The blueberry is a native plant to America--not imported into the country. From Maine to Canada, the blueberry plant in the form of the lowbush type is responsible for many jobs and widely preferred in cooking over the highbush types. This wild plant is cultivated and managed in the wild and is a wonderful example of sustainable agriculture--like the balsam fir tree is for Christmas. When you travel during July in Maine from Kennebunk to Calais and into Atlantic Canada, stop on the side of the road and pick a few. Wild blueberries are the king of berries and no one cares for them but mother nature.

The highbush blueberry is a hybrid of this plant, with larger fruit and more fruit to the plant, and grows in the same area. The flavor is good but not like the lowbush wild type. Because of space restrictions, the highbush blueberry is grown more often, and is more practical, in the home garden.

Blueberries are remarkable plants as they are virtually free of disease problems and insect problems. This means no SPRAYING is needed the entire year. The only problem this plant has is the birds and they, like us, love these berries. Netting will easily take care of the problem.

The secret to growing blueberries is in the soil. Most important is that it must be acidic all the time, so never add lime or lime products near the plant. The more acidic the soil, the better they grow. The soil must also be well drained, and never have standing water around the plant. The more organic matter in the soil, the more fruit the plant will produce and the larger the fruit will grow. So be sure, when planting, that you use compost and a lot of it. Mulching around the plant should be done like we do to our shrubs and trees around the house. This will help the plant hold fruit during hot and dry summers. Two to three inches of organic matter around the blueberry plant is recommended at all times. You can use compost, pine needles, bark mulch, wood chips, even sawdust.

Fertilizer is important; I recommend that you use the same food you give your rhododendrons and azaleas. Organic fertilizer like Holly Tone, or Dr. Earth Organic #4 Acid-loving Plant Food should be used in the spring and in the fall. To help acidify the soil, use yearly applications of Aluminum Sulfate Soil Acidifier. A little tip for you, when feeding your plants always use mycorrhizae fungi to help the fruit taste sweeter. Mycorrhizae fungi help with the uptake of phosphorus to the plant for better root growth. Mycorrhizae will help with the breakdown of organic matter to generate nitrogen for the plant and to make "sugar" for the plant. Together the fungi and the plant make great tasting berries. Look for Plant Growth Activator or Bio-Tone.

Plants grow best in full sun to a little bit of shade. Water regularly when in fruit to keep berries full of juice. Pruning is done to the plant to remove dead or damaged branches. Prune when the fruit is picked from the plant and then up to one third of the old branches to promote new growth for next year. Enjoy!

If you are looking for the hardiest perennial vegetable for your garden, look no further than the rhubarb! Rhubarb is a plant native to Siberia, Russia. It was first grown for medicinal purpose but quickly became used for food. Because there were no early fruits available in April, the rhubarb plant filled the need for a fruit substitute.

The stems of the rhubarb are tart and can be eaten raw when lots of white sugar is used. When cooked, it is delicious added to sweetened sauces and desserts, and is wonderful mixed with strawberries in a pie. It was very popular 50 years ago, but today many berries and fruit are shipped into this country from all over the world, and rhubarb has lost its appeal. Today it is an acquired taste--and those gardeners who dare to taste it love it.

I like the looks of the giant leaves in the garden as much as the taste of the red stems. Remember one thing: the leaves of the rhubarb are poisonous so remove them and add them to your compost pile. If you notice that large stems with white flowers develop from the center of the plant, remove them as they will steal the energy from the plant to make seed.

Rhubarb should be planted in your garden during April or May. Start with a big hole filled with compost or well rotted animal manure. Rhubarb is a heavy feeder and needs to be fertilized during the summer, when the harvest is over. Summer fertilizer helps the plant to rebuild itself for next year. Select a location in your garden with full sun all day. Loosen the soil and add organic matter like compost if your soil is clay base. Rhubarb will grow better if the soil is neutral to acid. If you have a compost pile, spread fresh compost around the plant every spring to get it off to a good start.

Rhubarb will be in your garden for a long time and it needs space to grow, so be sure you allow at least a 3' square space for it to grow. The large arching stems with large fan-like leaves will fill in that space in no time at all. Also, do not pick the rhubarb for the first year. The plant will need all the energy it makes to become established in its new home--your garden. When the plant is ready to be harvested, just twist the stems at the base and pull up. Never pick more than half of the leaves from the plant during the season. You must leave some stems so the plant is able to make food to replace the stems you harvested.

Rhubarb is good for you and contains vitamins C and K. It is also a good source for magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese. If you need fiber, this plant has that too.

Rhubarb is relatively problem-free--an occasional hole in the leaf now and then is not a problem. Keep the plant healthy by feeding in spring and during the summer. Water rhubarb often during the hot days of summer! If your soil is on the sandy side, water your rhubarb more often. Now you are ready for years of enjoyment.

Good varieties of Rhubarb:

Canada Red

Victoria 

Valentine

Sutton