Page 10, Nov. 1982, PALMETTO

by Paul Lyrene might be able to gather seeds: seedlings usually have large fruit. If you are a purist and must have the Florida has at least seven distinct 1. Vaccinium myrsinites. This is an raw, untampered-with rabbiteye, get

blueberry species (Vaccinium). evergreen lowbush blueberry that your seeds from Falling Water State Although some of these are abundant grows most abundantly in pine flat- Park in Washington COlJ1"ltyor from

in parts of the state, they are usually woods that are burned every few the Yellow River around Crestview.

not conspicuous, for they grow as years. It is the only native blueberry Here's how to germinate the seeds understory plants in swamps, woods, that grows in Dade County and several of all blueberry species. Gather the and wastelands. A Canadian botanist other counties south of lake fruit as it ripens. This is June 15th to who spent a decade studying the Okeechobee. It occurs in all areas of Aug. 1st except for V. arboreum. From

North American blueberries conclud- the state where conditions are 200 berries you will get about 2000 ed that a narrow zone reaching from favorable. V. myrsinites has been seeds, from which you can hope to get jacksonville, Florida, to northeastern grown as a pot plant in Europe for over several hundred seedlings.

Texas contains more genetic diversity 100 years. While the berries are still fresh, put for blueberries than any other area on them in two cups of water in a 2. V darrowi. This is another the continent. blender, and turn on the blender for

Several blueberry species make at- lowbush evergreen species. It has ten seconds. Pour a quart of water into tractive ornamentals. Their bluish-grey leaves and berries. It the blender and stir. Then carefully resembles V. myrsinites in many ways, widespread use for this purpose is pour off the liquid and recover the but is much more drought tolerant and severely restricted by their peculiar seeds from the bottom. requires full sun for good growth. V. growth requirements, which are ndt If you don't have many berries, you difficult to provide but are not widely

darrowi is abundantin the sand scrub can get more seeds by squashing the habitat of the Ocala National Forest, known. These requirements were berries out onto paper towels and described in the last issue of The particularly in conjunction with sand picking out the seeds manually.

Palmetto. pines. The juniper Springs area is a Dry the seeds for 48 hours at room

Blueberries can be propagated by good source of seeds. temperature and then store them dry

hardwood and softwood cuttings at about 45°F until November 1st. This 3. V. arboreum (common name is under mist, by root cuttings, or by cold storage is quite important,

seed. This article tells how to grow sparkleberry). In contrast to the because blueberry seeds won't ger- previous two species which seldom blueberries from seed. minate in hot weather. Since Blueberries are cross-pollinating, grow over five feet tall, the sparkleberry seeds mature in cool

and that insuresthat no two seedlings sparkleberry is a small tree which weather, it may be safe to germinate

are exactly alike. If, therefore, you reaches a height of 30 to 40 feet. It has them directly from the tree, but to be

want to propagate one particular attractive, shiny leaves and smooth really safe you should pick them in

blueberry plant which has some red-brown bark. Unlike species one, November and store them dry at 45°F two, and four, whose fruit ripen from unusual characteristics not shared by until the following November.

other plants of its species, do it by cut- June 15th to Aug. 1st, the sparkleberry On November 1 st, fill some one-

tings rather than by seed. Seed prop- ripens its fruit in October and quart flowerpots with Canadian

agation has value because it requires November, and these hang on the sphagnum peatmoss, which is (in-

no special equipment, it can give you tree until Jan. 1st in most years. conveniently enough) sold in four-

plants by the thousands and hundreds sparkleberries are the least tasty of the cubic-foot bales at most garden stores.

of thousands, and because it enables Florida blueberries, but they are not as Wet the peatmoss thoroughly and

you to breed improved varieties of bad as Florida elderberries or choke pack it as firmly as possible into the

blueberries by making controlled cherries. The tree is drought tolerant pots. Put the pots in a good germina- and does well on dry, sandy soils

crosses and selecting the best seed- tion environment. It is essential that

where it can be found throughout the this site have the proper light and lings. temperature. A sunlit greenhouse The following procedure may not state north of lake Okeechobee.

