Container-grown Blueberries as a Sustainable Farming Practice
Sustainable Agriculture
William Sciarappa
COUNTY AGENT II
Rutgers ANR - NJAES-RCE
Neptune City
Abstract
Recent innovations in above ground, high density, container production of highbush blueberry (“Vaccinium corymbosum”) transcend a lack of suitable soils and change reliance on traditional production methods. By building suitable, low pH, high organic matter soils in a 15- 20-gallon containers placed upon infertile, non-berryland soils, growers can diversify their operations into a profitable high-value, early season crop that is in demand for wholesale markets and/or draw consumers to the farm.
Four blueberry cultivars have been evaluated over 7 years in above ground containers positioned in replicated blocks totaling 10 acres on a commercial New Jersey farm. Cultivars are Duke, Top Shelf, Legacy, and a mixed block of 7 other blueberry lines. Each cultivar is tested at 3220 plants per acre compared to an average 1200 plants in traditional operations. These plants are selected for grower appeal, consumer market, phenology, and morphological differences.
This multi-treatment, multi-culture applied experiment is conducted on a previous mining operation with an infertile gravely, cool soil. Crop rows are 8 feet apart for ease of measurement, equipment travel and grower tours. The media selection is a customized blend of organic compost, nutrients and microbes. Container bags for blueberries and other smallfruit are used under raised overhead shadecloth. Multi-year data will be provided on soil fertility, microbial activity, irrigation management, IPM, chlorophyll analysis, crop growth, yield, and other factors. Production practices and farm site overview will be provided in a short, narrated video. Adapting such technology to local conditions could prove promising to farm and farmer sustainability in terms of land use and profitability.
Authors: William Sciarappa
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William Sciarappa COUNTY AGENT II, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 07753