I’ve planted several blueberry bushes over the years, but the one that has performed the best is ‘Dwarf Northsky’. I fenced it in with chicken wire when I originally planted it in 2008, and the bunnies have never been able to chew on it in the winter and set it back like they have the blueberry bushes in our front yard.
Last year ‘Dwarf Northsky’ really started churning out fruit. I went out each morning to grab a handful of ripe, juicy berries and pop them in my mouth before the Japanese beetles could get them. The only good thing about Japanese beetles is that they seem to be solar-powered, so in my getting-shadier-all-the-time yard they really don’t get moving until about lunchtime when the sun is finally able to climb above the oak trees.
I hadn’t seen ‘Dwarf Northsky’ for sale at any garden centers since I bought my plant, but this spring I found and bought one. I must’ve really been in the mood for blueberries that day because I also purchased a different cultivar called ‘Chippewa’. ‘Chippewa’ was developed at the University of Minnesota in 1996. The plants are a half-highbush and grow 3 to 4 feet tall.
‘Chippewa’ was already in bloom when I planted it. And although I know better, I just didn’t have the heart to trim off the flowers so the plant could get better established. I decided it could fend for itself. My tiny bush has quite a few berries on it now:
The accompanying plant tag said “don’t be surprised to pick 3 to 7 pounds of berries from each mature bush. They really are that productive.” We’ll just see about that in a few years, but even if it produces a half or a quarter of that amount there should be plenty for me (and my husband) and the beetles to share.