refrigerated display is highly recommended

  18. Richard A. Dale87080 Valley RoadBayfield, WI 54814 USArdale46@gmail.com New Opportunities for Agriculture

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