Post about blueberries and lingonberries. Blueberries: planting and growing. Improving metabolic processes

Blueberries have become something of a fetish in modern healthy eating culture. The berry is added to vitamins, promising that its composition and beneficial properties will make vision sharper, waist thinner, and the brain more active. Is this really so and what does blueberry actually hide inside?

Product history

The history of blueberries begins in North America. The local population used the berry for cooking and medicinal decoctions. The Indians used not only the berries of the plant, but also the leaves. Blueberries were dried, boiled, and consumed raw. The soaked fruits, ground into porridge, were used for cosmetic purposes: applied to the face or sensitive areas of the body. The berry moisturized, nourished and restored the affected dermis.

In the 17th century, with the growing number of settlers, the popularity of blueberries also increased. The berry migrated to Europe, where it went through a long path of cultivation and selection. Initially, 15 varieties of blueberries were bred, half of which have taken root and are widespread in the modern market.

Despite the efforts of breeders, the berry never became popular in Central European countries. Consumers still look at blueberries with distrust and choose more familiar and proven plants of the lingonberry family (, cranberry). In its historical homeland, despite prejudices, blueberries are very popular and are present in the diet of the majority of the population.

Spreading

Blueberries grow in all regions of the Northern Hemisphere and love temperate or cold climates. Most often it grows in forest zones, swamps, peat bogs, upper mountain zones, tundra, along streams and rivers. Geographical centers of distribution of the berry: North America (Alaska, California, Newfoundland), Eurasia (Iceland, Great Britain, Transbaikalia, Yugoslavia, Mongolia, Spain, Italy).

general characteristics

Blueberries are formed on small bushes that reach no more than 1 meter in height. The branches of the bush are curved, smooth and plastic, painted in a gray tint. The length of the leaves does not exceed 3 centimeters. Before forming a fruit, the shrub develops a beautiful five-toothed flower, colored white or pinkish. The berries are formed from these flowers and reach 1-2 cm in diameter. The fruits are round, grayish-blue in color.

The berries ripen by August, become soft, with a delicate taste and a deep blue tint. Blueberries harvested at the end of August are considered the juiciest and richest.

It is important to take into account the specific structure of the berry during transportation. The fruits are easily crushed, burst and become unfit for consumption. Gently pack the blueberries into containers (glass jars or thick wooden boxes), trying to avoid potholes and uneven spots on the way to the finishing point.

Previously, blueberries were considered an intoxicating and harmful berry. The reason for this is simple inattention. Unformed blueberry fruits are often confused with wild rosemary. It is this plant that has an intoxicating effect, causing headaches and nausea. The consequence of such an error are specific nicknames for blueberries (drunkard, gonobobel), which are still popular among the people.

Useful properties of berries

Diuretic effect

The acids that make up the berry normalize the physiological processes occurring in the body. Blueberries have a beneficial effect on the diuretic system: it increases the rate of urine formation and increases the frequency of urination. With urine, harmful stagnant substances, excess fluid, etc. are removed from the body.

Antiscorbutic effect

Scurvy develops due to a lack of vitamin C. Blueberries are one of the leading products in terms of the content of this vitamin, which will restore balance and prevent the development of pathologies.

Improving metabolic processes

Pectin, which is part of the fruit, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, speeds up metabolism, which leads to weight loss.

Antioxidant effect

The juice obtained from blueberries is the leader in the amount of vitamins and beneficial acids. The juice provokes lipid oxidation, maintaining the functionality of biomembranes, and generating the body's energy potential.

Blueberries act as a natural antiseptic. It sterilizes the body and protects it from external pathogenic influences.

Blueberry fruits can be consumed during a diet. The product is 37 kcal per 100 grams.

The healing effect of the berry

Blueberries are included in medications and are used in their pure form to treat diseases. The berry can cure:

• pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• bronchitis, flu, pneumonia, fever;
• low level of protective function of the immune system;
• diabetes;
• dysentery;
• metabolic disorders;
• insomnia;
• hypertension;
• obesity.

