Jewel Blueberry Plants are sturdy shrubs that reach sizes of 5 to 8 feet tall, and 4 to 5 feet wide. They do best in USDA Zones 4 to 9, and only need 200 chill hours (hours below 45º Fahrenheit) to grow their large, slightly tart blueberry crops. The Jewel Blueberry Bushes can also tolerate light frost as well as hot summers. The plants are easy to grow and maintain, and are considered a hardy blueberry that is great for both commercial and home growing.
Jewel Blueberry Plants have become popular with edible landscapers due to the large berries that are tangy, juicy, and have just the right amount of sweetness. The bushes like full sun, well-drained acidic soil, and medium watering. The gourmet Jewel Blueberries freeze well and are ideal for eating fresh, baking, making smoothies, or for use in preserves like jams or jellies. Blend Jewel Blueberry Plants into your edible garden as hedges, borders, or as centerpieces among lower plants like herbs or edible flowers.
It’s alive! Plant arrived healthy, soil a little dried out but it bounced back fine. Is still looking good in the pot it arrived in, waiting for cooler weather to plant the blueberry bushes.
Jewel Blueberry Bushes grow upright and can reach heights of up to 8 feet, although they can be trimmed to stay smaller. The leaves are medium green and the foliage tends to be dense with leaves of various sizes populating the stems. If you wish to prune Jewel 5040 Blueberry Bushes, do so in late winter before the new leaf buds appear in spring. Plant in a location that gets at least 6 hours per day of direct sun to get the most blooms and fruit.
Jewel Blueberry Bushes like acidic soil, so add peat moss and turn into the soil when planting. Another way to slowly increase soil acidity is to mulch with pine straw. Sandy loam soil under the southern edge of long-established pine trees has been known to produce champion-quality Jewel Blueberry Bushes. Water slowly and deeply once per week after planting new Blueberry Bushes, and reduce watering to when the soil surface is dry once leaves begin to grow.
Fruit & Harvesting
Jewel Blueberry Plants have grown in popularity due to their large, firm berries that start out tart then sweeten as they ripen further, but remain tangy and refreshing. Jewel Blueberries are mid-season, and are ready to harvest throughout the summer. If birds take a liking to your Jewel Blueberries you can cover the plants with bird resistant netting. Just be sure the netting does not directly touch the berries, which can cause fruit damage.
Jewel Blueberry Bushes are heavy producers and the berries will usually begin to ripen in June. Harvest blueberries by hand, wash with cool water, and spread out on a towel indoors to dry. Store harvested berries in the refrigerator in a plastic container with ventilation for up to a week or more. Jewel Blueberries can also be frozen for later use. These large tangy blueberries are great eaten fresh, in baked goods, or made into tempting blueberry jam.
Growing Zones
Advice
Many successful Blueberry growers will tell you that mulch is one of the most important ingredients for vibrant plants and heavy berry yields. Throughout the growing season, add 3 to 4 inches of pine straw or other mulch such as wood chips to retain soil moisture and discourage weeds. In winter when the first frost comes, mulch your Jewel Blueberry Plants with a heavier layer of mulch that is between 6 and 8 inches deep. Deep winter mulch will help insulate the roots and prevent root damage that can occur from rapid freezing and thawing of soil.
Jewel Blueberry Plants can also be grown in containers. Place potted Blueberry Plants in sunny locations and water when the soil surface is dry 2-inches deep. Potted Jewel 5040 Blueberry Plants will also need the required 200 chill hours to reliably bloom and produce berries. A south-facing outdoor deck in Zones 4 to 9 is an ideal spot to grow potted Blueberries. Growing two or more potted Highbush Blueberries will also help pollination and yields.
FAQs
Are Jewel Blueberries a good edible landscape plant?
Jewel Blueberries are perfect for the edible landscape because the berries are large, tasty, easy to pick, and the plants deliver high yields. The plants can be grown as a hedge or as a central specimen, and are easy to maintain.
How big do Jewel Blueberry Bushes get?
Jewel Blueberry Bushes grow to a height of about 8 feet tall and a width of about 5 feet. The plants can be pruned to keep them smaller.
How cold-hardy are Jewel Blueberry Bushes?
Jewel Blueberry Bushes are cold hardy down to freezing temperatures or slightly below, and they can withstand light frost.
Can a Jewel Blueberry Plant be grown in a container?
Yes, Jewel Blueberry Bushes can be grown and will grow fruit in pots. Give them ample sun and at least 200 chill hours per year.
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Robin B. (verified owner) –
It’s alive! Plant arrived healthy, soil a little dried out but it bounced back fine. Is still looking good in the pot it arrived in, waiting for cooler weather to plant the blueberry bushes.
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