Blueberry in Hindi | Blueberry Cultivation in India

Do you know the meaning of Blueberry in Hindi? If you want to know all about its growing requirements, then here are all the details on Blueberry Cultivation in India!

Blueberry in Hindi is famous as ‘Neelbadri’ or ‘नीलबदरी.’ These little berries are not only tasty and tangy but also come with many health benefits too! Let’s have a look at the details on Blueberry Cultivation in India!

Learn everything about guava cultivation in India here

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What is Blueberry?

Blueberries are popular for their sweet and tangy flavor. These berries are also an excellent source of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and anthocyanins. In India, it is native in northern cold climatic states like Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.

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Best Blueberry Varieties for India

The four most popular types of Blueberries are:

• Highbush: Famous varieties include ‘Bluecrop,’ ‘Blueray’. ‘Herbert’, ‘Jersey’, and ‘Meader’.
• Half high: A cross between highbush and lowbush. Famous varieties are ‘North Country’, and ‘Northland’.
• Rabbiteye: Produces sweet berries with tarty undernote. Go for ‘Powderblue’, ‘Woodard’, and ‘Brightwell’.

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Propagating Blueberries

From Seeds

Get quality seeds from a local supplier and put them in water for 4-5 hours. Wipe dry and sow in a well-draining potting mix and keep the pot where it gets bright and indirect light. The seeds will germinate in 4-6 weeks.

From Cuttings

You can propagate blueberries from hardwood or softwood cuttings, both. Take softwood cuttings during summers and hardwood cuttings after winter, before new growth appears.

Choose a healthy branch and snip off 4-6 inches long cutting. Remove the lower leaves, dip the end in a rooting hormone and plant it in a seed starting mix. Keep the container in bright, indirect light. It will take 7-10 weeks for the cutting to develop new shoots.

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Growing Requirements of Blueberry

Sunlight

For best berries and growth, make sure the plant gets a minimum of 3-4 hours of bright sunlight every day. An east or south-facing location will be the best spot for it.  Avoid keeping the plant in shady or dark spots.

Soil

Blueberries need well-draining, fertile, and slightly acidic soil with a pH between 4-5 for the best growth. To make your own growing medium, mix 2 parts each of sphagnum peat moss and shredded coconut coir, with 1 part perlite.

Watering

For best growth, keep the soil moist all the time but also avoid overwatering. The best way to maintain this is to water the plant when the topsoil feels a bit dry to touch. Never let the growing medium dry out completely.

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How to Care for Blueberries?

Fertilizer

Use a water-soluble liquid fertilizer like 10-10-10, once every 1-2 months. Do follow the instruction on the label. Also, avoid feeding the plant in winters.

Alternatively, you can also use fish emulsion, compost, or manure tea is best.

Pruning

Prune only 1/3 of the stems to stimulate the new growth—use sanitized shears. Also, discard any dead or broken stems from time to time.

Pest and Diseases

These berries are pretty much safe from pests. Just be careful with the birds as they like to munch on them. To avoid most of the potential diseases, avoid overwatering the plant and keep it well-ventilated.

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Blueberry Cultivation in India

Blueberry Cultivation in India is not as popular as the other fruits and it is the main reason why these berries demand a premium price in the market.

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Harvesting Blueberries

The best way to know when to harvest berries is to pick one or two and taste them! Start tasting them when they start to take a deep blue hue. To harvest, simply handpick them from the plant without damaging the stems.