The medicinal effect is achieved only in combination with medications prescribed by the doctor. Fruits can enhance the effect of the medicine and complement treatment, and not completely replace it.

Cosmetic effect of berries

Blueberries are a frequent guest in the composition of luxury niche brands, specialized pharmacy brands and mass-market cosmetics. Most often, the berry is included in “anti-age” products. It acts on the dermis as a: minimizes the manifestations of aging and fading of the epithelium, smoothes out small expression wrinkles, makes the skin smoother and more elastic.

Cosmetologists recommend using blueberries not only as a means of combating wrinkles, but also to prevent skin aging. The berry nourishes the skin as much as possible with beneficial substances, which will prolong your youth for several years.

Blueberries are responsible for the SPF level of a cosmetic product. The berry is able to protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. If you do get an excessive dose of sun and get sunburned, apply blueberry cream or gel to the damaged areas. It will have an antiseptic, nourishing and regenerating effect.

It is common to prepare an anti-aging blueberry mask at home. Several ways to use the fruit:

• The berry can be used to enrich creams and serums for daily care. Grind the fruits and add them to your favorite night cream if you want to speed up its action and improve the result;
• Blueberries can be used to prepare homemade creams, oils and scrubs. Select a complex of essential oils that are suitable for a specific skin type, mix with crushed berries and apply to the face. If you want to prepare a scrub, take small abrasive particles of a plant product (for example, apricot kernels) and mix with blueberry pulp. The procedure will have not only an exfoliating, but also a nourishing effect.

Use in cooking

Most often, wild berries are consumed fresh. It is added to salads, main dishes and desserts. The sweet and sour taste of blueberries will complement a sweet curd dessert, meat quiche or cheese plate.

The berries are frozen, dried, squeezed into juice, made into jams, or eaten directly from the garden. The vitamin and chemical composition, however, is practically the same and retains its beneficial properties.

You can make homemade wine from crushed berries that have cracked during transportation (or are simply overripe). The drink will have a characteristic berry note that you won’t feel in your usual wine from a nearby supermarket. You can make amazing kvass from “fermented” blueberries.

Blueberry Recipes

Breakfast of oatmeal, blueberries, coconut and dark chocolate

We will need:

• oat flakes or oatmeal – 60 g;
• dark chocolate (70% or more cocoa) to taste;
• coconut flakes - 2 tablespoons;
• blueberries - ½ cup.

Preparation

Rinse the oatmeal (there is no need to rinse the cereal), place it on the stove, bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and stir the mixture until cooked. If you are used to cooking on, then use the usual amount of milk for 1 serving. Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler and leave it to cool. Combine the prepared ingredients in the following order: oatmeal, chocolate, coconut, blueberries. Stir the mixture after adding each new ingredient.

The preparation time for this oatmeal is 10 minutes. A charge of healthy carbohydrates and vitamins will ensure normal functioning until lunch (or second breakfast), and chocolate will help you not be tempted by sweets during the day. – 100 g;

blueberries – 70 g;

red currant – 50 g;

lingonberries – 50 g;

Greek yogurt without fillers – 200 g;

spices to taste.

Preparation

The salad is as simple and quick to prepare as possible. This “vitamin bomb” is a great option for a snack or addition to your lunch/evening diet. If you are serving a salad for dinner, make sure that the yogurt has a low fat content (5%). For the lunch option, you can provide a fattier filling. Grind all ingredients and mix in a deep plate. You can add olive oil for more flavor. It will reveal the vegetable component of the salad and make the berry taste clearer and richer.

Contraindications and side effects

Pregnant and lactating women, patients with biliary dyskinesia, ulcers, and gastritis should limit their consumption of berries. The ban on blueberries for pregnant women is associated with the risk of an allergic reaction in the baby. It is best to gradually introduce berries into the diet with the transition to complementary foods.