work for huckleberries (genus which is heated only to keep 4. V. ashe; (common name is rab- Gaylussacia), which often grow along temperatures from falling below freez- with blueberries and have fruit that biteye blueberry). Of the four species, ing is ideal north of Orlando. In south

resemble blueberries. Huckleberries this is the only one you can expect Florida the greenhouse may be too

have exactly ten seedlike nutlets in enough fruit from to make a pie. Rab- warm, and the pots should be kept

each berry, and these are arranged in biteyes are native in the river valleys of outside in indirect sun. Shelter the

a circle like the sections of an orange. northwest Florida and southeast pots from pounding rain if possible. Georgia. If I were growing seedlings Anything else you find in the woods Blueberry seeds germinate poorly or

that looks and tastes like a blueberry for pie purposes,I would get my seeds not at all under fluorescent lights and in places where the temperature is probably is one of our seven native from a Florida rabbiteye blueberry

blueberry species, and the seeds farm. The varieties grown on these continuously above 65°F. They don't

should germinate as described below. farms have been through several mind 80°F if it occasionally goes

The four speciesyou'd be most like- cycles of seedling selection since the below 60° at night. If your nights are

1y to want to propagate are these along time the original breeding stock was too warm, put the pots in the

with suggestions as to where you selected from the woods, and their refrigerator one night a week until ger- PALMETTO, Nov. 1982, Page 11 mination begins. can then be potted in peat-filled six- AUTHORS AND ARTISTS

;nrh nntc nr tr"ncnl"ntarl tn " h;nh I To plant the seeds, sprinkle them ",'-" PV"', V, "Q""P'Q"'~U ,V Q "'5"- Tony Jensen is an Associate Professor and Ex- onto the surface of the peatmoss. density nurseryat a spacingof six in- I tension Forester at the University of Florida in Don't cover them. Water the pots ches by one foot. If you transplant Gainesville. gently once a day to keep the seeds blueberries during the growing Lewis Varlett works for Breedlove Assoc., En-

moist. A half cup of water per one- season, you must irrigate them fre- vironmental Consultants in Gainesville. He has written a book on Florida range grasses for the quart pot is plenty. Avoid washing the quently with overhead irrigation. An seeds out of the pot, since they float alternative would be to hold the plants U.S. Dept. of Argiculture Soil Conservation Ser- vice. easily. Germination should begin in through the summerin the trays,prun- Judy Bates and her son, Jim Birdsey, are co-

three to four weeks and will continue ing the tops back when they get over owners of Birdsey's Edibles and Native Plants in throughout the winter. six inches tall, and transplanting them Bradenton, that Judy calls "a backyard nursery." As soon as the first seedlingsare one to the nursery in December. She has written a weekly column for the Braden- ton Herald garden page. inch tall, they should be transplanted to trays of peatmoss. The trays should The field nursery system will work Eliane M. Norman, Ph. D., is Associate Pro- only if the nursery soil is satisfactory fessor of Biolo~y at Stetson University in be at least three inches deep. Pack for blueberries. If there is doubt about Deland. David Clayton, who did the drawing

them firmly with moist Canadian with their article, is a senior at Stetson who has this, construct a cold-frame of boards been working with Dr. Norman on ReseaKhing sphagnum peatmoss. Space the seed- one ft. tall, fill it with packed peat- lings about one inch apart in the trays. pawpaws. Put the trays in full sun if possible. As moss, and transplant the blueberries at Bill Partington is President of FNPS,and Direc- soon as they are transplanted to the a six inch spacing. They should grow tor of the Environmental Information Center. trays, the blueberries should be fer- rapidly if fertilized every two weeks Paul lyrene is Associate Professor at the with the 20-20-20 solution asdescribed. tilized.. This can be done by sprinkling University of Florida in the Fruit Crops Depart- one teaspoon of slow-releasefertilizer, If you saved your last Palmetto, you ment, and has been breeding blueberries for iive years.

such as Osmocoat 10-10-10,per square can read again how to manage your Doris Rosebraugh is a landscape designer and

foot of tray. An alternative wou Id be to plants from here on. V. myrsinites, V. a member of the Dade Chapter of FNPS. She fertilize every two weeks with a solu- darrowi, and V. ashei should fruit after teaches two courses in landscape Design, one

tion made by dissolving one ounce of three growing seasons. V. arboreum for adults and one at Florida International water-soluble 20-20-20 in four gallons may take five years. If you are in- University. of water. Sprinkle one gallon of this terested in establishing a commercial Dr. Herbert W. Kale II is Director of Or- solution evenly over each 2:5 square blueberry farm in Florida, see your nithological Research for Florida Audubon

feet of surface. Rinsethe fertilizer from county agent. He may be able to talk Society.

the leaves immediately with water. you out of it. Blueberry farming is an Dorie Karl is secretary of FNPS, President of By April 15th, your oldest seedlings enterprise that requires considerable the Naples Chapter, and is the staff botanist for

should be about six inches tall. They dedication. Wilderne~ Country Club in Naples.

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