Hey all,
I have one plot left for an in-ground blueberry, and I’m looking for an early season Southern Highbush variety (I already have Jewell, Jubilee, Bountiful Blue and Sunshine Blue from June - July). All things being equal, I’d prefer the earlier harvest, but of course all things are not equal.
Considerations are: how much harvest I get, how durable it is, how finicky it is re: ph, how tasty it is, etc. I’m in 9b, thoughts on whether I should grow the O’ Neal or Misty, or perhaps another early harvest option?
I heard a lot of good things about Star, but I think it bears later than Misty or O’Neal. Haven’t heard of Emerald at all but it seems pretty awesome (I’m reading that it bears the largest fruit), but I’m reading contradictory info re: harvest date. Any thoughts on when it harvests relative to others?
I don’t have that memorized…see if you can find blueberry trials in a search of blueberries and the University of Florida. Are you in FL or some other zone 9? I’ve seen nice blueberries in Ocala and other places in FL.
Star is recommended for the Gainesville Tallahassee to Valdosta, etc. But there are a number more recent inventions.
Sunshine Blue does ok here in Kentucky. I just bought one Emerald last fall to try…but I doubt it does good here.
It’s a much better tasting blueberry in our environment. It took a few years to get established before bearing a significant amount but it was really worth the wait.
Snow chaser is probably the earliest southern highbush I grow in southern California, followed by south moon. I’d also argue those two are my best tasting blueberries, but South Moon dies every other year for me for unknown reasons, while my 6-7 other varieties have been thriving for a few years.
My mind is blown. I did not know there was such a thing as evergreen blueberries. Do they stay evergreen only in warmer climates? Has anyone had them stay evergreen in the puget sound area? My blueberries are all old unknow varieties. They were planted in 1980 way before I lived here and are woody hedgerows now. I would love to add an evergreen blueberry to my grove. Yikes I am so excited.
None of them are evergreen in zone 6 to my experience. But Misty, Sunshine Blue, and several southern highbush probably are evergreen/simievergreen (red or blueish, not literally “green”) in zone 8 and certainly in 9 in many cases.
@Noddykitty
Down here in coastal-influenced San Diego county, a portion of the O’Neil leaves take on a Fall appearance on schedule regardless of temperature. When overnight temps drop below 50°F for a few hours or more, all the leaves turn color a begin dropping. At my location the winter lows rarely go below 40°F, and then only for an hour or two into the upper 30°s. At present (Feb. 1st) the O’Neil is bare but with bud swell.
We have two O’Neal and two Sunshine Blue in a long bed on the east side of our house. The Sunshines have blueish-green leaves that are nearly evergreen here. Last week after the “big” storm left town and the skies cleared we hit 38°F and 40°F several early mornings in a row. The Sunshines Blue leaves on the upper third of the plants now have a purple hue but as usual for Feb. the blossom buds are popping open and showing pink.