Exceeding the daily norm leads to symptoms that are very similar to alcohol intoxication. A person’s condition sharply worsens, nausea, vomiting, pain in the head and muscles appear.

Collection, preparation and storage of blueberries

The berries are collected with a special tool - a comb. Blueberries that have not been sold and consumed fresh are harvested for the winter. Harvesting starts in July and ends in September (the period of intensive growth and berry picking).

The easiest and most effective way is freezing. The berry will retain nutrients, high nutritional value and taste. The maximum shelf life of frozen blueberries is 1 year. Try to use up supplies before the next berry picking and preparation season. It is recommended to use regular slider bags designed for freezing food. Maintain a constant temperature inside the freezer and remember: thawed berries are not suitable for re-freezing.

If you don't have a quality freezer, you can use the soaking method or two alternative methods: drying or candiing. Prepare 0.5 liter glass jars, rinse thoroughly and sterilize. In such jars you can store preserves, jams, fruit drinks and blueberry compotes. The product is stored for about 2 years, but, again, we recommend “renewing” stocks with the arrival of the berry season.

BLUEBERRY - PLANT DESCRIPTION

Blueberry- a plant from the heather family. This is a low perennial bush with bluish or gray berries of a pleasant delicate taste. They call it differently - sinica, drunkard, gonobol, blue grapes, fool. The latter name is due to the fact that blueberries are often adjacent to wild rosemary thickets, which have an intoxicating, pungent odor that causes headaches. It grows in the Northern Hemisphere in almost all regions where the weather is moderate and cold. In Eurasia it grows from England in the west to the Far East, in the south it is found all the way to Italy, Spain, Japan and Turkey. In North America it grows from Newfoundland to Alaska. Typically, blueberry bushes grow in groups, both large ones - the so-called mari, and small ones, along rivers and canals. Prefers peaty, swampy, moist, acidic soils. Grows in the tundra, in wetlands, and pine forests. It also occurs in temperate and subtropical latitudes, in mountainous and swampy areas. The worse the soil, the better blueberries grow on it. It is the first to appear where all vegetation has been destroyed by man or nature - during floods, during fires, in clearings.

Blueberry bush up to a meter high, very similar to blueberries. Its leaves are somewhat paler, the berries are very different, blueberries have a smooth receptacle, while blueberries have a broken receptacle. Blueberry flowers look like a small jug, white with a pink tint. The pulp of the fruit is greenish, the juice is pale in color, another difference from blueberries, in which both the pulp and juice are black, and if they come into contact with skin and clothing, they practically cannot be washed off. Natural blueberries begin to bear fruit at the age of 8-11 years.

USEFUL PROPERTIES OF BERRIES

People have always collected blueberries in the tundra and taiga; they were valued for their exceptional usefulness. The population of those places where blueberries grow has long noted this property. What are the benefits of blueberries? Blueberries contain all vitamins of group B, group P, vitamins A, C, K. carotene, healthy protein, antioxidants, flavonoids, organic acids, fructose, sucrose, tannins, mineral salts, amino acids, magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, cobalt, copper, amino acids. Its calorie content is very low, about 40 kilocalories per 100 grams. But this is only a dry indicator.

In fact, blueberries are not only low in calories, they can be used in dietary nutrition and for weight loss because they contain substances called anthocyanins, which promote the breakdown of fats. Blueberries prevent the deposition of fat in the abdominal cavity, and this is visceral obesity, the most dangerous for health. Polyphenols contained in blueberries help increase the concentration of nitrous oxide in the blood, in interaction with probiotics they kill many pathogenic bacteria, have a beneficial effect on the cells of the central nervous system, not only cleansing them of destruction products (memory loss, for example, is associated with toxic proteins) , but also protect the brain from destruction and pathological changes.

