North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[William McNam <billmcnam@yahoo.com>]

Does anyone have experience using
vaccinium arboreum as rootstock?

Does anyone know of the existence of interspecific hybrids involving 
vaccinium arboreum or vaccinium angustifolium?

**********************
----Forwarded Message----
From: jfruth@uslink.net
To:
Cc: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Sat, Nov 25, 2006 3:45 PM MSK
Subject: Re: blueberrries in alkaline soil 

   Bill,
1) Sand, with alot of Calcium in it.
2) I don't know.  Never tried it.
3) Of course!
4) Never measured it but, if I had to guess, I'd say, "1/4 cup or less." They 
grow rather thickly so it is difficult to tell.
5) Identical
6) The coldest it has gotten here has been -46º F.  They only don't bear from 
lack of rain.
7) I haven't been curious enough to check.  They are the wild blueberry here 
and I haven't seen any other species around here.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot 

----- Original Message ----- From: bill d
To: jfruth@uslink.net
Sent: Friday, November 24, 2006 11:46 AM
Subject: blueberrries in alkaline soil


Thanks Jim!

What's the soil type there--sand ,clay, loam?
What happens if they're grown in soil with acid ph?
Are the plants self-fertile?
How much fruit do you get off one plant?
Are they distinguishable in taste from other species of blueberries?
How much winter cold can they withstand without injury?
Do you know of any interspecific hybrids of V. angustifolium with other 
Vaccinium species?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
Bill asked:

Hi JIm!
What kind of blueberries are these that thrive in alkaline soil?
How tall do they grow?
Do you know what species they are?
Thanks!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

   Vaccinium angustifolium, aka Dwarf, Sugar, Early or Low-Bush
Blueberry.
The pH here is 7.3.  They grow up to, about, 18"

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Farm
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
www.bberryfarm.com
(218)568-8483 [Store]




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----Forwarded Message----
From: lonrom@hevanet.com
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Mon, Feb 14, 2005 4:29 AM MSK
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] blueberries for neutral soil

In one of the older POMONAs there is an article from (name escapes me) who 
studied Vaccinium arboreum, so called "farkleberry" of the South.  It was 
sufficiently tolerant of alkaline soils that northern highbush blueberries 
could be grafted on  the species and they would survive and produce when they 
would die on their own roots.  One old timer apparently had a patch of such 
grafted berries that was 25 years old and in good production.  I have a piece 
of V. arboreum grafted on highbush blueberries, and it's quite interesting.  
I had thought of crossing the two, but the V. arboreum doesn't bloom until 
the highbush types have ripe fruit.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at 
http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best 
Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
On Feb 13, 2005, at 2:33 PM, Louisa Rogoff Thompson wrote:

 Jim,

 I believe all blueberries require very acidic soil, but some of their close 
cousins, the huckleberries (Gaylussacia spp.) do not.  Around here, black 
huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) grows along with blueberries in extremely 
acidic soil, but also grows in neutral soil if some other factor limits 
competition, and produces small but sweet berries.  This particular plant is 
a very low shrubby groundcover, about 6-12" tall and woody.  It's quite 
attractive, with silver-grey woody stems and exceptional fall foliage.   I 
believe it is found as far north as Newfoundland and Saskatchewan.  Also 
dangleberry, Gaylussacia frondosa, a much taller shrub (6-7'), has sweet, 
juicy fruit and grows as far north as southern New Hampshire.  I don't know 
if any true huckleberries (as opposed to Solanum spp.) are available from 
fruit nurseries.  If not, you could try native plant nurseries.

 Louisa Thompson
 Columbia, MD
 Zone 7a