Perennial Series: Growing Blueberries in Colorado

I’m going to make a bold statement and say - if Fall Gold Raspberries are the queens of the bramble patch then Blueberries  are the kings of edible landscaping! I didn’t grow them for years because people said they were too finicky and they don’t do well in Colorado but I have found that not to be the case. With a few tips/tricks they will thrive.

Here are the reasons why I am a big fan:
1. They are absolutely beautiful in every season! In the spring they have little white (and sometimes pink) flowers all over them, then in the summer against the backdrop of silver bluish green leaves, are the navy blue fruit which comes in different flushes - first they are a pretty pale green, then pink, then blue. Lastly - in the fall the leaves change into a glorious orange and red - stunning! 
2. Blueberries are delicious, they fight free radicals with anti-oxidant power, and you can find varieties that fruit at different times so wandering outside with your cereal bowl all summer is a reality. Also - growing different varieties together increases their harvests. You can buy short varieties as well as tall, and let’s not forget about the magic of pies, tarts, pancakes, scones.
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Growing Tips
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Blueberries are not hard to grow but they do need different conditions than other plants so if you follow these key steps they should do well. If you live in a part of the country like the Pacific Northwest, your soil might be conducive to planting blueberries in the ground. Our soil in Colorado isn’t naturally acidic so I grow my blueberries in whiskey barrels with 80-90% peat moss and 10-20% compost. I use an acidic fertilizer, particular to blueberries, and I feed them on schedule, religiously. They need to be pruned in late winter to early spring and you may want to wrap them in burlap during the harsh months. Depending on your area, you might need to net them from the birds during the weeks when they are ripening. I hope you give blueberries a chance. We sure love them in our family!