Regular consumption of fresh blueberries is beneficial for older people, because blueberries help reduce congestion in the blood vessels of the brain, remove harmful heavy metal salts from the body, thus helping to cleanse the body. The beneficial cleansing effect on blood vessels also affects the veins; drinking blueberry juice and berries prevents varicose veins. Blueberry juice is anti-aging and is used in cosmetology. With its help, acne is successfully treated, sunburn and skin irritations are treated and prevented. It is included in anti-aging creams and serums. Fresh blueberry juice is a ready-made cocktail for longevity and health; it contains a daily dose of essential vitamins and nutrients in one glass.

Blueberries contain specific fibers that help fight diseases of the intestines and gastric mucosa. Like its relative, blueberries, blueberries contain substances that are beneficial for the eyes. This is provitamin A, which improves vision and helps prevent many eye diseases. Blueberries can help control blood sugar levels and also improve metabolism. Blueberries are very useful for children. Thanks to calcium, young teeth are strengthened, the child’s skeleton is better formed, and the immune system of the young body is strengthened. Blueberries are used to treat cystitis, various anemias, inflammation of the renal pelvis, dysentery, and are used as an antihelminthic agent. Some scientists believe that blueberries prevent the appearance of cancer cells due to the presence of antioxidants.

HOW THEY DOMESTICATED BLUEBERRY

People have known the blueberry for a long time and have noticed all its beneficial substances. Many people came up with the idea of ​​domesticating this plant. At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in the USA, the botanist scientist Coville thought that it would be nice to grow such a useful berry in a personal plot. With the help of his friend E. White, who helped him with people and material resources, work was carried out to select the best specimens of blueberries. The people who participated in the selection were given the task of looking for the best bushes in the blueberry plantations. The selection was carried out according to the size and color of the berries, and the size of the bush. Six best bushes were selected. Then selection work was carried out with them. But as is usually the case with cultivated plants, their quality was sacrificed for the size of the berries. Although small, the downside is that the content of antioxidants in cultivated blueberries has decreased. This happened because in natural blueberries the amount of antioxidants is higher in darker berries, and the selection was carried out for the light shades of the berries.

The benefit is that the broad masses of people gained access to healthy berries and were able to grow them on their own plot. In North America, blueberries are still more popular in some places than black currants. There are industrial plantations of this berry. We can judge this from American cuisine recipes. For Americans, blueberry pie is like our apple charlotte. In our country, not all residents have even seen blueberries with their own eyes. Because not everyone lives in northern latitudes and not everyone has the opportunity to go out into the tundra in the summer to pick blueberries and blueberries. In the 20s of the twentieth century, cultivated blueberries were brought to Europe, and from there they came to Russia. But, unfortunately, it has not yet received proper distribution. Meanwhile, it is quite possible for amateur gardeners to grow blueberries on their plot.

PLANTING BLUEBERRY

Blueberry roots do not have root hairs. The absorption of moisture and nutrients occurs due to the mycorrhiza fungus, which feels good only in acidic soils, with an acidity level of 3.5 to 5. It is impossible to go higher or lower, blueberries will not bear fruit. The soil for growing blueberries must be moist. Just don’t let the water stagnate, she doesn’t like it. In addition, it is worth remembering that blueberries love sunny areas protected from the wind. Taking into account all the features, we choose a place to plant blueberries.

How to achieve the required level of acidity when preparing the soil for planting blueberries? First of all, the area should be cleared of other plants and their roots. For planting, prepare holes measuring 60 centimeters in length and width, and 50 centimeters deep. Loosen the edges and bottom of the pit. We fill the hole with peat mixed with sand, pine needles and sawdust with the addition of 60 grams of sulfur. Mix and compact the contents of the pit; to acidify, add a solution of citric or malic acid, 3 tablespoons per bucket of water. Any fertilizers alkalize the soil, so it’s not worth adding anything.

