Canadian blueberries: features of care and reproduction

Canadian blueberries also have a second name - Nightshade Sunberry (translated from English "Sunberry"). It is a hybrid of black nightshade and other plants of this family, which is a bush up to 2 meters high.

Nightshade Sunberry is a frost-resistant plant: it can withstand frosts as low as -5 degrees, and it is easy to grow even for novice gardeners. It has become widespread thanks to its fruits: black large berries, which have a pleasant taste and are rich in vitamins.

Content:

• Features of growing Canadian blueberries
• Planting and breeding Canadian blueberries
• Benefit and harm: indications and contraindications

Features of growing Canadian blueberries

Canadian blueberries are annuals, development cycle resembles growing tomatoes: First, the seedlings are prepared, which are transplanted into open ground at the end of spring. Well-lit places are most suitable for her, this is to ensure the full ripening of the fruits.

When growing Canadian blueberries, several important rules must be followed:

• The ideal option for this plant is sandy soils, in which additionally organic fertilization is applied... In addition, it can be grown on black soil: the Sunberry nightshade as a whole is an unpretentious plant, so it is not so difficult for it to provide good conditions.
• Watering is required quite often: about 3-4 times a week, a lack of water will lead to the fact that the berries will be small. The soil under the bush should not dry out, otherwise the plant will quickly wither.
• Before planting, fertilizers must be applied to the ground: this is humus (approximately three cans per square meter) and 1 glass of wood ash. In the future, one or two times per summer, you can additionally apply organic fertilizers - usually a mullein is used for this.
• The nightshade Sunberry has fairly strong branches, so usually it does not need a garter. However, under the weight of the fruits at the end of summer, the stems can bend, and so that they do not break, it is better to tie them up.

The berries are harvested in early September, they ripen for a very long time.

A sign of fruit ripeness is intense anthracite color... Since this is an annual plant, when harvesting, you need to take care of seeds that can be germinated next year. For this, the most prolific brushes are selected, from which the largest berries should be selected. They are allowed to fully ripen, after which the seeds can be removed and dried.

Planting and breeding Canadian blueberries

The nightshade Sunberry, like many other nightshades, has a long growing season, so the seedling method is most often used for growing.

Growing with seeds:

• Seeds are planted in early March, like tomatoes, they it is recommended to pre-soak for 20 minutes to prevent mold.
• After that, they must be rinsed under running water, and then wrapped in a damp cloth.
• They begin to germinate in 3-4 days, and experienced gardeners carefully cut off the edge of the seed so that it germinates faster. This operation requires great care, as it is important not to damage the emerging sprout.
• The seeds are planted in separate containers with soil, after which it will be possible to monitor the growth of seedlings for 2-2.5 months.

Sunberry is classified as a tightly similar plant: not all seeds germinate even in the best varieties. Because of this, they have to be planted more, and then it will be possible to select the strongest plants. It may take only a few days for seedlings to emerge, but sometimes it takes a whole month.

They are planted in rows on a garden bed, the distance between the plants should be at least 70 cm.

It is important to choose the right neighbors for the site: it is better to place young sunberry plants away from the cabbage family, since they are threatened by a common parasite - the cruciferous flea. Between the plants, you can plant green onions or lettuce, which will serve as protection for the young nightshade, later they are removed to allow the bushes to grow.

Further care practically does not differ from the cultivation of other nightshades:

• It is necessary to periodically huddle plants for improved growth of the root system, loosen, water.
• Experienced gardeners also know one more the secret of a good harvest: from the beginning of August, all the buds are removed from the bush: this will allow the already formed berries to ripen faster, and they will be much larger.

Benefit and harm: indications and contraindications

You can talk about the benefits of the Nightshade Sunberry for a long time, since the berries have not only a pleasant taste, but also a whole a set of nutrients... Thanks to the presence of antioxidants, they resist aging and prolong youth, as well as help fight cancer.

Berries are a cure for colitis and gastritis, they are very useful for diabetics.

Fresh, they are not often used, since the pulp has a somewhat sugary taste. However, Canadian blueberries are used in the preparation of various dishes; compotes, fruit drinks, jams, etc. are made from it. The bushes usually give a rich harvest even in those years when there are practically no other berries.

Canadian blueberries have long been used in folk medicine as a remedy for colds and sore throats, and since they thin the blood, they can be eaten for angina pectoris and varicose veins.

However, growing nightshades has its own subtleties, which you need to know about before planting:

• This is a fairly strong allergen, so individual berry intolerance is possible.
• Nightshade Sunberry should not be consumed during pregnancy, as it provokes contraction of the walls of the uterus, and this can lead to miscarriage.
• Eating nightshade has a calming effect, so it is best not to eat it before driving. The hypnotic effect of Sunberry has been known for a very long time, it is no coincidence that this type of nightshade is prescribed as a sedative for various disorders.
• Wild black nightshade is poisonous, therefore, you cannot grow it on your site at the same time as edible berries. Cross-pollination can lead to unpredictable results.

The nightshade Sunberry or Canadian blueberry is one of the healthiest garden plants that will never lose its fans. However, like other natural medicines, it requires judicious use and care when grown.

More information can be found in the video.