Planting bushes.

Highbush blueberry bushes are planted in areas exposed to a lot of sunlight so as to obtain an abundant yield of sweet and juicy fruit.
To prepare a field for blueberry cultivation, plough it in the year before the bushes are planted. It is important that permanent weed be eradicated. This can be achieved by applying herbicides. Commence planting blueberry bushes as early as possible in the spring of the next year. First, plan the rows where the blueberry buhes are to be planted. These should run north-south to ensure the bushes are correctly exposed to sunlight. In case of significant declivity, plant the bushes perpendicular to the gradient of the slope. There should be about 1 meter between bushes and 3 metres between rows. Preparation begins with ploughing the largest possible furrow along the rows where the bushes are to be planted. These furrows are then filled with organic mass (e.g. acid peat, peat and sand mixture or composted pine bark sawdust) and the area is levelled with a rototiller. The bushes are planted a little deeper than their pot level and are abundantly watered. Bushes should be planted on embankments approx. 30 cm above ground level in case of high ground water levels or compact indigenous soils. Mulching is beneficial and is frequently applied once the bushes have been planted. Coniferous or pine bark sawdust is used for this purpose. Mulch is highly conducive to blueberry growth as it retains water, maintains a constant pH, and provides nutritious elements to plants while decomposing. It also protects against winter frosts and summer droughts. Finally, mulch partially protects against unwelcome weeds. These can be destroyed mechanically or by using herbicides.