It is better to buy annual or biennial seedlings. Older seedlings have tangled roots. Due to the nature of the root system, they will not straighten themselves, and it will be quite difficult to straighten them. Select seedlings with closed roots, that is, in pots. When planting, immerse the pot with the seedling in water for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the lump of earth with the roots, straighten the roots, slightly untangling them, and bury them in the prepared place. After planting, water the plant and mulch it with sawdust and dry crushed peat.

GROWING BLUEBERRY

The main condition for growing blueberries is careful weeding. Weeds, or rather their root systems, are the worst enemies of blueberries. The second main condition is to maintain soil moisture until the seedling takes root. Therefore, water the plant two to three times a day. In the future, depending on the weather, but preferably at least twice a week, in the morning. Especially when the ovary turns into berries, sufficient watering is necessary. In hot weather, you also need to spray the bushes with cold water.

There is no need to prune young bushes. You can cut out diseased and dry branches in early spring. But when the bush reaches the age of 12-14 years, replacement pruning should be carried out. First, one part of the bush is cut out, and the other branches are renewed the next year. Blueberries are fed only with mineral fertilizers; they cannot tolerate organic matter. I start feeding at the age of two, they apply one spoonful of fertilizer under the bush, the next year they apply two, and so they double the number of spoons every year until they reach 16.

Blueberries can withstand frost up to 25 degrees. If this is not the limit in your area, then blueberries should be covered for the winter. We bend the branches of the bushes to the ground, you can press them down, and cover them with non-woven material or burlap on top. Then you can also add spruce branches. In winter, cover everything with fresh snow.

Blueberries are propagated by seedlings obtained from layerings and from seeds. You can propagate it by cuttings, but they do not have a 100% survival rate. It pollinates on its own, but if another variety is planted on the site, the yield will be higher.

BLUEBERRY VARIETIES

The garden plot usually grows varieties of highbush blueberries, the same ones bred in North America. Her height is from two to four meters, she has overtaken her forest relative. The most common varieties:

Bluecrop is the main industrial variety. The size of the berries is up to 16 millimeters, the height of the bush is about two meters. Productivity up to nine kilograms per bush.

Nelson is a frost-resistant blueberry variety. The size of the berries is up to 20 millimeters.

Bonus - berries up to 30 millimeters in length, bush up to one and a half meters high.

Bluray - blue berries, up to 20 millimeters, yield up to eight kilograms per bush.

Bluejay is frost-resistant, withstands spring frosts and winter frosts up to 32 degrees. Productivity up to six kilograms per bush, bush height up to 1.8 meters.

Varieties of marsh blueberry were bred in Russia. They are not as high-yielding as highbush blueberries, and the taste of their berries is less pronounced, but by their nature they are much healthier, since they are a direct descendant of the marsh blueberry, its main type. Varieties grown in Russia - Taiga Beauty, Blue Placer.

Angustifolia blueberry is native to Canada. It differs in the shape of the leaf, it is narrower. The height of the bush is up to 50 centimeters. It has one peculiarity: it forms new shoots in place of the buds dormant on the root. Over time, these blueberries cover quite large areas with their shoots. It propagates well by seeds and cuttings, although with its qualities it does not need this. The North Country variety is known in Russia. Very frost-resistant, berries up to 15 millimeters in size. They do not crack from moisture, a very good feature for storage.

This berry and several varieties were considered garden blueberry. And in this article we will deal with landing issues garden blueberry and caring for her.

Blueberries are not one of those plants that can be said to be “planted and forgotten.” She will give us her delicious and healthy berries, only with proper planting and proper careful care.

Planting garden blueberries

Plant in a permanent place garden blueberries It is possible both in autumn and spring, but spring planting is still preferable because the risk of young seedlings freezing in winter is reduced.

Blueberries are a very sun-loving plant and do not like cold winds, so it is best to plant them in a sunny place protected from the wind.

If you plant it in the shade of trees, the berries will be sour, and their quantity will not please you.

