Welcome to N.C. Cooperative Extension, Currituck County Center’s Local Foods Newsletter! This month’s edition will be focused on blueberries. Enclosed you will find fun facts on blueberries including: history, planting recommendations and variety choices, nutritional information, preserving and canning, and a tasty recipe. An interactive map is included below that is linked with Google maps. This map allows the user to click on their desired local foods operation and be given directions to the business. Following the map is a quick-reference table containing the local businesses in the area that sell local blueberries.

Food Highlight

Fun Fact. This month’s highlighted local food is blueberries. Blueberries are named for their deep-blue color and are one of the few fruits native to North America, just like last months highlighted food: strawberries. Native Americans used the berries, leaves, and roots for medicine and the fruit as a fabric dye. Blueberries are still found in the wild today, although modern varieties are more commonly found and can be grown in many regions of the United States.  The United States is the world’s number one producer of blueberries, and North Carolina ranks seventh in the country in production. One factor that allows North Carolina to grow so many blueberries is the soil. Blueberries thrive in well-drained, acidic soil with water near the surface. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Currituck is home to numerous sandy soil types that drain well and are acidic.

Planting. If you’re interested in planting blueberries, they are easy to grow and can produce berries for multiple years. Two varieties that grow well in the Coastal Plain region are highbush and rabbiteye. Highbush begin ripening in mid-May while rabbiteye ripen in mid-June. To plant these varieties, you’ll first need to prep the soil. Blueberries do best in acidic soil, with a pH below 5.0. Soil tests are free this time of year and are an easy test that should be done prior to planting. Soil boxes and more information can be found at N.C. Cooperative Extension Currituck Center. To amend basic soil, add wettable sulfur (90%) to lower the soil pH.

When planting new bushes, dig a hole slightly deeper than the height of the pot and approx. 18-24 inches deep. If planting in clay soils, fill around the bush with a peat moss/ sand mix to promote drainage. You can also add pine bark or pine straw to the soil to lower pH. Place highbush bushes 4-5 ft. apart and rabbiteye bushes 6 ft. apart to ensure proper room to grow. Make sure to water every two to three days during the first few weeks as this is a stressful time for the newly transplanted bush. Prune approximately 2/3 of the top growth on bare-root plants and 1/2 on potted plants leaving only one to three of the most vigorous upright shoots. Remove any remaining flower buds so that the plants will not flower the first year. This will help promote growth and successful establishment of the bushes. Wait to fertilize until the first leaves have reached full size then apply one tbs. of a special azalea fertilizer (12-12-12 or 10-10-10) within a circle 1 ft. from the plants. Repeat application of the fertilizer at six-week intervals depending upon rainfall or irrigation until mid-August.