I'm getting very close to being able to set up the new fig ghetto. Just have to move a few more blueberry plants (in 20 gallon containers) to their new home (The New and Improved Blueberry Ghetto) ....and then move the figs in. And people think 'pot shuffles' only happen in cold climates.

This is going to be a testing ground where I can grow them up, and see which ones I want to keep. They'll be in five gallon containers slightly embedded into the ground, watered with drip, and the ground mulched. It's a warm part of the yard with a S-facing slope behind (steep cut between properties) and sun most of the day. I'm thinking I can do 5 ranks, with maybe 45 plants total. They will be quite close. Two double rows where I can walk on both sides, and then a single row on the slope where I can only get to one side.

Setting up the drip will be the tricky part. Will have to keep an eye on that to make sure everything is watered well enough.

There also are two other fig pot-colonies. The ultimate goal is to get that down to two. This will greatly help.

As soon as it gets cooler later today, I'll move more blueberries. Already did some this morning. It's about 80F outside now. If you are verrry quiet, you can hear the figs ripen. ;)


Sorry, no photos. Computer issues.

gina, would you please keep me posted on any blueberries that perform well for you? i'm from upstate ny, and i miss blueberries.

I can't wait for your computer issues to get fixed, I'm dying to see pictures.

Gina , I planted several of those Southern highbush varieties in northern  FL last year. I have high hopes for them. Our grandkids , picked a bunch this past spring and were thrilled.

Gina,

If you can try to get Sweetcrisp, it is not just a bit better than all the other Southern High bush it is an order of magnitude better.  It is another of Dr. Lyrenes creations and he has developed all the best like Jewel and Emerald and about 30 other patented varieties.   Currently I have 50 Sweetcrisp and about 200 total SHB.  The last creation of Dr. Lyrene before he retired is just about to hit the market and is named Raven.  The berry is later ripening so it will not be popular with the commercial crowd as they want early ripening.  The Raven is rated 9/10 for taste but the really cool thing is 50% of the crop will be between nickle and quarter size with an average of 4 grams.  I am planning to put in 10 for myself.  

Gheto?? Why ghetto, with figs wouldn't it be more like a luxury neighborhood? Anyway sounds like you have a large planting area to play with. Enjoy!

If my memory serves , I planted a few Brightwell with some others. My gardening logs are there, not here with me. First year berries were not as big as described , but as you said Alan , in time hopefully.

tainers) to their new home (The New and Improved Blueberry Ghetto) ....and then move the figs in. And people think 'pot shuffles' only happen in cold climates.

This is going to be a testing ground where I can grow them up, and see which ones I want to keep. They'll be in five gallon containers slightly embedded into the ground, watered with drip, and the ground mulched. It's a warm part of the yard with a S-facing slope behind (steep cut between properties) and sun most of the day. I'm thinking I can do 5 ranks, with maybe 45 plants total. They will be quite close. Two double rows where I can walk on both sides, and then a single row on the slope where I can only get to one side.

Setting up the drip will be the t

Funny Blueberries come up on a fig forum! Like WillsC, that just happens to be one of my things. I can agree that Sweetcrisp is the next best thing to sliced bread in the blueberry world. Its the only variety of Southern High Bush that I have more than 2 of. If I could only have one variety that would be it!

Brightwell is not a Southern High Bush, its a rabbiteye. Its a blueberry just a different family. Its the best rabbiteye variety that grow as far as taste goes. They are partially self fertile but to see its full potential you need another variety of low chill rabbiteye for pollination. For my neck of the woods the best pollinator for Brightwell is Bluegem or Beckyblue as the flowers open at pretty much the same time. Like most SHB (excluding Sweetcrisp and Oneal), Brightwell tends to over produce so thats why you see small berries on it. Try thinning the fruit buds to 5 or 6 per branch and the size will dramaticly increase. I get dime to nickle size berries off of mine by thinning fruit buds.

Okay I am going to look for some of these sweetcrisp blueberries.  Do they need a pollinator?  Right now I have 6 rabbiteye blueberries, 2 Powderblue, 2 climax, 2 brightwell.  They are in the trial phase in my yard so I'd happily swap them out for better varieties if they don't produce well. 

Meg, the rabbiteyes will produce fine for you in North Htown. You recieve enough chill hours up there. I had some problems with chill hours on the South side of town from being so close to the water so I can only grow low chill Rabbiteyes. Its not that Rabbiteyes dont perform well, they are just later ripening and not as good of quality as the SHB. That being said Brightwell is a very good late season berry.

All Southern High Bush are self fertile but you will have better fruit set and bigger fruit with a pollinator. If you ever go to the Urban Harvest Fruit Tree Sale in Htown in the spring they always carry Sweetcrisp. I would recommend Emerald as your other SHB because that plant puts out some pounds of good fruit! Emerald will tend to flower alittle earlier than Sweetcrisp but it continues to flower over a long enough period of time to cross Sweetcrisp flowering time aswell. Sunshine Blue is another good, easy to grow plant with good fruit that will fill in the gap between the Rabbiteyes and SHB as it ripens its fruit late for a SHB. If you want really early outstanding blueberries go with Snowchaser and Springhigh as a pair. They dont put out alot of fruit but its really tasty. I get berries from April through July with SHB and Rabbiteyes.

If you want we can do little trading in the spring, fig cuttings for blueberry plants. Im already going to send you some fruit for your efforts this spring and Ive even got a healty Sweetcrisp plant with your name all over it;)