Blueberries are very demanding of soil and prefer to grow in an area with acidic soil (pH 3.5-4.5), not previously occupied by other cultivated plants, since the mycorrhiza that lives on the roots does not tolerate developed soil very well.

If you do not have such a place, then you should try to create it, based on the fact that blueberries love peaty-sandy or peaty-loamy well-drained soils.

To do this, we dig a hole measuring 60x60 cm and 50 cm deep; it is advisable to loosen the surface of the bottom and walls of the hole a little, so that over time they do not become dense and do not impede the flow of water and air.

Then we fill the pit with slightly decomposed high peat or a mixture of peat, sawdust, fallen pine needles and sand, and also add 40-60 g of sulfur to the pit (for acidification), mix and compact everything. In other words, we make an acidic substrate, in which blueberries love to grow.

You can also use a solution of citric or oxalic acid to acidify the soil (add 3 teaspoons of acid per 10 liters of water), as well as malic acid or 9% acetic acid (100 ml of acid per 10 liters of water).

For now, there is no need to add any fertilizers to the planting hole, especially organic ones, which alkalize the soil.

It is best to buy blueberry seedlings with a closed root system (in pots or containers), and then it is very important to plant them correctly.

In no case should you simply transfer a seedling from a container into a hole, since the tender roots of blueberries will not be able to turn to the sides in a dense clod of earth and the root system will not be able to develop normally, and therefore the plant will most likely die in a few years.

To prevent this from happening, before planting, it is necessary to immerse the container with the seedling in water for only 10-15 minutes, then remove the plant from the container and try to very carefully knead this earthen lump, and if the roots are tightly entwined in the ground, then you need to carefully straighten them with your hands.

We plant the seedling 5-6 cm deeper, as it grew in the container, water it and mulch it with sawdust (or some other mulch).

Mulch in the summer can protect against weeds, retain moisture, and simply serve as additional fertilizer; in winter it will protect the roots from freezing.

How to care for blueberries?

Regular weeding is of great importance when caring for blueberries. Especially while the bushes are young, weeds are the worst enemies of blueberries.

Loosening is no less important, but we should not forget that the root system lies at a depth of 20-40 cm and, therefore, we should loosen the tree trunk circles to a depth of no more than 8-10 cm.

During the growing season of the plant, it is advisable to mulch the trunk circles 2-3 times with a mixture of sawdust and rotted manure.

Water regime is very important

When growing blueberries, it is necessary to constantly monitor the water regime, since this plant needs moisture. It is very important to prevent the soil from drying out.

Until the blueberry seedling takes root, the soil must be constantly moist.

And for several weeks you need to maintain watering two or three times a day.

And, in the future, if the weather is dry, blueberries need to be watered twice a week and it is better to do this in the morning and evening.

And in hot weather, it is also advisable to spray the bushes with cold water.

In July-August, when the bushes bear fruit and lay flower buds for the future harvest, blueberries really need abundant watering.

But, at the same time, although blueberries are a very moisture-loving plant, excess moisture is also contraindicated for it, so stagnation of water should be avoided.

When should you prune blueberry bushes?

It is not recommended to prune blueberries when they are young. You can only cut out diseased, broken, weak and frozen branches from non-bearing bushes in early spring (before the buds swell).

But by the age of 10-12 years the bush begins to chop the berries and reduce the yield.

Therefore, it is necessary to carry out anti-aging pruning, which can be done in two ways:

• Immediately in one year we remove all old branches. The disadvantage of this method is that there will be significant yield loss within 2-3 years.
• In the first year of pruning, we remove only part of the old branches, and leave the rest for fruiting. And then next year, when the young shoots grow, we remove the remaining old ones.

Plant nutrition

To improve growth and increase yield, it is good to feed blueberries with mineral fertilizers, while organic fertilizers are simply contraindicated for them.

