Week of April 17, 2022

The BLUEBERRY PICKING has begun in our Florida Garden. The blueberry patch currently consists of three rows each fifty feet long. One row is planted with eleven very large Rabbiteye blueberry bushes, measuring 6-7 feet tall and 5 feet around, after pruning. The second row has twelve much smaller Southern highbush plants, only 4-5 feet tall and around. The third row are small second or third year bushes, just starting to produce fruit. By design, each row has several UF-developed varieties differing by fruit-ripening dates to extend the picking. All three rows are mulched with pine bark, fertilized with Hollytone (an organic product for acid-loving plants), as well as coffee grounds from the kitchen. A pruning in early winter produced extra buds and flowers, leading to a heavy set of berries. A new strategy this year is to place bird netting, 50’ by 13’ over the two mature rows, anchored by twist ties between bushes. This will reduce bird predation but not damage by squirrels or raccoons. Based on our success with bird netting at the TAProots farm last summer, we expect a far larger crop in Florida this year. The first handful of berries has been picked for Easter breakfast, with more to come.