We feed the blueberries once when the buds swell, and the second time after 6-7 weeks.

Feeding blueberries should begin in the second year of cultivation:

• For a two-year-old bush, apply 1 tablespoon of complete mineral fertilizer,
• for a three year old - 2 tablespoons,
• for a four year old - 4 tablespoons,
• for a five year old - 8 tablespoons,
• for six years and older - 16 tablespoons.

By the appearance of blueberries, it is very easy to determine which mineral elements it is currently lacking.

So, for example, if you are missing:

• nitrogen- shoot growth slows down, old leaves become yellowish-green, and if the nitrogen deficiency is significant, then the entire bush looks yellowish-green, then a reddish tint appears on the leaves and the yield decreases, the berries become smaller;
• phosphorus- the leaves are pressed closely to the stem and acquire a purple tint;
• potassium- the tips of the leaves die off, spots appear, the tops of young shoots turn black and die;
• calcium- the leaves become deformed and their edges become yellow;
• magnesium- the leaves have red edges, but at the same time the green color remains near the midrib;
• boron- the apical leaves acquire a blue color, yellowing appears between the veins of old leaves, the growth of shoots stops, and then they die;
• gland- on young apical leaves, yellowing appears between the veins, a network of green veins is formed against the background of the yellow color of the entire leaf;
• sulfur- the leaves acquire a yellowish-white color, and sometimes become completely white.

Knowing these signs, you can determine with great certainty which elements the plant lacks and promptly compensate for this deficiency by additionally feeding it with appropriate mineral fertilizers.

Shelter for the winter

In most cases, the limit of frost resistance of highbush blueberries is a temperature of minus 23-25 ​​degrees and, of course, the probability of freezing is especially high in a snowless winter.

If you planted late-ripening varieties, then do not forget that they often suffer from early autumn frosts and, therefore, these varieties must be covered first with non-woven material or burlap.

Preparing bushes for wintering should begin in advance.

The branches must be bent to the ground; for this you can use twine or wire arches, placing them in a cross.

Then, with the onset of stable frosts, we cover the bushes with non-woven material, burlap.

But it is better not to use plastic film.

You can throw spruce branches on top. In winter, the bushes can also be sprinkled with crumbly snow so that the tops of the stems are always under a white blanket.

With the onset of spring, we remove the cover and cut off the ends of the frozen branches.

Blueberry flowers usually do not need protection from spring cold snaps, as they can tolerate frosts up to 7 degrees.

Harvesting

The timing of berry picking depends on what varieties we planted. So if the blueberry variety is:

• early ripening, then we begin to harvest the berries from the first ten days of July;
• if mid-season - from the second or third decade of July;
• and late-ripening - from the second or third ten days of August.

Blueberry fruits do not ripen at the same time, so harvesting on the bush lasts more than a month.

The first sign of blueberries beginning to ripen is the change from green to bluish-purple. This means that in a week, if the weather is good, the berries will already ripen.

It is necessary to remove from the bush only those berries that are easily separated from the brush with a dry tear.

The largest, most attractive and tasty are the berries of the first and second harvests, so they are best consumed fresh.

And the berries of the following harvests are much smaller and I recommend using them for processing.

Now we know almost everything about this wonderful berry. We just have to consider: how blueberries reproduce; what diseases and pests bother her; how to deal with them. But we'll talk about this later.

See you soon, dear friends!

Vaccinium uliginosum L.
Taxon: genus Vaccinium, family Ericaceae
Common names: swamp blueberry, swamp blueberry, lowbush blueberry, gonobobel, fool, drunkard.
English: Blueberry

Description:
Blueberry is a branched shrub up to 1.5 m high, with dark gray or brownish bark. The leaves are alternate, elliptical, on short petioles, dark green above, bluish below, covered with a bluish waxy coating, with slightly curled edges; fall off for the winter. The flowers are pale pink or white, small, with a pitcher-bell-shaped corolla, on drooping pedicels, located 2-3 on last year's branches. The fruit is a juicy, sour-sweet, without much aroma, spherical or oval, bluish-black berry with a bluish-black coating, with greenish pulp. The seeds are numerous, light brown. The plant is characterized by an extended flowering period, from May to July. The berries ripen in August.

Spreading:
The blueberry fruit bush is found in the Far East, Eastern and Western Siberia, the Caucasus, and in the northern non-chernozem zone of the European part of Russia. Favorite places of growth are in swampy mixed and coniferous forests, in moss swamps. Often bog blueberries grow next to wild rosemary, the intoxicating smell of which causes headaches. Because of this, blueberries are often called fools or drunkards.

Collection and preparation:
Blueberry fruits are medicinal raw materials. They are collected ripe for drying. Then they sort through, discarding rotten, overripe and underripe ones, wash them in cold water, pour them in a thin layer on a sieve and dry them in an oven or dryer at a temperature of no more than 60 °C. During drying, the fruits must be mixed several times. The shelf life of dried berries is 1 year.
The leaves are collected when the plants are in flower. Dry under a canopy in the shade, after drying in the sun for 30 minutes. The shelf life of dried leaves is 2-3 years.

Chemical composition:
Blueberry fruits contain: up to 45 mg% ascorbic acid, malic, citric, oxalic acids, sugars (up to 9.8%), which are mainly represented by fructose, fiber, pectin (up to 0.6%), tannins and dyes ( 0.2%), carotene and minerals. The branches and leaves contain tannins.

Pharmacological properties:
The plant has antiscorbutic, hypotensive, cardiotonic, choleretic, diuretic, antisclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Blueberries strengthen the walls of blood capillaries, normalize the functions of the intestines and pancreas; leaves increase the functional activity of the stomach, intestines and heart. Helps reduce blood sugar.

Application in medicine:
Escape. The decoction is a hypotensive and cardiotonic, mild laxative.
Leaves. In Siberia, the infusion is used for anemia and to improve metabolism, for diabetes.
Shoots, leaves. In folk medicine, a decoction is used for colitis and heart disease.
Fruit. Used for dysentery, colitis, gastritis, pyelitis, cystitis and anemia, gastric catarrh; and also as an antiscorbutic and vitamin (for C-vitaminosis) remedy. A decoction of dried fruits and juice of fresh fruits - for fever. In folk medicine, the infusion is used for gastritis, colitis, kidney and pancreas diseases. Juice - for diarrhea, inflammation of the renal pelvis, cholecystitis, liver diseases, hypovitaminosis, general weakness (after operations, serious illnesses). In Tibetan medicine, the decoction is an astringent for diarrhea; in Korean - for diabetes and vitamin C deficiency.

Medications:
Infusion for diseases of the pancreas and kidneys.
Pour 20 g of dried blueberry fruits over a glass of boiling water and leave for an hour, then strain, and squeeze out the used raw materials. Drink a quarter glass every three hours.

Decoction for gastritis, diarrhea.
Brew 3 tablespoons of dried blueberries with a glass of boiling water, then heat in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Filter the broth and squeeze out the raw materials. Drink half a glass 3 times a day.

A decoction as a laxative.
Pour a glass of water over a teaspoon of dry leaves and 3 tablespoons of fruit. Boil for 10 minutes over low heat. Cool the broth and filter. Drink throughout the day.

A decoction as an antidiabetic agent.
Brew 10 g of blueberry leaves with 250 ml of boiling water, then heat in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Leave the broth until it cools, then strain and squeeze out the used raw materials. Drink half a glass 3 times a day.

Contraindications:
Due to the high content of vitamin C, it is contraindicated to consume blueberries for gastric ulcers, hyperacid gastritis in an acute state, or duodenal disease even in remission. A contraindication to the use of blueberry fruit bush medications is low blood glucose levels.

Photos and illustrations: